Robotics & Automation News, November 2018

ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION NEWS

Issue 19 November 2018

T he m ont hl y m ag az i ne for t he robot i c s and autom at i on i ndus t r y

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Robotics & Automation News

Print publications struggle to belong Abdul Montaqim, Editor

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or those of us who started out in print journalism at a time when there was no worldwide web, it’s difficult to accept that traditional magazines and newspapers are struggling so much.

Difficult to accept but not hard to understand why.

Computer technology has enabled anyone with even the most limited of resources to set up a website and launch digital publications. Both these media have acres of space and offer a variety of interactive options, whereas print is just print – limited in space and no interactivity, except for its tactile nature.

But even before computers and the internet changed everything, the exhibitions industry was already taking over the print world.

As far back as 20 years ago, trade shows became bigger business than the trade magazines they were related to.

It’s no surprise, then, that events such as the International Manufacturing Technology Show are attended by record numbers of people.

Around 130,000 people registered to attend the most recent IMTS, held a couple of months ago in Chicago, USA, and probably tens of thousands more paid at the entrance.

And all the forecasts suggest IMTS, along with other similar events, will only get bigger.

Automatica, held earlier this year, also reported record attendance.

Hannover Messe is another big industrial technology event, this one held in Germany, also broke some attendance records.

The company which owns the Hannover Messe event has been expanding all over the world, especially in Asia, as have others.

While print is not quite dead, it’s certainly had to find a new role in among this new environment of “two extremes”, as it were: on the one end, we have people becoming increasingly isolated from others, working at a computer, often remotely, from home perhaps; and on the other end, we have events, which are all about the opposite – coming out of the isolation and meeting people.

Print publications probably fit somewhere inbetween. But truth be told, it’s difficult to see what the long-term future is for print, especially as tablets become increasingly common, and more people use the ever-expanding screens on their smartphones for reading things. l

editorial@roboticsandautomationnews.com

Editorial

Contents

Vehicles: Komatsu trucks boost productivity Exhibitions This year’s IMTS was the ‘largest ever’ Fashion A robotics professor and former catwalk model doubts that the fashion industry will ever be fully automated News: ABB launches compact lightweight robot

News: Honeywell and Fetch deliver distribution center robots Additive manufacturing: Beyond prototypes

Technical insight: Improving uptime in industrial robotic systems Robot sales: Global industrial sales double

Mobile robots: Improving material handling efficiencies

Sensor Readings magazine

Editorial & Production

Managing Editor Anna Schmidt Editor Abdul Montaqim

Art Editor Mark Allinson

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Marketing & Advertising

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This year’s IMTS was ‘largest ever’ Features

Exhibitions

Exhibitions : Exponential technology advances, strong economy propel North America’s premier manufacturing show

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rapidly transforming industry sparked IMTS 2018 – the International Manufacturing Technology Show – to set all-time records for show metrics.

The 32nd edition of the show drew a record registration of 129,415 people and featured 1,424,232 sq ft of exhibit space representing 2,123 booths and 2,563 exhibiting companies.

IMTS 2018 ran from September 10-15 at Chicago’s McCormick Place. Previous records were 121,764 registrants (IMTS 1998), 1,415,848 sq ft of exhibit space (IMTS 2000), 1,808 booths (IMTS 2016) and 2,407 exhibiting companies (IMTS 2016).

“Connectivity, the digital transformation of manufacturing, automation, additive manufacturing and a strong economy drove record numbers at IMTS 2018,” says Peter Eelman, Vice President – Exhibitions & Business Development at AMT – the Association For Manufacturing Technology, which owns and produces IMTS. “Digitization collided with a robust manufacturing industry to create our most dynamic show ever.”

Historically, years between IMTS lead to incremental machine improvements, which are now reaching physical limits.

“The velocity of change has become different,” observes Tim Shinbara – AMT Vice President – Manufacturing Technology. “Analog technology yields linear improvements. Digital technology creates exponential growth and transforms how manufacturers and job shops operate.”

An expansive show Notable growth areas at IMTS 2018 included an expanded Additive Manufacturing Pavilion that featured 51 exhibitors and covered 31,550 sq. ft., the strong partnership with HANNOVER MESSE USA and its four colocated shows and 510 exhibitors, an expanded Smartforce Student Summit that drew 7,000 more visitors than in 2016.

“IMTS witnessed an unprecedented degree of collaboration among exhibitors to develop additive manufacturing, automation and connected systems,” says Eelman. editorial@roboticsandautomationnews.com

As an example, he points to the venture between 3D Systems and GF Machining, with their DMP Factory 500 metal 3D printing system unveiled to the public on the first day of the show.

Scott Harms, founder and President of MetalQuest Unlimited, has attended IMTS since 1996. After three days at this show, he was working on quotes for a load/unload robot, a shop floor CMM with an automation package, scheduling software and smart factory technology. He is also looking at cobots.

“There are so many ways of adapting automation that can make our operation more efficient, and they’re all here at IMTS 2018,” says Harms, who brought 11 people to the show. “We spent more time at the show this year, and it’s still not enough. Technology is at an all-time high.”

Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner addressed the IMTS audience on Sept. 12, stating that “There are four reasons that manufacturers from around the world are coming to the state of Illinois to build great products....people, transportation, innovation and energy. We’re driving great manufacturing growth in this state.”

He noted that Illinois is the 17th largest manufacturing economy in the world, generates 600,000 manufacturing jobs, produces $100 billion dollars in manufactured www.roboticsandautomationnews.com

Exhibitions

products and creates the “most exciting and dynamic part of prosperity for everyone.”

Governor Rauner toured IMTS and rode Olli, a selfdriving, digitally manufactured, 3D-printed, electric shuttle

by Local Motors designed to streamline shared transportation systems around the world.

“The machines that you see at IMTS 2018 are moving at the speed of digital technology. They’re able to take files and make something that you've imagined,” says LM Industries CEO and co-founder John B. Rogers, Jr. “The tagline of IMTS 2018 says it the best, ‘Where dreamers and doers connect.’ That was the reason why we started a vehicle manufacturing company like Local Motors where we would be able to think it, print it and deploy it.”

Olli gave more than 1,400 rides at IMTS 2018 At the national government level, the Department of Defense Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment (IBAS) held advanced manufacturing meetings and workshops at IMTS 2018 in order to continue the dialogue of ensuring U.S. industrial strength and readiness regarding technology, workforce, and furthering public-private collaborations. The IBAS team engaged more than 26 companies, with more than a dozen participating in the follow-on workshop. editorial@roboticsandautomationnews.com

Features

The Hannover Messe USA co-located show hosted 510 exhibitors from around the world. At the center of Hannover Messe USA was the Solutions Theater, which hosted more than 60 learning sessions that dove deeply into important topics such as IIoT, intelligent manufacturing and next-generation technology.

Digital Factory exhibition Dell Technologies, Microsoft and SAP joined other innovators in a new Digital Factory exhibition that showcased breakthrough products and solutions focused on integrated processes and IT solutions for plant operations. The show has increased its exhibition space by 26 percent over IMTS 2016 and by more than 440 percent since its first appearance eight years ago.

“We want all visitors to be more competitive in this global world. People need to connect and collaborate,” says Dr. Jochen Koeckler, CEO of Deutsche Messe, Hannover Messe’s parent organization.

AMT President Douglas Woods adds that, “Hannover Messe USA and IMTS bridge the gap between Silicon Valley technology and main street manufacturing.

People find technologies here that change the spaces we work in.” l

“

The machines that you see at IMTS 2018 are moving at the speed of digital technology.

They’re able to take files and make something that you've imagined.

John B. Rogers, Jr, LM Industries

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Features

Autonomous trucks

Komatsu trucks boost productivity Autonomous trucks: Global mining giant Rio Tinto is said to have increased productivity by 34 percent through the use of Komatsu autonomous trucks

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io Tinto has been testing and implementing autonomous technology for around a decade, and after a decade of using Komatsu's massive driverless trucks, the company is integrating autonomous trains into its operations.

Komatsu’s vehicles are called autonomous haulage systems, or AHS. The AHS truck fleet is forecast to drive reductions in operating costs at Australia’s iron ore mines by up to $0.62 per ton by 2020, according to research company GlobalData.

Mining companies across the globe are increasingly embracing automation in their quest to boost efficiency and reduce human labor.

In Australia, automation in the mining industry began with the implementation of Komatsu’s Automatic Hauling System at Rio Tinto’s Pilbara iron ore operations in 2008.

Reducing operating costs Data and analytics company GlobalData predicts that the AHS truck fleet will noticeably reduce operating costs at the country’s iron ore mines.

Rio Tinto, which is responsible for up to 40 percent of Australia’s iron ore production, has gradually expanded its AHS truck fleet from five in 2008 to 95 by the end of 2017.

The company plans to increase the number further to around 150 trucks by 2020.

So far, Rio Tinto has invested over $2 billion into the installation of AHS trucks and robotics, with the majority of these at the company’s Pilbara iron ore operations.

Through these investments and upgrades, the company reported a 37 percent increase in the per person editorial@roboticsandautomationnews.com

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Autonomous trucks

Features

productivity between 2014 and 2017.

Ankita Awasthi, senior mining analyst at GlobalData, says: “AHS can have a significant impact in reducing the mining cost, which accounts for an average of 34 percent of the total operating cost.

“The key benefits of AHS trucks include improved haul truck utilization, alongside higher productivity.”

AHS trucks are only one part in Rio Tinto’s “Mine of the Future” program. Other proprietary technological advancements include: l Automated Drilling System; l AutoHaul; l Mine Automation System; and l 3D software technology.

The company implemented the world’s first AutoHaul rail network in the first quarter 2017, automating more than 60 percent of its rail network.

Other ore miners Other Australian iron ore miners, such as BHP and FMG, which together control up to 45 percent of the country’s iron ore supply, have deployed AHS trucks at their respective mining sites.

For example, in 2013, FMG initially deployed 54 AHS trucks and currently has 56 AHS trucks in operation, with its fleet expected to expand to 68 AHS trucks by 2020, while BHP is expected to add up to 50 by the same year.

Awasthi says: “While the numbers are still relatively small, the gradual increase in the AHS fleets is expected to have a noticeable impact on average operating costs for the major iron ore miners.

“In conjunction with other measures, GlobalData expects operating cost reductions on a per ton basis in the range of $0.50 to $0.62 by 2020 for the major iron ore miners, reducing the already low average from $13.63/t in 2017 to $13.07 in 2020.” l editorial@roboticsandautomationnews.com

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Features

Additive manufacturing

Beyond prototyping Additive manufacturing: Charlie Wood* of Fast Radius reports on scaling up to additive manufacturing for production

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ost readers are likely well-acquainted with additive manufacturing – as a rapid prototyping tool, at least. And while many companies believe and perpetuate the myth that AM is only a prototyping tool, innovators in a range of markets (for example, aerospace, healthcare, consumer goods and more) are already using AM for production-grade manufacturing when design, performance and cost factors align.

Exploring AM as a means of production opens up design and performance possibilities simply not possible with CNC machining, urethane casting or injection molding. This article will cover how organizations can: Identify if there’s a strong business case for switching to AM for your part or product.

Leverage design for additive manufacturing (DFAM) principles for a seamless transition from rapid prototyping to rapid production.

Building a business case for adopting productiongrade additive manufacturing Generally speaking, switching to production-grade AM for a part or product makes sense if there’s potential for adding value through:

Lightweighting your product Lightweighting products using AM advances material usage and performance – and opens up the opportunity to capture savings throughout the product’s lifecycle. AM has enabled the weight reduction of aerospace parts by as much as 70 percent, saving about $3,000 per year in fuel.

Low-cost mass customization Consumer demand for customization is rising, with 30 percent of Americans interested in product personalization. And additive manufacturing uniquely allows product designers to meet this demand with lower customization costs and lead times than legacy production methods.

Once the base component of your product has been validated with AM, personalizing the product with a corporate logo or different texture is a simple change in editorial@roboticsandautomationnews.com

the CAD file – with no custom tooling required.

Allowing consumers to tailor a product to their design preferences or needs not only helps you stand out among the competition, but it also ultimately provides more value to the customer.

Enhancing your product’s performance Virtually any shape, feature or function can be produced using AM. And product designers can experiment with vastly different geometries and textures with each design iteration without incurring retooling costs – which can range from $25,000 to $100,000.

Supply chain efficiency It’s estimated that companies leveraging on-demand additive manufacturing can achieve total supply chain savings as high as 50 to 90 percent.

Especially for companies selling large quantities of replacement parts, on-demand additive manufacturing opens up the opportunity to eliminate warehousing costs and reduce the risk of part obsolescence.

Faster product iteration AM allows design teams to refine and optimize their product with each design iteration. And because you’re prototyping on the same machine your product will be produced on, you can begin to validate the manufacturing process and your product’s performance during the prototype stage. In some instances, the time it takes to go from initial product concept to final product design can be reduced by up to 90 percent.

There are many benefits to making the switch to AM, but of course there are challenges to consider.

Producing a part through AM may mean you’re paying a higher per-part cost than conventional manufacturing.

However, those fees can be offset because AM also virtually eliminates the need for warehousing, which is critical because housing inventory can add anywhere from 20 to 25 percent to overall costs of production.

Applying smart design principles to amplify benefits of AM While it’s possible to use additive manufacturing to replicate an existing part that’s produced using traditional methods, it isn’t the best use of AM. To maximize a part’s www.roboticsandautomationnews.com

Additive manufacturing

Features

performance, cost savings and material usage, it’s best to design it from the ground up with the unique opportunities and constraints of additive in mind. Or, in other words, you should create your product using design for additive manufacturing (DFAM) principles.

DFAM draws on the same idea as design for manufacturability (DFM) – integrating process planning and product development. But instead of optimizing a product for urethane casting or injection molding, DFAM optimizes a product for production-grade manufacturing with additive technologies by analyzing competing factors to develop the most efficient design.

Additive manufacturing isn’t as simple as hitting print, especially when using DFAM principles to design a part for industrial-grade quality while minimizing production costs.

But the resulting parts meet the performance of traditionally manufactured parts while reducing lead times, eliminating tooling costs and maximizing design flexibility. Leveraging DFAM guidelines early on in the product development process allows product design teams to optimize their designs to capture the value of AM. Here are a few common principles of DFAM to consider when leaping from AM for prototyping to AM for production: Minimize overhangs and reduce reliance on supports Each successive slice of your part as it is printing (for example, in FDM, DMLS, and so on) relies on the layers below it for support. Large overhangs, openings and other features may require additional support during the build to prevent warping and ensure the product achieves its performance tolerances.

Parts designed with DFAM principles in mind will be self-supporting, minimizing the need for supporting features which can add cost through material waste and added post-processing needs.

And if supports are required, one cost-saving consideration would be to orient the part so that supports are placed in regions that aren’t user-facing, where marks are acceptable. This reduces the sanding and finishing time required in post-processing.

Part orientation While additive manufactured parts can be built in many orientations, the angle at which a feature is built can affect its tolerances. And because features can only deviate from the spec so much until it affects tolerance limits, it’s important to consider a range of possible orientations early on in the design process. That way, you can identify which orientation is best-suited for producing your part.

Consider a T-shaped part. When oriented right-side-up, tall supports are required to prop up the overhangs on editorial@roboticsandautomationnews.com

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Features

Additive manufacturing

both side of the part.

Simply flipping the part upside down reduces the need for supports, and ultimately drives production efficiency by reducing surface finishing needs. Learn more about part orientation best practices here.

Consolidate multi-part assemblies It’s difficult to produce complex shapes with traditional manufacturing, which can necessitate creating some products as multi-part assemblies. If you are transitioning your product from traditional to additive manufacturing, it can often be consolidated into fewer parts to significantly reduce assembly costs.

When Steelcase designed an arm cap using for additive manufacturing, for example, we transformed a three-part assembly into one uninterrupted part with multiple functional zones.

Leveraging generative design to optimize your part The unique geometries possible through additive processes allows product designers to leverage generative design tools (for example, topology optimization or lattice structures) to optimize the structure of your part based on hundreds of variables.

And because lattices allow you to precisely tune the strength and material density in different regions of a part, one contiguous part can meet different performance

requirements in different regions.

In the DFAM model, manufacturing is not the gating phase for part creation. Complex geometries, reduced material usage, on-demand customization and finelytuned performance attributes are just the beginning of what’s possible.

The most important AM design consideration None of these guidelines address one of the biggest obstacles to transitioning to production-grade AM: An AM product design skills gap. Because of this gap, the most important design guideline is to align yourself with AM product design experts at the outset of any DFAM project.

They will recommend design modifications that will optimize the cost and performance of your product. And they’ll understand how to drive efficiencies at the supply chain level through on-demand production and virtual warehousing.

The sooner you involve expert AM design and engineering support, the greater the benefits you stand to earn with your switch to additive. l *About the author: Charlie Wood is the manager of computational engineering at Fast Radius, a leading provider of on-demand additive manufacturing technology solutions – from entirely new products enabled by additive manufacturing to global supply chain solutions leveraging a virtual warehouse.

editorial@roboticsandautomationnews.com

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Improving uptime in industrial robotic systems Features

Technical insight

Technical insight: How sensors coupled with Industry 4.0 technology will enable predictive maintenance of industrial robots

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achine maintenance can sometimes seem like one of the black arts, according to experts at Infineon Technologies. A seemingly reliable machine suddenly stops working and, despite everyone’s best efforts, cannot be brought back to life. Along comes a member of the maintenance team and, after some beard-scratching, tinkering inside the machine and a few words of encouragement, the machine springs back to life.

The reality is often more pragmatic. Schedules of work are arranged to optimize uptime and undertake preventative maintenance during periods that have the least impact on manufacturing. However, there are still times when maintenance engineers seemingly ‘sense’ impending failure of their robots and automation equipment.

Could the implementation of sensing technologies, beyond the sensors needed for process monitoring, deliver improvements in predictive maintenance?

Scheduled downtime to improve uptime It is unlikely that we will see factories with row upon row of unskilled worker undertaking the menial manufacturing tasks that were common at the turn of the 20th century.

Today’s factories are highly automated with barely the need for a human hand to touch the product during the

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manufacturing process. The maintenance teams play a key role in keeping the machines alive, as unplanned downtime can quickly eat into slim profit margins.

At the heart of any manufacturing operation is a maintenance, repair and operation (MRO) plan. Through careful scheduling, preventative maintenance (PM) is arranged so that it has minimal impact on the manufacturing flow. The PM plan, when implemented well, can extend the life of the machines and robots being used. A robot’s life can extend to 20 years if regularly maintained, providing the organization with an excellent return on investment (RoI).

Detailed PM plans Robot manufacturers, such as Yaskawa, Fanuc and Kuka, supply detailed PM plans. They cover a range of activities, from visual inspections of motion, cables and harnesses, to repeatability checks, memory backups and lubrication.

These scheduled maintenance intervals can lie anywhere from around 4,000 to 10,000 hours of operation.

Of course, customer demand and PM schedules cannot always be synchronized with one another. Robot loading, motion and speed can result in more or less wear, resulting in maintenance occurring either too often, or not often enough. Operator training can also have an influence on wear. If the emergency halt button is used to www.roboticsandautomationnews.com

Technical insight

Features Industrial robots are provided with a preventative maintenance plan. Adherence to the plan can result in 20 years of service.

stop the robot out of convenience, rather than following using the manufacturer’s shutdown mechanism, the braking system can suffer from early wear.

To date, continual improvement programs (CIP) have been the primary method used to file away at reducing unexpected downtime while achieving a happy medium editorial@roboticsandautomationnews.com

Sensor data can be fused together using a microcontroller, such as the XMC4000 series, that feature industrial interfaces including EtherCAT

of planned downtime. But even these are reaching the point where the cost of improvement outweighs the potential cost savings.

The Goldilocks zone of maintenance With the continued roll-out of Industry 4.0, plant managers are being offered an ever-increasing amount of data about their manufacturing locations. Internetworked systems and the data sharing it enables provide continual feedback on manufacturing or process status.

Sensors are primarily focused upon either monitoring the process, such as temperature, pressure or volume, or safety, whether a valve is operational or a safety door is locked.

Stored data from these sensors can also be used for a hindsight analysis of what went wrong. If the time taken to empty a tank gradually took more time over a period of weeks, this knowledge could be used to determine an improved planned maintenance schedule for the tank’s outlet valve.

One of the advantages of our maintenance team members is their uncanny ability to sense when something is about to go wrong. Humans draw upon all their senses and, when a machine doesn’t quite sound right, or seems to visibly judder a little too much, their gut instinct kicks in. Invariably they are correct in their instinct, sometimes managing to avoid significant downtime and the financial losses that would otherwise result from unplanned maintenance.

It is not inconceivable that affixing additional sensors to manufacturing equipment could help to improve predictive maintenance. The aim here is to ensure that there is not too much preventative maintenance downtime, neither too much unexpected downtime – rather the balance should be just right.

The goal of these sensors is to monitor the machinery itself during operation to detect the changes that are signs of a pending failure. For example, by simultaneously monitoring current consumption, temperature, noise and motion, wear-related damage could be preempted in robotic joints.

How to tackle the challenge Digital sensors integrate a lot of the signal conditioning, compensation and calibration making the implementation of such a concept relatively simple.

Current measurement solutions are available, integrated into low-profile packaging that can handle up to +/- 50A of AC or DC signal measurement. The highprecision TLI4970 is such a device, utilizing Hall sensor technology in a measurement principle that galvanically isolates the primary conductor from the secondary interface.

Being a coreless measurement solution, the overall solution is very compact, and more accurate than openloop systems using a magnetic core. The primary conductor (current rail) is integrated into the package,

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Features leaving no need for external calibration. Its output is also highly linear, without hysteresis, and effective suppression of stray fields is achieved using a differential measurement principle.

For the area of robotic joint motion detection, magnetic field measurement solutions can leverage the properties of Giant Magneto Resistance (GMR) sensors.

Such devices provide angular measurement of commutated motors by monitoring magnetic fields in two planes. This sine and cosine output is passed to a digital signal processing block that uses the trigonometric ARCTAN2 function to deliver the true 360° angle of, for example, a motor rotor.

The TLI5012B E1000 is just such a device, delivered as a pre-calibrated solution. The integrated GMR sensors are implemented in a full-bridge structure that ensures the maximum signal is available. This design also ensures that temperature effects on the individual sensors cancel each other out. An SPI compatible interface can be used to connect it with a microcontroller, providing access to the measurements calculated and the configuration registers.

Temperature measurement block A further integration feature of many sensors is a temperature measurement block. Devices such as the DPS310 digital barometric pressure sensors incorporate temperature sensing, negating the need to implement this function separately.

Compact audio sensing can be integrated through the use of microelectromechanical solutions, such as MEMS microphones. Integrated with analog-to-digital (ADC) converters and digital signal processing, they can also be integrated into the flow of digital data collection. The IM69D130 provides excellent sensitivity (+/- 1 dB) and a flat frequency response with low frequency roll of at 28 kHz. It is also suitable for noisy manufacturing environments with its Acoustic Overload Point of 130 dB SPL. To be of use, all this data needs to be collected and evaluated in real time to highlight potential mechanical failure. Furthermore, the integration needs to build upon existing Industry 4.0 networking technologies.

Microcontrollers such as the XMC4000 family provide the low-level digital interfaces required to communicate with digital sensor technology. Additionally, they also support the industrial networking communication protocols, such as EtherCAT, required to integrate into industrial systems.

The XMC4000 family features a powerful ARM CortexM4F processor at their core, enabling the implementation of sensor fusion applications. The processor’s support for floating-point calculations and digital signal processing will also be beneficial in processing and evaluating the sensor data. Compact packaging, such as low-profile VQFN and LFBGA, ensure that both sensing and data processing can be simply integrated at the point of measurement. editorial@roboticsandautomationnews.com

Technical insight

The TLI4970 incorporates all the necessary biasing, signal conditioning and conversion, leaving a simple SPI control interface for the host microcontroller

MEMS microphones, such as the IM69D130, deliver an impressive Acoustic Overload Point of 130dB SP

“

It is the combination of overlaid data, such as knowledge of load, sound, vibration, warming and motion that allows the experienced maintenance engineer to sense a pending failure

With manufacturing facilities operating 24/7, such sensor fusion systems will be generating a lot of data.

With intense scrutiny, it is possible that human operators could determine anomalies in some of the data collected.

But with robots handling a multitude of loads and parts, it will be challenging to determine if, for example, differences in current consumption are purely load related or indicative of an impending breakdown.

Can artificial intelligence provide new insights?

This is where the essence of the experienced maintenance engineer needs to be replicated. It is the combination of overlaid data, such as knowledge of load, sound, vibration, warming and motion that allows them to sense a pending failure. This falls squarely into the domain of artificial intelligence (AI) analysis techniques.

AI is all about pattern recognition, often across data sets of dissimilar sources. Through analysis of data captured in the time domain, coupled with knowledge of the task being undertaken, a known-good state of health could be determined. AI would then be tasked to find www.roboticsandautomationnews.com

Technical insight

Features anomalies in sound or vibration that correlate with increased current consumption or a rise in temperature – changes that could be indicative of a pending breakdown.

The aim of the maintenance team is to sit in the Goldilocks zone – the optimal balance between too much scheduled maintenance downtime and the impact of too little

To make sense of the huge quantities of data generated, subtle changes over time could be detected using artificial intelligence techniques

Further justification for Industry 4.0 investment Such insights could lead to considerable improvements in predictive maintenance, allowing teams to undertake precision servicing on specific machinery or robot joints, reducing downtime to the minimum required. It is also conceivable that this information could be used to proactively engage an emergency mode. This could involve slowing a robot’s motion down or reducing loading to maintain production until the next suitable moment for repairs arise.

With a multitude of compact, low-cost and highly integrated sensors available on the market, there is little reason not to consider implementing self-monitoring capabilities on industrial robots and automation systems.

High-performance microcontrollers are also easy to integrate, providing a sensor fusion function to draw the many strands of data together, linked against a common time base.

Investments in an Industry 4.0 implementation, or upgrades of existing equipment to these standards, are easier to justify if there are more benefits through doing so. And with advances in AI, the flood of associated data generated by this approach will be easy to stem and analyze. If these increases in uptime and more efficient, data-based, predictive maintenance can be achieved, there are significant business margin and profitability opportunities available for those that implement them. l

This article was written and contributed by Clemens Müller, director business development industrial robotics, Infineon Technologies

The GMR resistors of the TLI5012B E1000 are oriented in such a way as to minimize temperature effects. The X and Y axis signals are then converted into a 360° angle

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News Features

Robot sales Title

News

Global industrial robot sales doubled over the past five years, says the IFR

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he International Federation of Robotics has released its annual World Robotics Report at a press conference at the World Robot Summit in Tokyo.

One of the main findings of the report is that global industrial robot sales have doubled over the past five years.

Another is that a new record high of 381,000 units were shipped globally in 2017 – an increase of 30 percent compared to the previous year.

The sales value increased by 21 percent compared to 2016 to a new peak of $16.2 billion in 2017.

The World Robotics Report which is published every year by the IFR was presented during a press conference held by the IFR at the bi-annual World Robot Summit which currently takes place in Tokyo.

Some of the main findings show that the investments in industrial robots keep increasing. In fact, the global industrial robot sales doubled from 2013 to 2017 (114 percent) and the outlook for the next three years (2018-2021) estimates that the global sales will increase 14 percent per year on average.

Significant interest Esben Østergaard, co-founder and CTO at Universal Robots, says: “As with previous reports from IFR, the findings this year is in line with our own experiences at Universal Robots.

“We also see a significant interest and desire to automate processes and more and more companies – no matter the size – are realizing the benefits of robots in their manufacturing setups.”

In the 2018 report the IFR highlights many cutting-edge technologies such as the concept of man-machine collaboration and easy programming which will help improve the productivity of manufacturing and expand the area of robot applications. Østergaard says: “Robotic automation improves consistency of quality and consistency of flow. Collaborative robots – in editorial@roboticsandautomationnews.com

its essence man-machine collaboration – are especially compelling as they work together with human workers instead of replacing them.

“We definitely see an accelerating demand for consumer goods that display an element of ‘the human touch’ along with consistently high quality.”

Universal Robots has always believed in easy programming which is one of the reasons the company is market leader within collaborative robots today. Østergaard adds: “Making it easy to understand and program our cobots has been a part of our DNA since the very beginning.

We actually define ‘collaborative’ by the ease-

“

of-use and ease of integration.

“That is what really sets us apart from our competitors and I’m pleased that IFR highlights that as cutting-edge as I couldn’t agree more.”

Major markets The report sees a growing demand for robotic automation specifically within the auto industry, electronics, and the metal industry.

Five major markets – China, Japan, South Korea, the United States and Germany – represented 73 percent of the total sales volume in 2017 which corresponds with Universal Robots’ experience as key markets. l

We also see a significant interest and desire to automate processes and more and more companies – no matter the size – are realizing the benefits of robots in their manufacturing setups.

Esben Østergaard, Universal Robots

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Logistics 4.0 meets Industrie 4.0 23 – 27 April 2018 Hannover ▪ Germany cemat-hannovermesse.com #HM18 #CeMAT

D I G I TA L T R A N S F O R M AT I O N

T CeMA er ogeth t w o n R NOVE N A H with MESSE

P L AT F O R M S

MAN-MACHINE PAC K AG I N G LO G I ST I C S 4 .0 A U T O M AT I Z AT I O N IN COMMERCE

World’s leading trade show for intralogistics & supply chain management

Improving material handling efficiencies Features

Mobile Robots

Mobile Robots: The growth of the autonomous mobile robots market is unstoppable, reports Rob Sullivan, president and CEo, AutoGuide Mobile Robots

M

obile robots utilize lean manufacturing to eliminate waste and ensure continuous process improvement. Mobile robots reduce walk time, improve safety, and guarantee zero-defect production.

Flexibility and Reliability Ensures Continuous Process Improvement Whether named autonomous mobile robots or AGVs (automated guided vehicles), Industry 4.0 initiatives all include the requirement of flexible programming and a modular design.

Different vehicle and load handling frame configurations accommodate specific handling needs including the driver platform trail frame and tiller handle controls, straddle, or counterbalance fork attachments and various unit-load attachments such as conveyors and lift decks.

The unique value proposition of mobile robot solutions is revealed best in the guidance system. The SurePath guidance system, for example, is extremely accurate and reliable in both manufacturing and warehouse environments.

SurePath natural feature system is easy and affordable to install and modify; it requires no physical guide path system.

Mapping data Users simply drive a vehicle through the facility to map the environment and teach it the anticipated routes. The mapping data is automatically uploaded wirelessly to a single PC or server where it can be modified and integrated for the precise operation including pick-drop points, intersection control, and the preferred routing logic.

The system controls traffic and monitors the status and exact location of each vehicle in real-time. It can also be connected to wearables, line-side pushbuttons, sensors and a WMS (Warehouse Management System) for automatic dispatching and order functions. editorial@roboticsandautomationnews.com

Routes are easily modified by simply drawing a different path on a user interface and sending it to the vehicles. To expand the system into other parts of the facility, users simply map the new area with one of the vehicles and add the desired path.

The vehicle travels up to 4 MPH and performs precise reversing maneuvers to accommodate automatic trailer hitching and unhitching functions, loads up to 10,000 pounds seamlessly with no magnetic tape or RFID tags required, making installation and modifications more flexible and at a lower cost. www.roboticsandautomationnews.com

Mobile Robots

Features

One of the frequent complaints heard about AGVs and mobile robots is a slow and long delivery time. Few mobile robot manufacturers maintain rapid delivery models, causing customers delivery time of vehicles often in excess of 180 days.

The lost productivity and improved throughput data will fall short if the product cannot be delivered in a timely manner: 30 days maximum. Furthermore, delays will detrimentally impact the realization of a rapid ROI (return on investment).

AutoGuide’s mobile robots are manufactured at a vertically integrated assembly plant in Georgetown, KY allowing the vehicle to be delivered in weeks instead of many months. l

Rob Sullivan, President and CEO, AutoGuide Mobile Robots

Author Profile: Rob Sullivan, AutoGuide Mobile Robots’ President and CEO, is a proven robotics and automation leader with a solid track record of pioneering innovative products. With over 30 years of career advancement in high technology companies ranging from burgeoning start-ups to established multinational corporations, he offers a rare combination of business leadership and engineering expertise that resulted in the development and commercialization of numerous cutting-edge products.

Sullivan has built and fostered high performing teams and outsource partnerships that delivered quality products faster than industry norms. He holds 46 patents pertaining to robotics and automation utilized in manufacturing, distribution, and logistics. Sullivan can be reached at rsullivan@autoguideagv.com.

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Features

Fashion

Fashion: Danica Kragic, a

former catwalk model who is now a professor in robotics,

says the idea that the fashion

industry can be fully

automated is not one that

looks like happening any time soon…

Coco Chanel to

Robo Chanel?

D

“

A big challenge to overcome is sensing, we use skin for interaction and most of the robots today have quite limited tactile and haptic sensing.

– Danica Kragic

anica Kragic, a former catwalk model who is now a professor in robotics, says the idea that the fashion industry can be fully automated is not one that looks like will happen any time soon…

The most futuristic thing at this year's London Fashion Week – robots! With California-based Honee’s recent partnership announcement with OhmniLabs robotics company for a model with nerves of actual steel, tech and fashion are becoming more intertwined than ever.

Having walked the catwalks at Stockholm Fashion Week, independent robotics expert at KTH Royal Institute of Technology and IEEE member Professor Danica Kragic believes that the technology and fashion industries are on an inevitable and exciting collision course.

Danica Kragic, modelling for Rodebjer As the face of Rodebjer's 'I Am' campaign and often described as the world’s ‘first model-slash-robot researcher’, Professor Kragic knows there are still some wrinkles to iron out before the future fashiontech rises, including better anthropomorphic design and dexterity in robots.

“Robots are being developed to automate manual work and we also can see this application in sewing and the wider fashion industry. There are still many challenges to overcome, as manipulating garments is still a difficult problem.

"Humans use their whole body in the design and

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sewing process, so both hands and arms are relevant for each garment. It will be interesting to see the development of robotics technologies for this sector and to what extent one will need artificial solutions that mimic the human body in order to achieve the same type of effectivity and flexibility.

Skin challenge “A big challenge to overcome is sensing, we use skin for interaction and most of the robots today have quite limited tactile and haptic sensing.”

Danica has always dreamed of a designing a robot that can sew silk but she also believes that other technologies will come into the fashion mix, including virtual reality and augmented reality (VR/AR): “One of the biggest transformations we will see in the industry is the use of VR and AR in the design process.

Designers can meet in virtual setups/rooms and codesign pieces, while being miles away from each other. This of course has tremendous benefits for the environment.

“VR and AR can also be used for increasing the customer experience. Using AR technology, designers and retailers can show how clothes fit your own body in a virtual dressing room, rather than using mirrors like in shops now. This virtual system could also compare how a certain piece fits somebody else and compare directly to the customer.” l www.roboticsandautomationnews.com

Fashion

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Features

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Sensor Readings

The monthly magazine for the robotics and automation industry

Out every month Available on Issuu.com

and in all good app stores soon editorial@roboticsandautomationnews.com

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