Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –
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Scientists at the Polytechnic University have developed a robotic system for automating the precise dosing and application of materials. Initially developed to address the laboratory's internal needs, the system has demonstrated broad potential for application in microelectronics, mechanical engineering, chemistry, and education. Experts note that the robotic system already outperforms its closest foreign counterparts.
The system consists of a three-axis robot combined with a dispensing unit and a machine vision system for feedback. It can handle polymers, sealants, solder pastes, liquid suspensions, and low-melting glasses. Dispensing can be performed using a piston or air pressure, allowing it to handle materials with a wide range of viscosities.
A key feature of the system is its machine vision integration, which enables real-time robotic control along unprogrammed trajectories. This opens up opportunities for creating complex-shaped gaskets for silicone, polyurethane, or rubber products, and is also indispensable for the precise application of sealants and the alignment of micro-optical elements. Manually creating complex trajectories or writing codes is unnecessary: the operator can send commands to the robot using color differentiation via the machine vision of a configured camera.
"We initially created a system to automate routine tasks in our laboratory, as we work extensively with dispensing low-melting glasses to produce micro-optical elements. To replicate the processes, improve precision, and increase the speed of element production, we needed to develop specialized designs, electronic boards, and our own software. This is how the first version of the robotic system was born. We focused not on the design itself, but on the tasks the robot would perform. The result is a more user-friendly and intuitive system that doesn't require studying hundreds of pages of instructions, as with some similar systems," explained Alexander Semencha, Director of the Nanotechnology and Coatings Research and Educational Center at the Institute of Mechanical Engineering, Materials, and Transport at SPbPU.
The robot's technical specifications allow it to be used in the production of microelectronics products: positioning accuracy of up to 20 microns, axis travel speed of up to 300 mm/sec, and a workspace of 300 x 300 mm with the ability to expand. The system supports the installation of up to two manipulators and six peripheral devices.
The development was led by a team from the Nanotechnology and Coatings Research Center, including engineers, electronics engineers, IT specialists, technologists, and industrial designers. They assembled more than eight versions of the design before achieving the required level of reliability. One of the models has already successfully completed over 100,000 cycles without loss of accuracy.
The project's potential encompasses three main areas: the creation of fully robotic chemistry labs for schools and universities, applications in scientific research (for example, for the production of lighting fixtures with special phosphors for growing agricultural crops), and the solution of non-standard tasks, such as sorting or engraving. The scientists note that the robot is ready for mass production.
There are only a few companies worldwide producing similar devices: in the US and China. The system developed at the Polytechnic University is significantly cheaper than its Western counterparts, and its functionality already surpasses that of other systems available on the market.
This is an example of the successful convergence of engineering, IT, and materials science competencies within the university. Such interdisciplinary projects directly contribute to technological sovereignty, ensuring the effective transfer of knowledge from fundamental science to applied solutions, and developing personnel for the economy of the future, noted Yuri Fomin, SPbPU Vice-Rector for Research.
The team's plans include developing an automatic calibration system, implementing AI tools for simplified programming, and creating a remote control center for the system.
About the development of Polytechnic University scientists federal media reported.
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