FEATURE Cobots
Cobots – bettering industry and
society T
he use of robotics in factory processes is well proven, but robots have their limitations. They are diffi cult to program, expensive
to install, need dedicated and protected fl oor space and typically perform only one task. This has meant that, whilst successful in high volume low mix production and high value engineering, they have not benefi tted typical small and medium enterprises (SMEs), where low volume high mix (LVHM) workfl ows are more normal. Over recent years however, a new class
of robot has emerged, known as a “cobot”. Designed to work alongside humans safely by lowering the speed of operation and including sensors that detect unexpected proximity or contact, cobots can work alongside humans. Crucially, they are signifi cantly cheaper to buy and install, easier to program and can be relocated to diff erent workstations and repurposed for diff erent tasks. Generally, cobot applications can be split
into three main categories: 1. Sorting, placement & inspection, where the cobot takes on repetitive tasks requiring little creativity, such as palletising and bin picking, pick-and-place-type operations, machine tending and article inspection. Key features are the ability to use machine vision to recognise and categorise diff erent parts, tactile feedback to alter grip pressure according to the fragility of the object being handled, and the ability to change the end of arm tool (EOAT) automatically, for example to swap between fi nger and vacuum gripper. In inspection, cobots recognise and feed a mix of objects into the appropriate test and inspection rigs, or in some applications use machine vision to handle and inspect items directly.
40 September 2022 | Automation
2. High precision assembly, where operations are repeated with a high degree of dexterity and accuracy. Here, too, machine vision, tactile feedback and automatic EOAT change play a key role in the cobot’s versatility, enabling it to handle sanding or polishing operations, and applying appropriate force whilst following the contours of a product. Similarly, it is easy for cobots to align parts and screw them together with consistent torque. In fact, most operations where two parts need to be joined, for example by welding, gluing or soldering, are good candidates for cobot application.
3. Manual augmentation. Some cobots
are directly controlled by an operator – for example to increase their eff ective muscle power, allowing them to move heavy objects with minimal eff ort. Alternatively, the cobot might perform a scaled down replica of a movement, turning large operator movements into very small cobot equivalents, enabling the operator to manipulate small objects with high precision.
Core technology
Advances in high-speed computing, machine vision and AI are fundamental to the fl exibility of cobots. In addition to improving their operation, they improve their programming, which then makes them easier to adopt and adapt. As a result, cobots learn ‘on the job’, adding to their
portfolio of tasks by simply being shown what to do, rather than by conventional programming. AI architectures based on high-capacity training servers at the centre and edge inference in the cobots keep the systems extremely cost-eff ective, despite the high levels of technology employed. Hence, cobots bring signifi cant improve- ments to quality and effi ciency in the LVHM applications typically found in SME setups, directly benefi tting the bottom line. At the same time, they enable their human co-workers to concentrate on more creative and fulfi lling tasks, increasing job satisfaction and workforce retention. In itself, these are justifi cations for their use and further development. More widely, in a world where the downsides of globalisation have become apparent and governments seek to repatriate manufacturing, cobots can address mundane, hazardous and repetitive tasks, allowing companies to utilise an educated and skilled workforce more eff ectively. For developed economies, they are yet another example of how leveraging technologies can maximise the potential of the workforce to produce the wealth needed to sustain an ageing population, and the social demands it brings.
CONTACT:
Advantech Europe
www.advantech.eu
automationmagazine.co.uk
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