'The problem so far has been that the robots used for welding have been quite big and expensive. Also the robot has to be taught a certain trajectory. The robot repeats this path irrespective of whether it performs the weld-joint accurately or not.
'At present most of the systems developed require a lot of sensors and optics that make it too heavy for an industrial robotic arm to handle with accuracy and speed. And hence, in order to be able to use robotic arms, we need to produce a small integrated welding head that can easily be used by any robot unit.
'The size of the robot is not so much the issue, though you can imagine that the lighter your equipment, the smaller the robot. The real issue is that the seam welding and inspection should be performed in real time. This means that the system should be able to see where the seam goes and weld at the same time without prior teaching,' he explains.
So is your welding head expected to be inexpensive?
'That is a good question! Well, it really depends ... If in the end we manage to do it with just some structured light and some common sensors, then it should be relatively cheap because those will be the only add-ons to the already existing laser head. And since it will be capable of being used by cheaper robots, it lowers the production cost.'
Dimitrios graduated in Automation Engineering from the Technological Educational Institute Of Thessaloniki, Greece. He then completed a Master's in Mechatronics at the UT and is now pursuing a PhD.
'I was an automation and control engineering graduate and I was searching something that involved control engineering applied in new technologies. Mechatronics is multi-disciplinary involving mechanical engineering, systems and control, software and electronics and it appealed to me greatly. I already had a bit of knowledge of each of the disciplines involved, which enhanced its appeal. Also, it is a young discipline and it is growing fast in the industry. It is of immense value in the automobile industry. It felt both good and right to come here at the UT. I am very excited about my research because it has a practical orientation, prior to this I had mostly done theoretical work. What motivates me is to keep doing new and unusual things.'
Dimitrios has been playing volleyball since he was eleven. He was captain of the volleyball team at Thessaloniki and has several gold medals to his credit. He continues to play here, being a part of the UT team, Harambee. His options for the future are open. 'Two years ago, if I had been told that I would be pursuing a PhD here, I would not have believed it.'
Deepa Talasila
Dimitrios Iakovou
