FEATURE Robotics & Motion Control
Wearable robotics in the factory Duilio Amico, Marketing and Network Development Director at Comau, delves into the new world of robotics
The MATE-XT wearable exoskeleton is part of the Comau’s HUMANufacturing technology W
ith Industry 4.0 gaining momentum across the world, the focus of today’s increasingly
interconnected digital factory has evolved from pure technology to the development of “humanised” technology. This way there’s full cooperation between workers, advanced robots and the added-value digital technologies around them. Several years ago, the McKinsey Global Institute had already identified twelve disruptive technologies that were expected to transform societies – these included robotic exoskeletons. To this end, Comau is applying its 45+ years of experience to evolve the human-machine collaboration through humanised technology, which it refers to as HUMANufacturing, i.e., Human + Manufacturing. Here, people have a leading role in the smart factory, together with the safe industrial and collaborative robots, autonomous logistics systems and easy- to-use digital solutions that surround them. In the factory of the future, as envisaged by Comau, the operator will access data using an Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) digital platform, such as
in.Grid, to interconnect industrial equipment and processes, thus allowing them to communicate through Artificial Intelligence (AI). Future-focused automation promotes human-robot collaboration directly inside the production line. It also includes advanced technology to assist workers during repetitive manual tasks, and leveraging robotics to perform dangerous or mundane tasks so that human operators can focus on value- added activities.
28 March 2021 | Automation
Exoskeletons Wearable exoskeletons are a perfect solution for increasing productivity whilst improving quality and protecting workers from strenuous movements. They also deliver the added benefi t of reducing work-related musculoskeletal diseases. Passive exoskeleton devices, like Comau’s MATE-XT, can vary greatly in terms of size, weight and other characteristics, but each promises to reduce physical fatigue and mitigate the risk of work-related injuries.
In addition to improved ergonomics,
MATE-XT can improve the quality of work whilst delivering lightweight, breathable and eff ective postural support. Furthermore, the minor complexity of passive exoskeletons, given that they are not externally powered, allows them to be easily used in numerous manufacturing environments, ranging from automotive and energy to diff erent general industry sectors. Over the next several years, Comau expects to see wearable exoskeletons achieve a fi ve-year CAGR of up to 40%, of which half to come from the industrial sector. From an operational perspective, the company estimates that its MATE exoskeletons can help workers increase accuracy in overhead tasks by 27% and execution speed by 10%, based on fi eld tests run at customer sites. It can also reduce cycle times by at least 5%. Yet, the interest in wearable exoskeletons extends beyond the traditional factory setting, as Comau discovered shortly after the launch of its original exoskeleton. This led to the development of the new MATE-XT, a lighter weight, ruggedised exoskeleton that can be used in both industrial and non-industrial settings, indoors and outdoors.
Field tests show that MATE-XT reduces shoulder muscle activity by 30% and diminishes the eff ort felt by workers, with more than 50% of workers reporting benefi cial upgrades in job quality. The IP54-certifi ed exoskeleton was designed to accommodate almost any working environment, including the extreme conditions that are often characteristic of harsh and dusty settings such as construction, industrial cleaning and powder coating.
Varied applications Among the many real-world applications around the world, IVECO has deployed the wearable exoskeleton to improve the ergonomics and precision of various manual tasks involving the production of semi-truck cabs. In the kitchen manufacturing industry, it is being used in logistics, order picking and the loading and unloading of kitchens at customers’ homes.
Comau’s exoskeleton is also helping workers in the electromedical sector, the food and beverage industry, and for a variety of other applications, ranging from agriculture and carpentry to plant and equipment maintenance. Over the next few years, passive exoskeletons will take on an increasingly important role inside and outside the smart factory. Together with digital technologies, AI, augmented reality and autonomous systems, wearable exoskeletons will give shape to a more effi cient and sustainable way of working and manufacture.
CONTACT:
Comau
www.comau.com
automationmagazine.co.uk
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
