Human-cobot assembly station for low volume production runs : a cost-effective approach through modularity and scalability

Abstract

In today’s increasingly volatile manufacturing environment, companies are under pressure to produce highly customised products in smaller volumes without compromising efficiency, quality, or cost. Traditional dedicated assembly lines (DMS), designed for high-volume production, lack the flexibility needed to adapt to these emerging demands. This research investigates and proposes a solution through the development of a Reconfigurable Human-Cobot Assembly System (RHCAS). This modular, scalable approach combines the strengths of Reconfigurable Assembly Systems (RAS) with Human-Robot Collaboration (HRC) under the guiding principles of Industry 5.0. This thesis outlines the design and evaluation of a generic RHCAS architecture designed to support low-to-medium volume production with high product variety. A comprehensive literature review identifies key design principles from existing HumanCobot Assembly Systems (HCAS), RAS and RHCAS. A modified Modular Function Deployment (MFD) framework is proposed to generate a generic physical RHCAS architecture. The developed architecture is then applied and validated through a case study. Stakeholder evaluations from both industrial and academic backgrounds provided qualitative insights into the practicality of the proposed architecture, while quantitative financial and productivity analyses confirmed its potential feasibility. The results validate the central hypothesis that a well-structured, modular RHCAS can provide manufacturers with a cost-effective and adaptable alternative to traditional assembly systems, particularly in low-volume, high-mix production environments. This research contributes a novel RHCAS design methodology based upon the principles of Integrated Product Development (IPD), promoting concurrent and modular design thinking.