A concept that allows the cognitive automation of robotic assembly processes is introduced. An assembly cell comprised of two robots was designed to verify the concept. For the purpose of validation a customer-defined part group consisting of Hubelino bricks is assembled. One of the key aspects for this process is the verification of the assembly group. Hence a software component was designed that utilizes the Microsoft Kinect to perceive both depth and color data in the assembly area. This information is used to determine the current state of the assembly group and is compared to a CAD model for validation purposes. In order to efficiently resolve erroneous situations, the results are interactively accessible to a human expert. The implications for an industrial application are demonstrated by transferring the developed concepts to an assembly scenario for switch-cabinet systems. 1. Introduction One of the effects of globalization in public view is the reduction of production in high-wage countries especially due to job relocation abroad to low-wage countries, for example, towards Eastern Europe or Asia [1–3]. Based on this, a competition between manufacturing companies in high-wage and low-wage countries typically occurs within two dimensions: value-orientation and planning-orientation. Possible disadvantages of production in low-wage countries concerning process times, factor consumption and process mastering are compensated by low productive factor costs. In contrast, companies in high-wage countries try to utilize the relatively expensive productivity factors by maximizing the output (economies of scale). Another way to compensate the arising unit cost disadvantages is customization or fast adaptation to market needs (economies of scope), even though the escape into sophisticated niche markets does not seem to be a promising way for the future anymore. Within the dimension planning-orientation companies in high-wage countries try to optimize processes with sophisticated, investment-intensive planning approaches, and production systems while value-orientation offers the benefit of shop floor-oriented production with little planning effort. Since processes and production systems do not exceed the limits of an optimal operating range, additional competitive disadvantages for high-wage countries emerge. In order to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage for manufacturing companies in high-wage countries with their highly skilled workers, it is therefore not promising to further increase the planning orientation of the manufacturing systems and
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