Manufacturers are always looking to increase productivity and reduce costs. Automating assembly tasks that are performed manually can offer great potential for increasing efficiency, but pose several challenges. Traditionally, robots are controlled by programming them to follow a desired trajectory. Even the smallest variation in the part's geometry can yield unsatisfactory results and cause part and tooling damage. Some complex assembly tasks, such as inserting camshafts into engine blocks, require the assembler to "feel" their way to the correct assembly position. Robots alone cannot accurately measure and compensate for the contact forces experienced during these assembly tasks.
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