The footwear industry accounts for some of the shortest production runs to be found (eight pairs of shoes is the average order size). Automization is more and more required in order to ensure competiveness in this growing market. The introduction of intelligent robotic technologies can contribute to overcome the complexity in the automation of the associated production processes.

HERMES approach

In discussion with SMEs from the footwear industry, a set of manual operations in the manufacturing process has been identified as most suitable to apply robotics technologies and to identify further technological challenges. The goal of the HERMES experiment is to study, analyze and finally implement the packaging of shoes on a robot system that mimics the required degree of flexibility and dexterity provided by the human workers.

Demonstrator

The use of a bimanual system with anthropomorphic hands has been chosen as it could also be applied to solve other processes of similar or even higher complexity in the future and thus provide a holistic approach towards automization in footwear industry.

HERMES results

The HERMES experiment will demonstrate the potential to apply robotic technologies in the packaging process of the high added value shoe production. Important key technologies for bimanual manipulation, specifically in terms of detection and manipulation of non-rigid parts, will be developed and transferred to potential system integrators for future commercialization.

Partners:

1)NBIO- Universidad Miguel Hernandez de Elche (Nicolas Garcia Aracil)

2)IPA- Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.

3)LAGAL SHOES S.L.

Duration: 18 months

Funding institution: European commission

Funded under: Seventh Framework Programme