[Beautiful story] A control system adapted to modular collaborative robotics

Initially conceived as a service company for industry, when it was founded in 2015, MS-Innov ended up specializing in modular industrial robotics. Its cobotics solution - collaboration between humans and robots - is part of an Industry 5.0 approach, which aims to place people at the heart of industrial processes. " Environmental issues also play a major role in the Industry 5.0 concept," notes Karine Wieder, MS-Innov's Sales Director. " And modularity contributes significantly to reducing the ecological footprint of industrial robotics, by promoting repairability and facilitating equipment maintenance. "

MORFOSE: modular collaborative robot for industry

The solution developed by MS-Innov and marketed since early 2024 goes by the name of MORFOSE. Its aim is to help industrial operators in their day-to-day work, so that they can refocus on high value-added tasks. " Industry is currently facing recruitment difficulties, and its employees are at risk of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs)," notes Karine Wieder. " By making it possible to automate repetitive or arduous tasks, MORFOSE simplifies the work of operators, limits risky postures and enhances the value of essential professions. "

To this end, MS-Innov has developed an innovative, patent-protected modular fastening system. This allows different modules to be easily interconnected and MORFOSE to be fully configured to suit any environment, " in less than ten minutes ", according to Karine Wieder. As a result, the collaborative robot can be used for a wide range of applications: handling, quality control, assembly, depositing materials, etc. This versatility can be expressed within the same site, since a module weighs a maximum of 7 kg, making it easy to transport the robot from one place to another. What's more, the interchangeability of components extends the equipment's lifespan: when a part proves defective, it is not necessary to repair or replace the entire robot, simply by changing the module concerned.

MORFOSE's natively modular design enables it to control up to eight axes, each with infinite rotation capacity. This second technological innovation, which is also the subject of a patent, meets the productivity needs of manufacturers, by improving cycle times.

Control software accessible to all

However, to exploit the full potential of the cobotics solution, we still need a control system capable of taking MORFOSE's unique features into account. This is the aim of the collaboration between MS-Innov and FEMTO ^Engineering1, which began in 2022. " The idea was not to start from scratch, but to adapt known robotics laws to MORFOSE's need for modularity and ease of use," explains Olivier Lehmann, research engineer specializing in robotics at FEMTO Engineering. Indeed, MS-Innov is keen to offer an accessible tool, requiring no specific programming skills, in order to democratize the use of robotics. " Our slogan is: agility for all and with all ", Karine Wieder sums up.

That's why the research team has opted for an approach combining classical computer language and graphic programming. The interface features predefined blocks corresponding to actions relevant to the environment in which MORFOSE is used. The aim is to enable operators to get to grips with the software quickly, after just one day's training. " Eventually, we'll even be developing industry-specific functions for welding, for example," says Oliver Lehmann. " This will be a complete block comprising all the actions and parameters required for the desired operation.

A control console in the image of MORFOSE: compact and modular

To achieve this result, the MS-Innov and FEMTO Engineering teams first presented the robot and its control requirements. They then jointly developed control laws. "Ultimately, the aim was to be able to give life to the assembled modules, in order to achieve the required trajectories ", describes Olivier Lehmann. In addition, in order to preserve the transportability of the solution, the console itself had to comply with constraints regarding its dimensions. " It was a real technical challenge to come up with a high-performance, flexible, yet compact control system ", says the research engineer. " And today, the control cabinet measures 50 cm by 50 cm and weighs less than fifteen kilos. "

As MORFOSE is modular, the control software also had to be modular. But how can the application adapt to all conceivable use cases? " We integrated this requirement right from the early stages of software development," says Olivier Lehmann. " In particular, this means that all the robot's control models can be configured according to the different modules connected. So, as soon as a new module is connected, the operator can quickly have the appropriate control blocks at his disposal. " This is achieved through the use of "field networks", enabling efficient communication and synchronization between the main bay and the various modules. Thanks to this architecture, the system is able to recognize each connected module and select the appropriate control law. The research team refers to this as " plug and produce", by analogy with the " plug and play " of operating systems.

Safe collaboration

Nor does the steering application forget MORFOSE's other essential characteristic: collaboration. This imperative means taking into account the presence of human beings around the equipment and ensuring their safety. " First and foremost, this means limiting the robot's kinetic energy, and therefore the speed at which it can operate," says Olivier Lehmann. " The robot must also remain 'attentive' to its environment, detecting any possible collision with an operator and thus preventing the risk of injury. "

Effective collaboration also depends on the acceptance of the solution by teams in the field. " That ' s why, right from the early stages of MORFOSE's development, we invited end-users, managers and integrators to MS-Innov's premises," says Karine Wieder. " The idea was for them to share with us their daily lives, their constraints, their wishes...". This co-construction approach is essential if we are to meet the needs of manufacturers.

Continuous improvement of MORFOSE

Today, the first robots marketed by MS-Innov and installed on production sites incorporate the control functions developed as part of the collaboration with FEMTO Engineering. " For the time being, the functions available are fairly standard, such as machine loading and unloading ", Karine Wieder concedes. " But we will gradually extend the range of possibilities offered and take on more complex trajectories. " In this way, the research team is engaged in a process of continuous improvement, with the aim of making the control system ever more precise, and working on the integration of business functions such as polishing or sanding.

"As a research organization, FEMTO-ST also maintains close links with the education sector," adds Olivier Lehmann, referring to the links maintained with the Université de Franche-Comté (UFC), the École Nationale Supérieure de Mécanique et des Microtechniques (ENSMM), and the Université de Technologie de Belfort-Montbéliard (UTBM). " We are currently in discussions with MS-Innov to develop teaching kits to train students in robotics. The next generation of engineers may well draw on this knowledge to lay the foundations for robotics in the future Industry 6.0.

¹ Femto Engineering provides the interface between FEMTO-ST research and the innovation needs of industry.