How are robots used in manufacturing

Text C: «ROBOTS IN MANUFACTURING»

Today most robots are used in manufacturing opera­tions. The applications of robots can be divided into three categories:

1. materialhandling

2. processing operations

3. assembly and inspection.

Material-handling is thetransfer of material and load­ing and unloading of machines. Material-transfer appli­cations require the robot to move materials or work parts from one to another. Many of these tasks are relatively simple: robotspick up parts from one conveyor and place them on another. Other transfer operations are more complex, such as placing parts in anarrangement that can be calculated by the robot. Machine loading and un­loading operationsutilize a robot to load and unload parts. This requires the robot to be equipped with agrip-per that cangrasp parts. Usually the gripper must be designed specifically for the particular part geometry.

In robotic processing operations, the robot manipu­lates a tool to perform a process on the work part. Exam­ples of such applications includespot welding, continu­ous arc welding andspray painting. Spot welding of au­tomobile bodies is one of the most common applications of industrial robots. The robot positions a spot welder against the automobile panels andframes to join them. Arc welding is a continuous process in which robot moves the welding rod along the welding seam. Spray painting is the manipulation of aspray-painting gun over the sur­face of the object to be coated. Other operations in this category includegrinding andpolishing in which a ro­tatingspindle serves as the robot’s tool.

The third application area of industrial robots is as­sembly and inspection. The use of robots in assembly is expected to increase because of the high cost ofmanual labour. But the design of the product is an important aspect of robotic assembly. Assembly methods that are satisfactory for humans are not always suitable for ro­bots. Screws and nuts are widely used for fastening in manual assembly, but the same operations are extremely difficult for an one-armed robot.

Inspection is another area of factory operations in which the utilization of robots is growing. In a typical inspection job, the robot positions a sensor with respect to the work part and determines whether the part answers the quality specifications. In nearly all industrial robotic applications, the robot provides a substitute for human labour. There are certain characteristics of industrial jobs performed by humans that can be done by robots:

1. the operation is repetitive, involving the same ba­sic work motions every cycle,

2. the operation ishazardous or uncomfortable for the human worker (for example: spray painting, spot weld­ing, arc welding, and certain machine loading and un­loading tasks),

3. the workpiece or tool is too heavy and difficult to handle,

4. the operation allows the robot to be used on two or three shifts.

Vocabulary:

handling — обращение

transfer — передача, перенос

location — местонахождение

pick up — брать, подбирать

arrangement — расположение

to utilize — утилизировать, находить при­менение

gripper — захват

to grasp— схватывать

spot welding — точечная сварка

continuous — непрерывный

arc welding — электродуговая сварка

spray painting — окраска распылением

frame — рама

spray-painting gun — распылитель краски

grinding — шлифование

polishing — полирование

spindle — шпиндель

manual — ручной

labour — труд

hazardous — опасный

shift — смена

General understanding:

1. How are robots used in manufacturing?

2. What is «material handling»?

3. What does a robot need to be equipped with to do loading and unloading operations?

4. What does robot manipulate in robotic processing operation?

5. What is the most common application of robots in automobile manufacturing?

6. What operations could be done by robot in car manu­facturing industry?

7. What are the main reasons to use robots in produc­tion?

8. How can robots inspect the quality of production?

9. What operations could be done by robots in hazard­ous or uncomfortable for the human workers conditions?

Exercise 7.4. Translate into English:

1. Существует несколько различных сфер исполь­зования автоматизации в производстве.

2. Для использования жесткой автоматизации не­обходимы большие инвестиции.

3. Жесткая автоматизация широко используется в

4. Станки с числовым программным управлением — хороший пример программируемой автоматизации.

5. Гибкая автоматизация делает возможным пере­программирование оборудования.

6. Время простоя оборудования оборачивается боль­шими убытками.

7. Использование гибкой автоматизации делает воз­можным производство разнообразной продукции.

Переведите текст на русский язык.

«ROBOTS IN MANUFACTURING»

Today most robots are used in manufacturing operations. The applications of robots can be divided into three categories:

1. materialhandling

2. processing operations

3. assembly and inspection.

Material-handling is thetransfer of material and loading and unloading of machines. Material-transfer applications require the robot to move materials or work parts from one to another. Many of these tasks are relatively simple: robotspick up parts from one conveyor and place them on another. Other transfer operations are more complex, such as placing parts in anarrangement that can be calculated by the robot. Machine loading and unloading operationsutilize a robot to load and unload parts. This requires the robot to be equipped with agripper that cangrasp parts. Usually the gripper must be designed specifically for the particular part geometry.

In robotic processing operations, the robot manipulates a tool to perform a process on the work part. Examples of such applications includespot welding, continuous arc welding andspray painting. Spot welding of automobile bodies is one of the most common applications of industrial robots. The robot positions a spot welder against the automobile panels andframes to join them. Arc welding is a continuous process in which robot moves the welding rod along the welding seam. Spray painting is the manipulation of aspray-painting gun over the surface of the object to be coated. Other operations in this category includegrinding andpolishing in which a rotatingspindle serves as the robot’s tool.

The third application area of industrial robots is assembly and inspection. The use of robots in assembly is expected to increase because of the high cost ofmanual labour. But the design of the product is an important aspect of robotic assembly. Assembly methods that are satisfactory for humans are not always suitable for robots. Screws and nuts are widely used for fastening in manual assembly, but the same operations are extremely difficult for an one-armed robot.

Inspection is another area of factory operations in which the utilization of robots is growing. In a typical inspection job, the robot positions a sensor with respect to the work part and determines whether the part answers the quality specifications. In nearly all industrial robotic applications, the robot provides a substitute for human labour. There are certain characteristics of industrial jobs performed by humans that can be done by robots:

1. the operation is repetitive, involving the same basic work motions every cycle,

2. the operation ishazardous or uncomfortable for the human worker (for example: spray painting, spot welding, arc welding, and certain machine loading and unloading tasks),

3. the workpiece or tool is too heavy and difficult to handle,

4. the operation allows the robot to be used on two or three shifts.

“Роботы в производстве»

Сегодня в производственной деятельности в основном используют роботов. Применения роботов можно разделить на три категории:

1. обработка материалов

2. операции по переработке

3. сборка и контроль.

Обработка материала это транспортировка материалов и погрузка и разгрузка механизмов. Приспособления по перевозке материалов требует робота, чтобы переместить материалы или рабочие части с одного места на другое. Многие из этих задач относительно просты: роботы забирают детали с одного конвейера и помещают их на другой. Другие транспортировочные операции являются более сложными, например, размещение частей в расположение, которое может быть вычислено роботом. Погрузочно-разгрузочные операции механизмов используют робота для загрузки и выгрузки деталей. Требуется, чтобы робот быть оснащенный зажимным устройством, которое может захватить части. Как правило, зажимное устройство должно быть разработано специально для конкретного геометрической детали.

В роботизированных операциях переработки, робот манипулирует инструментом для выполнения процесса на рабочей поверхности. Примерами применения этого является точечная сварка, непрерывная дуговая сварка и напыление. Точечная сварка автомобильных кузовов является одним из наиболее распространенных применений промышленных роботов. Робот размещает аппарат точечной сварки напротив автомобильных панелей и рам для присоединения.Дуговая сварка это непрерывный процесс, в котором робот двигает сварочный пруток вдоль сварного шва. Окраска распылением является манипуляцией пистолета окрашеваемого распылением по поверхности объекта, который необходимо покрыть краской. Другие операции в этой категории включают шлифовку и полировку, в которых вращающийся шпиндель служит в качестве инструмента робота.

Третья область применения промышленных роботов является сборка и контроль. Ожидается, что использование роботов в сборке увеличится из-за высокой стоимости ручного труда. Но дизайн продукта является важным аспектом роботизированной сборки. Методы сборки, которые являются удовлетворительными для человека не всегда подходят для роботов. Болты и гайки широко используются для крепления в ручной сборки, однако те же самые операции чрезвычайно трудны для однорукого робота.

Контроль является еще одной областью заводских операций, в которых растет использование роботов. В типичной работе по контролю, робот размещает датчик относительно рабочей части и определяет, отвечает ли данная часть спецификации качества. Почти во всех применениях промышленных роботов, робот обеспечивает замену человеческого труда. Есть определенные характеристики промышленных работ, выполненяемых людьми, которые можно сделать с помощью роботов:

1. повторяющаяся операция, с участием одних и тех же основных рабочих движений каждый цикл,

2. операция является опасной или неудобной для человечека работника (например: окраска распылением, точечная сварка, дуговая сварка, и некоторые задачи по погрузке-разгрузке механизмов),

3. детали или инструмент являются слишком тяжелыми и с ними трудно справиться,

4. операция позволяет использовать робота в течении двух-трех смен.

Ответьте на вопросы на английском языке.

9. What operations could be done by robots in hazardous or uncomfortable for the human workers conditions? – They are spray painting, spot welding, arc welding, and certain machine loading and unloading tasks.

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A Brief History of Robots in Manufacturing

Robots have long been the focus of science fiction and literature, but it wasn’t until recent decades that they became a viable part of our workforce. Science fiction lovers will recall Isaac Asimov and his Three Laws of Robotics. While made from fiction, these rules more or less define our robots today.

We enjoy safe, collaborative robots that work right alongside us, but this wasn’t always the case.

The Origins of Manufacturing Robotics (1938-1979)

The development of Numerically Controlled (NC) machines, and the rising popularity of the computer both helped bring out about the first industrial robots. The earliest known industrial robot that fits into the ISO definition of the term was created by Griffith “Bill” P. Taylor in 1937 and appeared in Meccano Magazine the following year.

It was a crane-like design that used Meccano parts and was powered by a single electric motor. It had five axes of movement, including a grab and grab rotation. The robot was automated through the use of paper tape with punches in it to energize solenoids. This would create movement in the control levers.

This first robot could stack wooden blocks in patterns programmed by the paper tape. George Devol placed the first industrial robot patent in 1954. His robot was able to transfer objects from one point to another within a distance of 12 feet or less. He founded a company called Unimation in 1956 to build the robot and coined the term “Universal Automation.”

Unimation manufactured UNIMATE in 1962, which was the first robot to be implemented by a major manufacturer. General Motors began using it in their New Jersey plant that same year. In 1969, Victor Scheinman invented the Stanford arm at Stanford University. This was an all-electric 6-axis articulated robot.

This new technology opened up the possibility for manufacturers to use robots in assembly and welding tasks. He later sold his designs to Unimation, which then developed them alongside General Motors.

Meanwhile, ASEA over in Europe developed the ASEA IRB in 1975 that was the first fully electrically driven robot. It was also the first microprocessor-controller robot that used Intel’s first chipset. In 1978, the PUMA robot arm was released by Vicarm and Unimation, with support from General motors. This arm was originally used in assembly lines and is still used today by researchers in robotics. Finally, OTC Japan released the first generation of dedicated arc welding robots in 1979.

The Modern Age of Industrial Robots (1980-Present)

From 1980 on, the rate of new robotics started to climb exponentially. Takeo Kanade created the first robotic arm with motors installed directly in the joint in 1981. It was much faster and more accurate than its predecessors.

Yaskawa America Inc. introduced the Motorman ERC control system in 1988. This has the power to control up to 12 axes, which was the highest number possible at the time. FANUC robotics also created the first prototype of an intelligent robot in 1992.

Two years later, in 1994, the Motorman ERC system was upgraded to support up to 21 axes. The controller increased this to 27 axes in 1998 and added the ability to synchronize up to four robots.

The first collaborative robot (cobot) was installed at Linatex in 2008. This Danish supplier of plastics and rubber decided to place the robot on the floor, as opposed to locking it behind a safety fence. Instead of hiring a programmer, they were able to program the robot through a touchscreen tool.

It was clear from that point on, that this was the way of the future.

Final Thoughts

Today, we have numerous collaborative robots such as the Screwdriving Solution that have begun to replace these fenced versions on the manufacturing floor. The future looks bright, as humans and robots can work together for the betterment of manufacturing as a whole.

Ready or Not, Robotics in Manufacturing Is On the Rise

As industrial robots become faster, smarter, and cheaper, more and more companies are beginning to integrate this technology in conjunction with their workforce. This doesn’t mean that robots are replacing humans, though. While it is true that some of the more undesirable jobs are being filled by machines, this trend has several more positive outcomes for the manufacturing industry.

Here is a brief overview of how robotics in manufacturing are being used to change the industry landscape by increasing productivity and precision while protecting employees from unsafe working environments.

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Overview of Robotics in Manufacturing

The word “robot” comes from the Czech word “robotnik”, meaning “to slave.” Factories started using these machines in the early 1960s to handle some of the more dangerous or mundane tasks that humans didn’t want to do. However, they did more than fill unwanted factory jobs; they completed the work with unprecedented speed and precision. Today, robots perform all kinds of tasks and can be classified according to different criteria such as:

As labor costs rise and competition for low-wage overseas locations increases, more and more manufacturers are utilizing robot technologies. In fact, 90 percent of all modern robots can be found in factories.

Types of Robots

There are six major types of robotics used for various tasks, including:

Articulated

Articulated robots have rotary joints that allow for a full range of motion. This allows them to achieve very precise and controlled movements of enhanced flexibility and dexterity.

Cartesian

Also known as rectilinear or gantry robots, Cartesian robots have three linear joints that move in different axes (X, Y, and Z). This unique, rigid structure enables simple movements with advanced precision and repeatability. Since they do not require extensive movements, they are some of the cheapest industrial robots. These advantages make Cartesian robots ideal for assembly line applications, such as picking up and moving bottles.

Cylindrical

Just as the name suggests, cylindrical robots have a cylindrical work area. They feature a robotic arm that is connected to a base via a single joint, with one more linear joint connecting the arm’s links. These machines feature a single robotic arm that moves up, down, and around a cylindrical pole. Like Cartesian robotics, cylindrical robots are commonly used for assembly operations, handling, and spot welding but may be more preferable due to their ability to move between required points faster.

Spherical

Some of the first industrial robotics ever used in factories, spherical robots are a more complex variation of Cartesian and cylindrical robots. They can perform tasks that require movement in a three-dimensional space due to having a robotic arm connected to a base via a twisting joint, giving the mechanism a spherically shaped work area.

Selective Compliance Assembly Robot Arm (SCARA)

Selective Compliance Assembly Robot Arm robots (SCARA for short) have arms that are similar to human wrists with joins capable of both vertical and horizontal movement. The “wrist”-like appendage has limited motion which allows it to be ideal for assembly work, like pick and place, kitting, packaging, and other material handling applications.

Delta

Built from jointed parallelograms connected to a single base, delta robots have a spider-like appearance to make delicate, precise movements that are useful in the food, pharmaceutical, and electronic industries. They can complete highly repetitive tasks, such as small part assembly, quickly and precisely each time. Since such repetitive movements have been known to cause musculoskeletal disorders in human employees over long periods, so Delta robots are beneficial not just for their efficiency but also in terms of health and safety for employees.

What Do Industrial Robots Do?

Due to the wide variety of robotics and their abilities, industrial robots have numerous applications in manufacturing. Typically, robots in the manufacturing industry are needed for:

All of these applications are conducted with a speed and precision that cannot be matched by manual labor.

Industries Using Robotic Automation

With continued advancements in robotic automation, industrial robotics continue to emerge as influential players in the global market. Here are some of the industries utilizing automation for greater efficiency, productivity, and precision.

Automotive

The automotive industry has much to thank from automation. For over 50 years, robotic automation has been employed in the automotive industry in the assembly line process and product testing. Many automotive facilities see human employees work alongside robotics to help speed up production. Since robots are more flexible and don’t need to rest, they can perform the same monotonous tasks with speed and accuracy.

Electronics Manufacturing

Manufacturers have to keep up with the constant demand for smartphones, flat-screen TVs, and other electronics. This is possible with the help of automation technology. These types of robots are capable of increasing production on factory floors without increasing the need for valuable space. This industry has specifically employed the use of Cobots for their variability in task handling and ability to work alongside employees.

Medical

The medical community has greatly benefited from advancements in robotic automation. Robots are now helping surgeons perform surgeries that require precision. In one scenario, a surgical semi-autonomous robot performed better than the human surgeons with increased precision and less damage to the surrounding tissue. When even the blood pumping through a surgeon’s hand can affect a surgery’s precision, the accuracy of robots can ensure higher rates of success in delicate medical procedures.

Food Manufacturing

Robotics in the manufacturing of food and beverages help to improve product quality by detecting defects in the production process through the use of machine vision sensors and cameras and processing hardware and software algorithms. The results are the better consistent quality of food products and improved safety for consumers.

Agriculture

The agriculture industry has been utilizing robotics to increase productivity while lowering costs. With sensor technology, farmers can monitor diseases and pests that negatively impact crop yields. Automated systems that run operations such as pruning, spraying, and weed removal are becoming increasingly popular.

Save Money with Manufacturing Robots

Manufacturing robots offer numerous benefits, including cost savings. This may be surprising, since smaller manufacturing businesses may assume that purchasing robotics is an expensive investment. While the initial cost may be steep, the benefits can save manufacturers thousands of dollars in reduced costs and improved productivity.

The first and probably the most obvious way that robots reduce manufacturing costs is that they do not require compensation. Although the initial cost may seem daunting, manufacturing companies will see a long-term return on their investment. This is due to several key benefits:

Industrial robots offer manufacturers greater consistency and better quality when performing repetitive tasks. Their behavior is predictable and their movements are precise. This means they are able to produce high-quality products with little variation and greater consistency than their human counterparts.

Additionally, robotic workers do not need to take breaks and can work 24 hours a day without shift changes or other interruptions. Once a robot has been correctly programmed and trained to do a certain job, it can speed up production by decreasing part cycle times and creating more efficient manufacturing processes which translates into higher profits.

Robotics as a Competitive Business Solution

Automation in manufacturing is highly cost-effective for companies of all sizes. Rather than outsourcing jobs overseas, smaller companies can use robots to perform selected tasks at a lower cost and with higher quality results than with outsourced workers.

This is important as it allows manufacturers to keep their operations in the U.S and still compete in the global marketplace. In fact, automation is becoming more and more necessary for companies who wish to create more jobs in the U.S and stay competitive.

Opportunities for Job Growth in Robotics

As the manufacturing and robotics industries continue to grow side-by-side, a slew of new job opportunities are being created. Not only are these types of jobs more desirable, but they also take human workers out of potentially dangerous situations. Robots can accomplish highly repetitive tasks without the risk of injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome, or be employed for dangerous tasks where employees would be exposed to dangerous fumes or environments. For example, robots have been responsible for handling radioactive waste since before the 1980s.

Gearing Your Business Up for Robotic Manufacturing

Thanks to industrial robots, the manufacturing industry is on the verge of a revolution. As robotics in manufacturing processes becomes even more intelligent, efficient, and cost-effective, robots are being called on to handle more complex tasks. But this doesn’t mean robotics are out of reach for small to medium-sized manufacturing companies.

With the right guidance, you can determine which manufacturing robotics can be right for your manufacturing facilities and production processes. Reach out to the robotic automation experts at CMTC and see how robot manufacturing can transform your own business!

About the Author

Gregg Profozich is a manufacturing, operations and technology executive who believes that manufacturing is the key creator of wealth in the economy and that a strong manufacturing sector is critical to our nation’s prosperity and security now, and for future generations. Across his 20-year plus career in manufacturing, operations and technology consulting, Mr. Profozich helped manufacturing companies from the Fortune 500 to the small, independents significantly improve their productivity and competitiveness.

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How are Robots Used in the Manufacturing Industry?

The industrial revolution brought about great changes within the manufacturing industry. It introduced the idea of using machines to increase production while lowering costs. Today, the machines take the form of robots controlled by increasingly sophisticated forms of artificial intelligence. Let’s take a look at the different roles of industrial robots in manufacturing.

5 Ways Robots Are Used in Manufacturing

Throughout manufacturing, robots have found niches in areas that require precision and consistency. These are 5 of the most common spots you might find robots performing their jobs in the manufacturing process.

1. Material Handling

Robots are being used to handle a steadily widening range of products from blood samples to large crates. Mainly products and materials that require steadiness or dangerous product that could risk contamination if in contact with humans.

The robots never get tired or make a mistake while performing their basic function, and this solution also reduces the dangers of putting human workers’ lives at risk. More work is completed via robots, and less number of workers are required to oversee the operation.

2. Welding

The process of joining metal pieces together with the application of heat and pressure is a dangerous one that requires exact precision. The slightest mistake made by the welder can result in serious injury, spoil the metal piece, and disrupt the production process.

For these reasons, robots are becoming a popular choice for welding jobs. Depending upon the complexity of the project, work can be done entirely by robots or with the assistance of a human worker.

3. Assembly

Having to assemble product parts is a long, repetitive job that can be easily disrupted by a lapse in judgement, a bored mind, and many other factors that are uncontrollable.

By replacing such a system with a robot, the process becomes much more streamlined and the possibility of an error occurring is significantly reduced. This also frees up the human component of the assembly process to focus on quality rather than quantity and takes them away from the most dangerous part of the process.

4. Dispensing

For processes which require glue, paint, or sprays to be applied to a surface, dispensing robots are placed at a strategic point near the path of the product. This is another instance of a repetitive job that can be better handled by a robot than a human worker simply due to lack of errors.

5. Processing

There are certain products that have to undergo a specific type of processing, such as carving, polishing, or sawing before being released. This work is done by robots with varying degrees of autonomy, depending upon the complexity of the task and the capabilities of the robot.

Mader Electric’s Facility Tour

Thus, we see that robots form an inalienable part of the modern manufacturing landscape. As machines continue to evolve and take on increasingly complex tasks, the day is not far off when entire factories will become fully automated and all the work will be done by robots.