AUTOMATION & ROBOTICS THE CHANGING ROLE OF AUTOMATION & ROBOTICS
T
he role of robotics and automation is changing. Today, considerations other than productivity gains are influencing the decision- making process when investing in automation. Health and safety/employee wellbeing and quality consistency are just two factors that are driving robotics upstream into processing applications that might once have been heavily reliant upon manual handling as a means of successful execution, in sectors such as food & beverage, pharmaceutical and FMCG, as examples. When we consider employee wellbeing, aligned with the adoption of robotic processes, this can encompass several aspects within a given task, including but not limited to:
Repeatability - The fundamental accuracy and repeatability of industrial robots means manufacturers can achieve a consistently high- quality product. Robots eliminate the challenges associated with tiredness, distraction and the impacts of repetitive and monotonous tasks that human workers are faced with, such as RSI (repetitive strain injury).
Consistency - Robots are by their very nature faster than humans. Robots are not impacted by physical or mental distractions that humans experience, and are therefore better equipped to endure difficult, or indeed unpleasant tasks for a long time. Throughput consistency is therefore maintained and can even be accelerated. Immunity to hazards, or dangerous materials - Robots can be repaired, but people cannot when injuries and/or illnesses occur. That’s why robots are better suited to applications such as welding, sanding, polishing, mixing/handling chemicals, as examples, that can have a detrimental impact upon human health.
Strength and speed – Robots have transformed
several industries since their inception. They can lift heavy products safely and efficiently, removing the risk element from manual handling applications. There are limits to what a human can lift, and in doing so, speed is not a factor. Employee wellbeing and quality consistency go hand in hand: You get out what you put in, or to quote Newton’s third law of motion, ‘every action has an opposite or equal reaction’. So, whilst ensuring that those tasks that are deemed as detrimental to employee wellbeing are undertaken by automated robotics, you are also maintaining a consistency of product quality that your customers want, and indeed expect.
One such application that is used across several sectors is the mixing of product combinations, that within an upstream process contributes to the eventual manufacture of a ‘product’. Ingredients within a food & beverage process line, or a formulation of ingredients to produce cleaning products.
There are several factors that might apply to both scenarios however that could be deemed as harmful to humans, such as (but not limited to); are the products hot – can they burn? do they generate or omit vapour? do they create dust? can they be absorbed through the skin or ingested? Some food stuffs and certainly chemicals are harmful, especially when released in to the air, or if they come in contact with the skin, so manufacturers have to mitigate any adverse effects through investing in PPE, which in itself is costly, not to mention any potential repercussions as a result of the onset of operator ill health. The natural conclusion would be to automate and let an industrial robot manage the handling tasks. As already highlighted, robots are immune to hazards and can continue to work in environments
14 FEBRUARY 2021 | FACTORY&HANDLINGSOLUTIONS
that may be deemed too risky for human to occupy. In very extreme scenarios, consider nuclear decommissioning, robots are employed for this exact purpose, to replace humans. Upstream process manufacturing is becoming more complex, aligned with changing consumer tastes and demands. There exist multiple product iterations to satisfy a diverse range of needs and wants. As such, the point at which raw materials/ ingredients enter the process chain must be managed to such a degree that both throughput and quality are aligned. Sometimes manual processes don’t afford a level of accuracy needed to maintain that level of consistency, and automated processes by way of robotic systems, are required. A key consideration when qualifying quality output is the eradication of costly product recalls, retrieving defective and/or potentially unsafe goods from consumers. From anything from a loaf of bread to a bar of soap. Not only is this costly, is also impacts upon a customer trusting a manufacturer with producing further/ future products. Automated robotics high level of consistency, accuracy and repeatability ensures a smooth, connected process.
Whilst productivity gains are a key driver, when qualifying the need for automated processes, there are a surprising number of other factors that feed into whether a production line is productive, or not. If staff are often ill due to the nature of the goods they are handling or if a product must be remanufactured, impacting upon the manufacture of other items, the likelihood is it shan’t be. More and more robotics are moving upstream, and more and more proving their worth in non- traditional applications.
KUKA Robotics UK Ltd
www.kuka.com
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
