Facilitating Skill-Based Robot Programing Using the Asset Administration Shell

This paper presents an approach to abstract capabilities of hardware components, such as a robot, and to store the necessary data for accessing that capability in Asset Administration Shells (AAS). It uses an ontology based on the Capability, Skills, and Services (CSS) model, enhanced with the possibility to describe physical relations between components. Capabilities describe abstract abilities realized through technology-neutral skills, exemplified in Docker containers using a standardized interface to communicate. The case study, bin picking, illustrates the system's application and requirements. Two user types are identified: the hardware manufacturers who can abstract and store component capabilities in an AAS, and the user who can load these shells in order to orchestrate the process program. This paper details the system's design, implementation, and evaluation, demonstrating its functionality through the case study.