Virtual Reality Based Robot Graphic Simulation and Virtual Manufacturing System

This paper reports research into an interface between industry robots and Virtual Reality systems and creates a virtual robot for robot arm simulation, control language conversion, physical communication, robot networking and teleoperation control. The paper is based on an integrated manufacturing networking software which includes a PUMA robot, a Lansing welding robot, and CNC machines. The aim of the research is to combine VR and robot technology for system testing, to establish VR based simulation workshop for defining and checking robot arm movement trajectory, eliminating the chance of potential collision. The paper also presents a system that can interpret the recognised operations into operator-level commands using task-dependent interpretation rules and a world model. A robot executes the defined task in the workspace by replicating operator’s movements in the virtual workspace.