Development and model‐aided performance measure of a sensor‐augmented industrial robotic system for handling steel bearing races in an unstructured environment

Purpose – Aims to measure the development and performance of a sensor‐augmented industrial robotic system for handling steel bearing races in an unstructured environment. Design/methodology/approach – Performs exhaustive experimentation during installation of the robotic system to assess its performance capability in terms of average lifting capacity and cycle time of operation. Findings – Reveals that improvement can be achieved without damping, though rubber padding still appears to be useful sometimes in higher speed operations. Also unloading operations appear to cause more trouble than loading. Practical implications – The introduction of the robotic system will culminate in lower cycle time, increased productivity and optimal utilization of the annealing furnace. Originality/value – Will be beneficial for those involved in material handling operations in an unstructured environment as opposed to more familiar conditions.