2nd Annual INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP ON HIGHER EDUCATION
Research Workshop
Doctoral Programme on Digital Technologies and Communication
Date: Thursday 29 November 2012
Location: Room F101, UVic
Schedule 
9:30 – 9:35 Opening
9:35 – 10:25 Engineering Failure Analysis
Marco Boniardi / Barbara Rivolta
10:25 – 11:15 Mobile Robot Localization
Andreu Corominas
11:15 – 11:45 Coffee-Breack
10:25 – 11:15 Field failure analysis in the Axles industry
Assumpta Vizcaino
12:20 – 12:45 3D object reconstruction using six-axis robot arm
Marc Mundó
12:45 Closing
Abstracts
Engineering Failure Analysis
Marco Boniardi / Barbara Rivolta
In this lesson we will talk about the main damage phenomena which can give rise to failures of mechanical devices in service. The mechanical behaviour of materials is strongly influenced both by the metallurgical characteristics depending on chemical analysis, production processes, thermal treatments and also by environmental characteristics and applied loads. The most recent theories able to predict and describe the failures are presented and, in the same time, real cases of failure analysis of components will be discussed with the students. A special reference to the correct approaches and to the most useful analytical and experimental methods to perform a Root Cause Failure Analysis will be given.
Mobile Robot Localization
Andreu Corominas Murtra
In this talk I will overview the main state of the art techniques used for mobile robots to localize themselves within an environment. We will analyse three cases: when a robot has a previous model of the environment (map-based localization), when it builds that model while it localizes in it (SLAM problem) or when the robot computes a trajectory without storing any environment model (odometry). We will also review how localization is integrated in the autonomous navigation loop. Finally we’ll discuss the main applications and opportunities that both techniques can offer nowadays.
Field failure analysis in the track and axles industry: Spindle Breakage
Assumpta Vizcaino Vallbona
Field failure analysis has a wide scope in the track or axle manufacturing industry. The process limits go from a customer claim, to the validation of the root cause, and finally to the application of the adequate corrective actions to the corresponding process. It is essential to have control over the process, collecting all details and data related to the field failure. Good data availability promotes effectiveness and efficiency in the problem solving analysis. Different tools are available to solve any field failure. The selection of the tool to be applied depends on the complexity and criticality of the specific case. The most typical tools that are selected for root cause solving are: “8D”, “Fault tree analysis”, “Story board”, “is / is not” by Kepner Tregoe, and other 6 sigma tools. In addition, fractography and metallurgical analysis are required to come to any conclusion about the failure mechanisms. This article shows a practical example for a field failure analysis process of a broken wheel end spindle, which is press fitted to the end of the housing. This part is a Safety Related Component (SRC), therefore this case included a severe risk on the field. Parallel actions to minimise such risk were carried out.
3D object reconstruction using six-axis robot arm
Marc Mundó Comerma
In the 3D reconstruction can use different techniques depending on the tools and the objects to extract reconstruction. Using robotics can generate spherical or cylindrical trajectories depending on the case study in order to obtain information from all points of view. To generate the profile used different techniques, basically: USB camera and laser distance measurement, always with the support of an industrial robot. In the first case the profiles can be obtained by performing a circular path around the object, obtaining some images every step and from the processing of it obtains the profile. In the second case can perform spherical or hemispherical path to obtain the distance of many points as possible and process these data to generate the 3D profile. Other important points are focused in communication between the acquisition, processing and robot systems. Ethernet and RS232 communication are used in this project.
