PC-JUN23-PG22-23.1_Layout 1 06/06/2023 11:58 Page 22


ROBOTICS A LOW-RISK WAY TO EXPLORE ROBOTICS


Get shop floor robot applications up and running faster using offline design and simulation, says Julian Ware, UK & Ireland Sales Manager for ABB Robotics. He explains how the right software solution can transform the flexibility and cost of robotic automation installations


obotic systems have always excelled at carrying out the same tasks repeatedly, but today’s industrial robots are often required to learn new tasks quickly, thus enabling companies to adapt their production to meet fast-changing demands. Around the world, business pressures, from workforce challenges and COVID-19 to supply chain disruptions and rising energy costs, have been forcing companies to be more flexible than ever. It therefore comes as no surprise that they expect the same from their robots.


R


The big challenge is to program robotic systems for each new task while minimising any interruption to production. The solution is to design and test each task offline using a digital model, so the fully formed control program can be downloaded directly to shop floor robots quickly and easily.


Maximising return on investment Computer-based modelling and programming can maximise the return on investment for robotic systems, delivering lower costs, faster time to market and superior end products. It can also help overcome the skills shortages that have been holding many companies back from investing in robots. In 2020, an ABB survey of industrial companies found that 31 percent of respondents who had not invested in robotic


22 JUNE 2023 | PROCESS & CONTROL


automation cited a lack of technical knowledge or a belief that they are difficult to use as a reason to avoid them. Simulation software relies on building a digital replica of the software that controls the real robots – a so-called virtual controller (VC). Crucially, these VCs must generate a simulation that’s sufficiently accurate to give designers the confidence to test, evaluate and program processes offline. For example, achieving an accurate match between the real and simulated cycle times is critical to avoid potential bottlenecks. Similarly, accurately predicting robot behaviour is essential to ensure humans and robots can work safely together in small production cells. Simulation tools can be categorised into


five levels that assess how far they narrow the gap between simulation and reality. • Level 1: Captures typical motion of the robot system


• Level 2: Captures all possible movements of the robot system


• Level 3: Ensures the simulated movement is logically consistent with the controller software


• Level 4: Accurately captures the timing of all movements, allowing the simulation of systems involving multiple robots • Level 5: Runs the simulation in the Cloud, allowing developers in numerous locations to cooperate on developing the application


Only solutions featuring level 3 performance and above can deliver a VC with enough accuracy to produce the gains in efficiency, flexibility, sustainability and overall resilience that companies need.


Realistic simulations ABB's simulation and offline programming software, RobotStudio, is a good example. RobotStudio enables engineers to carry out training, programming and optimisation without interrupting production. It’s built on the ABB Virtual Controller, which is an exact copy of the software that robots use in production. It generates realistic simulations using programs and configuration files that are identical to those used on the shop floor. In addition, a cloud-based version enables real- time collaboration between engineers, developers and systems integrators anywhere in the world, on any device. The software’s simplified interface enables users with little engineering expertise to program robot applications. A ‘version control’ feature enables developers to keep track of any changes, making it easier to resolve any errors or performance issues. RobotStudio is already being used by industrial companies around the world. US- based automotive battery pack remanufacturer Dorman Products increased its daily output of finished battery packs by


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54