On CAD Informed Adaptive Robotic Assembly

Abstract: We introduce a robotic assembly system that streamlines the design-to-make workflow for going from a CAD model of a product assembly to a fully programmed and adaptive assembly process. Our system captures (in the CAD tool) the intent of the assembly process for a specific robotic workcell and generates a recipe of task-level instructions. By integrating visual sensing with deep-learned perception models, the robots infer the necessary actions to assemble the design from the generated recipe. The perception models are trained directly from simulation, allowing the system to identify various parts based on CAD information. We demonstrate the system with a workcell of two robots to assemble interlocking 3D part designs. We first build and tune the assembly process in simulation, verifying the generated recipe. Finally, the real robotic workcell assembles the design using the same behavior.