In modern industrial production fast and easily reconfigurable transportation systems are necessary. A viable bio-inspired approach to this is throwing and catching of transportation goods. In order to catch a thrown object the catching device has to be moved to the right position on time. This requires a fast and accurate acquisition of flight position and a prediction system for the interception point. The main topic of this paper is the development and comparison of two prediction models for the flight trajectory of a thrown tennis ball. The position acquisition, that is the base for the prediction, is based on a binocular vision system similar to two-eyed humans. The impact of the vision systems frame rate on the error of the prediction is reviewed as well. Future prediction is planned to be done based on a bio-inspired approach using a small set of reference throws.

This work is part of a project that investigates a new approach for material transport within manufacturing systems by throwing or shooting. Such material transport systems includes both throwing and catching of workpieces by robots. In production processes objects can be thrown with high velocity over distances of several meters. High accuracy in throwing and catching is important. Here, two alternative methods are presented for measuring the accuracy of predictions of interception positions used by the catching robot. The first measurement method presented uses a single triggered gray-value camera to determine the actual interception position. The second method bases on a Dispersive Signal Technology (DST) touch kit. Measurement techniques and the accuracies of these systems are presented in this paper.

Throwing or shooting is a new approach for the transportation of objects within production systems. Since gantry robots are often applied to load and unload machines, in a research project a Cartesian robot was used for capturing flying objects. A camera system is measuring the object's positions during a throw in subsequent periods of time. Based on these measurements it can predict the capturing point with an increasing accuracy. So it can direct the robot during a throw to the capturing point also with an increasing accuracy. In this paper control methods are proposed which allow in such an application fast and smooth motions of the robot to the final capturing point. For the evaluation of the control methods two scenarios, a simplified and a realistic one, are defined.

This work aims to optimize transportation processes in production by throwing objects between the working stations instead of transporting them on conveyed belts. One aspect of this new approach is the accurate prediction of interception positions of thrown objects with the catching robot. In a first step, this work analyzes the variation of the flight trajectories to specify the requirements for an appropriate catching-device. Several objects were thrown by a throwing-device and the range of their passages through a gate similar to the portal of the proposed gantry robot for object catching were measured. The second and main part of this work deals with calculating the objectpsilas position in flight and accurately predicting a point of interception with the catching robot. The proposed prediction model for interception positions bases on two inputs: the starting angles extracted from observations of a single camera and the speed of the object measured by two light barriers. The model is precise enough in respect to the size of the gripper of the catching robot.

Throwing orshooting isanewapproach forthe transportation ofobjects withinproduction systems. Since Gantry Robots areoften applied toloadandunload machines, in a research project a Cartesian Robotwasusedforcapturing flying objects. A camerasystemismeasuring theobject's positions during athrowinsubsequent periods oftime. Basedon thesemeasurements itcanpredict thecapturing point withan increasing accuracy. Soitcandirect therobot during athrowto thecapturing point alsowithanincreasing accuracy. Inthis papercontrol methodsareproposed whichallowinsuchan application fastandsmoothmotions oftherobottothefinal capturing point. Fortheevaluation ofthecontrol methods two scenarios, asimplified andarealistic one,aredefined. Keywords-Cartesian robot, flying objects, capturing, control method

The fastest movements can be watched in nature at flying. Based on this fact the technology of throwing or shooting of objects is proposed for tasks in logistic chains of production systems. At first some existing applications are presented. Afterwards the potential of the technology and alternatives for realization approaches in the future are described in a systematic order. Since the acceptance of this technology, is not yet very high for real applications today, the challenges are addressed, which still have to be solved. Finally some visionary applications are presented, which can illustrate the potential of the technology for the future more concrete.

In flexible manufacturing systems (FMS) "throwing" as a new approach for transportation of parts between machines is proposed. "Throwing" brings up the problem of capturing. For capturing fast flying objects grippers are required, which have a closing time of less than 10 ms. In this paper two types of mechanically controlled grippers are proposed. At the first type of a gripper the kinetic energy of the flying object is used to close the gripper. With that a flying ball with a mass of 60 g and a speed of 10 m/s can be captured with a closing time of the gripper of 5 ms. At the second type of gripper a pre-stressed spring is used to close the gripper. With that a flying ball with a mass of 20 g and a speed of 10 m/s can be captured also with a closing time of 5 ms.