Design and development of a hybrid cell, based on human robot collaboration, for the remanufacturing of heavy transport vehicle tires
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Date
2026-10-12
Authors
Ανδρωνάς, Ευάγγελος
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Abstract
Remanufacturing retains product value within the circular economy, but its automation is hindered by the variable condition of returned products, limited item-specific information, and reliance on labor-intensive operations. Unlike conventional manufacturing, each incoming core must be assessed at runtime, and its processing cannot follow a fixed plan. This thesis presents a general methodology for designing robotic remanufacturing cells that combines condition assessment, item-level traceability, and per-item processing decisions, with human–robot collaboration throughout. The methodology is applied to heavy-duty transport vehicle tire retreading, targeting automated defect detection and localized material removal across the casing’s inner and outer surfaces, alongside safe operator intervention where automation is insufficient. The developed cell uses a single high-payload robot equipped with a multi-DOF collaborative gripper that secures, measures, rotates, and reorients the casing, positioning it at perception and skiving stations without separate handling equipment. Virtual verification in CATIA/DELMIA confirmed full-surface inspection coverage, collision-free skiving-tool reachability, and feasibility of the designed safety zones. The methodology thus provides a transferable basis for designing flexible, human-centric cells capable of processing returned products of uncertain condition.
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Keywords
Circular economy, Remanufacturing, Robotic cell design, Human–robot collaboration, Automated inspection, Virtual verification, Tire retreading