FEATURE CONTRACT MANUFACTURING
SPARKING THE FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION WITH ROBOTICS
Mike Wilson, ABB robotics business development manager for the UK and Ireland looks at how the adoption of robotic in manufacturing is taking industry 4.0 to the next level for manufacturers
A
s talk of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) continues across
industry, the UK electronics contract manufacturing sector is by no means exempt. Globally markets are rapidly changing and competitors are already adapting production to get ahead. Although 4IR may seem a faraway prospect, there are certain aspects which UK electronic contract manufacturers should seriously consider adopting now in order to remain competitive. Take robots, for example. As a cyber-
physical system, robots are a key technology in most 4IR strategies. Recent advances such as integrated vision and force control have made robots incredibly flexible and applicable to a variety of processes. Other developments such as dexterous grippers and ergonomic design have led to the emergence of collaborative robots which can perform delicate processes alongside skilled workers. Such robots are ideal for small parts assembly typical of the electronics market. Many UK electronics component
companies are unaware of these developments, continuing to use manual labour to perform low volume, high mix orders. However, Far Eastern markets that are renowned for low-cost supply, challenged by the rising labour costs, are quickly adopting robot technology. Mike Wilson, ABB Robotics Business
Development Manager for the UK and Ireland explains, “Last year China, the world’s number one country for electronics manufacturing, adopted a staggering 87,000 robots. According to the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) World Robotics 2017 report 35% of this sum was adopted by the Chinese electronics industry. Compare this number to the UK’s adoption of 1,787 robots, approximately 1% of which were installed in the UK electronics industry, and it shows we’re lagging behind.” “Currently, the UK has the sixth largest electronics industry in the world but if we don’t begin to adopt robots like our competitors, we won’t maintain our position. Instead we’ll remain open to foreign markets who will offer fast- turnaround, lower cost electronic components to our customers.”
38 MAY 2018 | ELECTRONICS Figure 2:
ABB’s YuMi robot is simple to integrate into an assembly line due to they’re small size, lightweight portability
Figure 1:
ABB’s dual-arm robot YuMi
To improve performance in the UK
electronics industry as a whole it’s important to understand why flexibility and productivity is so important. Since the mid-2000s there has been an
increase in the demand for smartphones, tablets and other consumer tech at low prices. Electronics manufacturers are continually designing new models and opting for the lowest cost parts to maintain competitive prices. This puts pressure on electronic contract manufacturers to provide flexible production facilities.
A POSITIVE CHARGE Here, Mike Wilson explains why the recent development of collaborative robots, such as ABB’s dual-arm robot YuMi, provides the greatest potential for the UK’s electronics component manufacturers. “Firstly collaborative robots are non-
disruptive. They’re simple to integrate into an assembly line without disruption because they’re mostly quite small, lightweight and easy to move across the shop floor. “Dexterity is provided through dual arms
with integrated and highly flexible hands. These can be deployed in numerous ways from incorporating grippers which can pick, place and assemble electronics parts at high speeds through to dual suction cups which can pick the smaller and more intricate parts. Vision technology is also included so that when different parts are introduced, the collaborative robot recognises the parts individually and can quickly assemble them in the correct order. The vision technology also enables collaborative robots to perform testing and packaging processes.” “ABB’s collaborative robot YuMi also features a functionality called Lead Through Programming in which users log waypoints and gripper actions on a paired tablet running the YuMi app.” “ABB’s YuMi at Sony UK Technology
(UKTEC), helps UKTEC in its high volume circuit board application. Its safe design, two-finger grippers, accurate vision and sensitive force control provides UKTEC with the opportunity to readily adapt programming to match any changes in its assembly process.” “If more UK electronics contractors
adopted collaborative robots, the flexibility and speed needed for the industry to match its competitors could be realised within a very short timeframe.”
IGNITE THE SPARK Despite the slow uptake of robots in the industry, there are many reasons why UK electronics contract manufacturers should adopt including growing competition from abroad and a pressing need for flexibility. With recent advances such as collaborative robots that are highly suited to processes such as small parts assembly, testing and packaging, UK electronics contract manufacturers could enjoy the benefits of raising competitiveness, adaptability and productivity simultaneously. So UK electronics contract manufacturers that make the move now stand a much better chance of remaining competitive in this increasingly digitalised era.
ABB
www.new.abb.com/uk T: 01908 350 300
/ ELECTRONICS
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