Painting Robot Unity Simulation
Unity-based simulation platform for industrial painting robots at Robnor AB. Models spray patterns with configurable fan width, atomization, and transfer efficiency. Visualizes paint thickness distribution with color-coded heat maps. Safety validation tests collision scenarios and emergency stop responses. Reduced recipe development time by 60%.
⚡ Challenges
- •Accurate paint deposition modeling
- •Safety zone validation
- •Real-time program interpretation
✓ Outcomes
- ✓60% reduction in recipe development time
- ✓Zero safety incidents in validated cells
- ✓API adopted for automated testing
📖 Full Details
This Unity-based robot simulation platform provided Robnor AB with a virtual environment for validating painting robot programs, optimizing spray patterns, and ensuring safety compliance before deployment on physical production lines. The simulation accurately modeled paint deposition, robot kinematics, and conveyor synchronization.
The simulation core includes kinematic models of industrial painting robots, accurately representing joint limits, velocity constraints, and acceleration profiles. Robot programs execute in the virtual environment using interpreter components that parse standard robot languages, enabling direct testing of production code.
Paint deposition modeling tracks spray gun position, orientation, and trigger state, calculating coverage maps on target surfaces. Visualization modes show thickness distribution with color-coded heat maps, highlighting under-spray and over-spray regions. Paint parameters (fan width, atomization, transfer efficiency) are adjustable to match actual equipment specifications.
Safety validation features ensure compliance with functional safety requirements. The simulation detects potential collision scenarios, validates safe stopping distances, and verifies that safety zones trigger appropriate responses. Safety sensor simulations test light curtain, safety mat, and emergency stop integrations.
The platform includes a custom API enabling integration with higher-level planning systems. Robnor's engineers could submit painting jobs programmatically, receive coverage reports, and iterate on recipes without simulation expertise.
Developed during a consulting engagement at Blue Partner AB, the project demonstrated Unity's viability for industrial simulation beyond its traditional gaming applications. The platform reduced paint recipe development time by 60% and eliminated costly trial-and-error on physical lines.
