Design and simulation of an event-driven ABB Robotic pick-and-place cell with buffer-based production management

Abstract

This thesis focuses on the design and simulation of an adaptive pick-and-place system using an ABB robotic arm. The proposed application concerns the handling of photovoltaic strings and their accurate placement inside solar panel frames. Since photovoltaic components are fragile and require precise positioning, the robotic system must ensure stable motion, safe gripping, and collision-free operation. For this purpose, an ABB industrial robot is selected and integrated into a virtual workstation composed of a conveyor, a buffer area, and an assembly station. The work is developed using ABB RobotStudio for modeling, simulation, and validation of the robotic cell, while RAPID programming is used to define robot movements, gripper control, and input/output logic. The adaptive aspect of the system is based on the robot’s ability to react to workstation conditions. When the frame is available, the robot places the photovoltaic string directly into its position. When the frame is not available, the robot transfers the string to a temporary buffer and retrieves it later when the process can continue. This strategy helps maintain production continuity and reduces unnecessary waiting time. The simulation results allow verification of reachability, trajectory feasibility, and safe operation before real implementation.‫ ‫