Form-flexible handling and joining technology (formhand) for the forming and assembly of limp materials

The assembly of limp, elastic or differently shaped objects poses a huge challenge which needs to be met by machine tools and the corresponding processes of handling, forming and joining. These processes are often carried out manually. This technological gap triggered the present work at the Technische Universität Braunschweig. A novel form-flexible handling tool (FormHand) is presented which focuses on the automation of these production steps taking into consideration the material behavior. The combination of the flexibility of both industrial robot and the FormHand end-effector allows for new processes appropriate for these materials. This article investigates the used materials of the granular filler and the cushion textile, the working states of FormHand and the use of online sensors for an automated process application.