Redesign of an Industrial Robot I/O System : With FDCAN-Based Communication and Fault Detection

Sammanfattning

Industrial robot I/O systems using legacy components face several critical challenges: component obsolescence threatens long-term availability, thermal management issues lead to excessive heat dissipation, and safety vulnerabilities arise without reverse-polarity protection. These issues are particularly problematic in the existing controller-target communication boards at Sandvik Coromant, where legacy components and inadequate thermal efficiency threaten system reliability. Additionally, interviews with maintenance personnel revealed opportunities to enhance system diagnostics and enable predictive maintenance capabilities. This thesis presents a comprehensive redesign of these circuit boards while maintaining full backwards compatibility with existing mechanical interfaces and system requirements. The approach systematically addresses the identified challenges while incorporating the diagnostic improvements identified through interviews. The redesigned system delivers several key improvements: long-term component availability through modern parts selection, significantly improved power efficiency through advanced voltage regulation, protection against installation errors through enhanced safety features, and real-time diagnostic capabilities with visual status indicators. The communication architecture was upgraded to enable continuous quality monitoring and early detection of cable degradation, supporting predictive maintenance strategies aligned with Industry 4.0 principles. The new design successfully addresses component obsolescence, improves safety through reverse polarity protection, enhances diagnostic capabilities, and improves power efficiency. Creating a solid foundation for long-term system reliability.