Key points
After a slow start, robotic automation is beginning to gain headway in the UK, with companies beginning to increase the pace of robotic automation in their processes.
Mike Wilson, General Industries Sales & Marketing manager for ABB’s UK Robotics business, explains how UK manufacturers can make the switch to robots to help them stay one step ahead and the key steps that should be taken in developing the right solution for their needs.
During the last 35 years, industrial production technology has developed at an astonishing rate. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the case of industrial robots. From just a handful of units with limited capabilities sold in the early 1970s, the take-up of robots has grown exponentially, with recent estimates from the international Federation of Robotics (IFR) pointing to 1,946,000 robots likely to be in use by 2017.
Here in the UK, there is growing evidence to show an increasing acceptance of robotic automation, with robots starting to appear on factory floors outside of their traditional automotive stronghold. However, for a variety of reasons, British companies remain slow to invest in robotic automation technology compared to their overseas counterparts.
Despite an increase in the take-up of robotic automation in the UK, the annual statistics from the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) show us continuing to remain stubbornly at the lower end of the global league table of robotic adopters, with just 27 robots per 10,000 employees. This compares with over five times as many in Germany.
Our own research indicates that much of this can be attributed to a lack of experience in robotic automation technology. In particular, a nationwide shortage of trained robot personnel has led many companies to misperceive robotic automation as being too complicated, risky and costly to introduce.
Furthermore, our own experience shows that those companies that are willing to move towards a switch to robot automation are often unsure about how to go about it.
Making a switch to robotic automation
The diagram below outlines the recommended steps for gauging the potential for robotic automation and specifying the appropriate solution for your application.
Step 1 – Develop your solution
A successful robot installation starts with a proper specification. Knowing exactly what you need, and communicating it to a supplier, will avoid problems later on caused by miscommunication or a mismatch in the capability of your system versus your requirements
.Foremost at this point will be to clearly define exactly what you want a robot to do and the tolerances you want it to accommodate.
Factors to consider include the types of products you need the robot to handle, how long you want it to operate for and any special conditions relating to the application itself, such as whether the robot will be operating in a sterile environment.
You should also give some idea of where you believe improvements in your existing process can be achieved. This should include information about the target efficiency levels you want from the robot, such as precision, speed, wastage reduction or some other target area, which can then be compared to what you are currently achieving.
A valuable first stage in developing a robotic automation solution is to gather any relevant drawings and documentation on the parts being produced or handled, together with basic details of the process itself. This will provide a supplier with an understanding of what you’re making and any special requirements regarding handling. Where a product line produces multiple products, this may also include any considerations arising from variations in product shape or packaging.
It can also be helpful to speak to anyone involved with the process that you are seeking to automate. Very often, people’s actions and judgments will introduce nuances into a process that you might not be aware of, which could affect the specification and eventual efficiency of a robot system.
Once equipped with all this information, a target cycle time can then start to be calculated, which can be used to assist in the overall design of the system.
Step 2 – Create your initial concept design
Very often, a decision to automate will have been prompted by someone having seen what someone else is doing, either in terms of producing a similar product or operating a process that could be adapted to suit their requirements.
In such cases, it is relatively easy to start to devise a solution by developing an outline concept based on the desired installation.
Where additional equipment may be needed, or where a different or bespoke solution may be required, it is also worth consulting with experts and / or suppliers such as robot manufacturers or system integrators who can advise on the best way to tackle a particular problem. These organisations can often use their experience to recommend the best way to tackle a given problem or to point to similar applications in other industries.
Step 3 – Consider safety and control
Safety is a vital area that needs to be considered at the earliest possible stage. Selection of safety equipment will vary based on factors such as the risk involved in the process, the proximity of manual workers and any requirements for worker / robot collaboration.
Traditionally, the need to protect workers against the risk of collision with a robot in full motion has meant incorporating extensive guarding and other safety features into an installation.
Recent developments in robot control technology have opened up new possibilities for operators to work alongside robots without the need for extensive guarding. ABB’s SafeMove, for example, uses electronic motion detection and prevention measures, which can be reconfigured if required.
In the event of an unanticipated obstacle being detected, SafeMove automatically brings the robot to an instant stop. In this way, operators now have greater freedom to collaborate with a robot, allowing them to interrupt the robot to perform tasks such as checking or adding or removing samples.
By reducing the requirement for conventional guarding equipment, SafeMove helps to cut both the cost of an installation and the overall footprint, ideal for laboratories and other locations where space is at a premium.
Another point to consider is the type of control equipment that will be used to control the robot. Many manufacturers, ourselves included, offer application software packages that greatly simplify the process of installing and configuring a robot, thereby removing much of the complexity and risk at the set-up stage.
Developments in HMI and integration technology are also opening up new methods for robot control. Many robot controllers feature their own easy-to-use HMIs, either built into the controller itself or using hand-held teach pendants, which allow even inexperienced operators to easily program and configure a robot.
Control in large-scale applications can also be achieved through a PLC communicating with the robot controller, which can help simplify configuration where there may be a large amount of peripheral equipment that needs to be integrated with one or more robots.
Step 4 – Testing and simulation
A lingering concern when it comes to robotic automation is the perceived disruption caused by testing and commissioning a robot on the factory floor.
This concern can be addressed by using offline programing and simulation tools, which allow installations to be created and fully tested in a virtual environment before they are put into action. These tools can be either kinematic, where just the robot or robot cell is modelled, or discrete event, where a robot can be shown as part of a complete production process.
Using this software to simulate and test your proposed concept, either at the robot or plant level, will enable you to see whether it works and whether it can be refined further.
Step 5 – Refine the concept
Conducting the steps detailed above should help confirm the efficiency of the robot installation and whether any further refinements need to be made. Using the information gathered, it should be possible to begin to calculate some potential cost savings, which in turn can be used to derive a likely return on investment figure that can be presented to your finance department.
To achieve the best possible ROI, it is important to factor in all possible cost improvements. As well as direct improvements arising from things such as improved production throughput and reduced wastage and labour, consideration should also be given to non-obvious areas.
As a means of handling heavy payloads, for example, robots can reduce the risk of injury to workers, minimising the risk of injury-related compensation. Energy savings can also be achieved both by the ability of robots to work in unlit and unheated areas, and to achieve right first time production, which eliminates the extra energy incurred in correcting substandard product.
A key factor to bear in mind before finalising your concept is the need to cope with any future changes. Wherever possible, it is advisable to add in re-configurability at the outset, which will help to provide the flexibility both to accommodate future changes and to add extra tasks if required.
This may include factoring in hardware such as exchangeable end of arm tooling or the latest software or controller that can be used to quickly switch between programs to handle new processes.
Building in extra flexibility will almost certainly push up the cost of the installation. However, it may be better to spend a bit extra at the outset to achieve added flexibility rather than incurring the expense of carrying out modifications at a later date to shoehorn changes in.
Choosing a robotic automation supplier
As with all things, it pays to consult multiple suppliers before making your choice. Things to look for include price, capability and reputation, together with a proven track record of supplying solutions for your type of application. A reputable supplier should also be able to help you comply with legal requirements relating to the robot. An example is CE marking, which stipulates a complete process for certifying a product as fit for use for a given application.
Summary
The ability of modern industrial robots to achieve the high levels of quality and minimal wastage demanded in production processes is well proven.
For those companies looking to translate these benefits into their own processes, following the steps outlined in this article should help to provide a useful starting point in putting together a justification for a switch to robotic automation.
