Assembly System (AS) & flexible robotic assembly tech / skill-based programming and human-robot collaboration, Virtual environments

The AS Assembly System team, focuses on creating highly flexible robotic assembly systems tailored for small-batch, high-variability manufacturing—common in Flemish industries. Unlike traditional automotive robots designed for high-volume, repetitive tasks, their goal is to reduce the high programming cost and complexity that limits robot deployment in more dynamic environments.

Key innovations include:

• Skill-based programming: Decomposing tasks into modular, parameterized subtasks that are reusable across different scenarios.

• Human-robot collaboration: Designing robots and automation that seamlessly work alongside human operators.

• Virtual commissioning: Using virtual environments for simulation, prototyping, and early-stage testing of robotic programs.

• Intelligent data processing: Integrating sensors, vision, and context monitoring to enable adaptive task planning and scheduling.

A central component of their work is a software framework where robot capabilities ("skills") are stored in a library and orchestrated through a scheduler that interacts with the physical and digital representations of the production environment. This allows for smarter automation, rapid reconfiguration, and easier deployment in real-world applications.