1. What are the payload requirements?
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When selecting the right mobile robot model for their operations, decision makers obviously need to look at the loads that need to be moved. Mobile robots with lower payload capacity are normally less expensive and more agile than models for heavier loads. The HD- can move pallet size payloads in manufacturing facilities, becoming a viable alternative to forklifts. Since it is built with sturdy metal skins, it is robust and able to withstand heavy unintended external impacts. Onboard sensors are protected as the robot completes demanding tasks.
2. How easy is the solution to deploy?
Mobile robots are easy to implement and provide flexibility because they can move more freely, without predefined routes, and can also be easily reprogrammed according to the task and calculating their own trajectory in real time, working safely side-by-side with people. They enable easy collaboration between humans and mobile robots, but also between various types of mobile robots, and between mobile robots and other machines. A good fleet management system will help to maximize investment, as it helps to minimize the number of robots needed by coordinating them so that they share the tasks.
Modern mobile robots can automatically calculate the best route for material transportation while navigating safely around people and obstacles without the use of magnetic floor tapes or other guides. A typical example is a robot designed to deliver packages to a fixed location whilst automatically avoiding people or obstacles in its path. The robot can identify its own position by comparing the results from a laser scanner with an onboard map.
3. What is the impact on safety?
According to a recent study, one of the most frequent accident risks in European companies is the lifting and moving of heavy loads or persons (54 percent of respondents from 28 countries stated this). Innovative mobile robots can take over these tasks while also improving safety since they come with extensive features, that avoid collisions and obstacles, also when the mobile robot is rotating. When an obstacle is detected, the mobile robot can react dynamically by slowing down, instead of abruptly stopping. The most advanced mobile robots are also capable of moving at high speed in aisles as narrow as three metres. Other useful features are 360° safety coverage and stop position accuracy supporting a collaborative and safe working space. Safely automating material transport operation is an area rapidly being enhanced with mobile robots in industries worldwide as a method not just to meet labour shortage challenges but to manage the risks associated with the spread of the Coronavirus.
4. Battery price vs performance?
Onsite logistics, the movement of products and material within the factory and warehouse, is becoming a bottleneck for many companies due to the frequency and tediousness of the job, compounded by rising labour costs and the need to meet social distancing protocols. Fast-paced manufacturing environments require speed and flexibility. When selecting the right mobile robot for a specific application, other important aspects to consider in this respect are battery price versus performance. Companies decide if they would rather invest in a low performance battery that will need to be replaced within a couple of years or a more powerful battery with up to 11 hours uptime and 9,000 charge cycles, ensuring 10 years of operation 24 hours a day with a charge time of just 36 minutes.
5. How flexible is the solution and what kind of add-ons are available?
Manufacturers such as OMRON are increasingly focusing on the ability of robots and machines to interact seamlessly. This enables production runs to be quickly and easily altered to allow for fluctuating lot sizes, and also reduces the need for workers to carry out repetitive tasks and heavy lifting. Autonomous robots can be programmed with artificial intelligence (AI) to recognize and learn from their surroundings and make decisions independently. A practical example for the use of mobile robots in food and beverage manufacturing is trashcan handling in the area of recycling supported by system integrators: with specialist add-ons mobile robots can for example pick up and empty trash cans.
Over the years, the face of manufacturing has changed considerably – and it continues to do so. Now, a new phase is beginning, where machines are working more interactively with people. Companies such as OMRON are looking towards the future of manufacturing by developing solutions that involve greater collaboration between man and machine. Also with the option to be equipped with a collaborative robot arm, in many applications, mobile robots are well-suited for working side-by-side with human colleagues, for example moving loads from conveyor to conveyor, thus increasing flexibility and efficiency in the production environment.
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A new generation of mobile robots will help to ensure the future of manufacturing by enabling production sites to be much more agile, with flexible production lines that can adjust rapidly to meet changing consumer needs but also diverse production demands such as lifting and transporting heavy loads. This in turn will enable manufacturers to be more responsive, more productive and ultimately to enjoy greater profitability.
I might be dating myself a bit here, but back in the s, there was a belief among machinists like myself that robots were for repetitive work. They were for big companies (with deep pockets) entrenched in automation and efficiency. We pictured car assembly plants with continuous streams of parts moving along an automated line, with robots painting, bonding and assembling different makes and models. The whole thing looked and sounded expensive, exclusive and complicated, and most of us wrote robots off then and there.
Today, things are just a bit different. (You know I’m being sarcastic.)
Technology is booming. Machine shops are becoming more automated. Robots are more affordable. Information is more accessible, and machine learning is no longer science fiction. Everyone is jumping in — the herd has heard the call — but, as with most things, people are jumping on the train blindly. So, before you equip your machine shop with the latest and greatest robots, there are a few things you need to take into consideration.
This is the big one: What do you want your robot to do? Other questions to ask yourself include: How heavy of a load do you want the robot to lift? Is it in a hostile environment such as a welding application? What accuracy should the robot have? Can you use a cobot instead of an industrial robot? Will it be working alongside humans? The list goes on. You must have a clear idea of what you want the robot to do.
The average machinist cannot “hook up” or integrate a robot to a CNC machine by themselves, that is unless they are gifted by the divine. I’m going to assume that is not the case, so this is an important consideration: Depending on who you use and how good they are, the project can end up as a great success or a giant failure. Be sure to start small and keep it simple, with tasks such as loading and unloading a lathe. Remember, robots can be reprogrammed very easily, and the scope of work can increase as you become more familiar with the technology.
They’re not building robots like they used to. Today, most robots are user friendly and accessible. You don’t need to have a Ph.D. to program a robot. Some of us used to think that was the case, but it’s just not so anymore. Many robot manufacturers have online courses and academies that teach you how to program their products, and while some programming systems are more complex than others, they are mostly very user friendly.
When choosing a robot, assess your programming comfort level and test it out. Don’t run before you can walk. The more complex the robot’s programming, the more likely it is that your project may not work out. This is especially true given that you may have to constantly reprogram your robot as you learn to expand the tasks and movements it performs.
There is no denying that support has a cost, but many manufacturers use support as a profit center. Avoid companies that use it as such, especially if you get the feeling that the cost of dealing with them is going to greatly increase the cost of the robot. How can you tell? When you get your quote for the robot, large training expenses with service and support fees will give it away. Like I said, support has a cost, but quality robot manufacturers will offer help and assistance as part of the sale. If they don’t, well then, it’s your call.
When I first started buying equipment, this wasn’t even on my radar. Now, it’s an integral part of the purchasing decision. In this case, when I talk about partners in innovation, I’m talking about how much a robot manufacturer collaborates with other innovative companies. What I’ve learned over the years is that it’s a big red flag when a manufacturer wants to supply and do everything themselves. Ultimately, they want to capture all your money. Some manufacturers like to create a closed circuit so you have to rely on them. By only using their own technology, they don’t partner with innovative companies that have strengths in other areas. There are so many innovative things happening in the manufacturing industry – you want to maximize your benefit from it. It’s something to consider, and something that will make your robot integration as successful as possible now and in the future.
In order to make the integration of robots into your machine shop successful, you need to consider each of these five points respectively. I personally know many companies that have failed in the integration of robots because they neglected one of these considerations. Don’t be like that. Don’t rush in without doing your research. Don’t set yourself up for failure. Start simple, and you’ll be successful.
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