ADVANCED MANUFACTURING NOW Kevin Heise
Smarter Automation, Better for Humans a W
e can agree that automation solutions must enable fl exible responses that can help to minimize produc- tion costs. But solutions must also be designed for
economy, ease of use, quality and reliability in combination with a high degree of fl exibility. Increasingly, they are becoming smart systems which include not only fl exible, timely response to changes in production demand, but also collect and report production data which can be used to increase system effi ciency even further.
Robotic bin-picking is one of the last part-handling processes to be automated. Yet here, too, a defi nite trend towards a higher degree of automation can be seen, largely because of occupa- tional health and safety regulations. Humans can no longer be expected to cope with the stress associated with faster cycle times of automated systems. Robot cells are often positioned at the start and at the end
of production lines. Turnkey providers of automation technology now offer bin-picking systems designed to remove, place and handle unusually shaped or heavy parts from bins and place them into production machines. Automated bin-picking solutions offer an optimally adapted
process to meet the requirements of: t Higher productivity/output thanks to faster cycle times, longer machine service life (unmanned shifts)
t Less physical exertion for staff t Avoidance of occupational accidents t Fast retooling to new workpieces t Additional integration of special tasks (measurement, DMC
marking, orientation A recently patented eight-axis robotic bin-picking system enables transportation bins to be emptied to an optimum level of effi ciency, matching the pace of the machining center. Operation previously required knowledge of source-code
programming. In another step toward human-friendliness, con- trol systems are simplifi ed to create as large a group of potential users as possible. Graphical user interfaces take data entry to a whole new level. Setting up a bin-picking system is therefore substantially simplifi ed, making the workpiece teach-in process considerably easier.
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AdvancedManufacturing.org | June 2016
Through the interface, the user sees the workpieces and transport bins and the gripper settings on a touchscreen. He is guided through optional and required settings intuitively, which makes data entry faster and more reliable. Clear functions en- sure that users are familiarized faster with the system. That also reduces the training requirement. Robot cells represent only a fraction of the automation spectrum. Large scale turnkey integration of fully automated manufacturing systems also responds to the trend toward smart manufacturing. These complex systems often include input and output cells, belt or track automation.
There is a continuing trend toward smart manufacturing and smart cells.
Turnkey integration of fully automated manufacturing systems today must also include data management requirements in qual- ity tracking, production management and machine performance metrics. Technologies such as part marking (pin-stamp or laser) and data readers, cameras, scanners or RFID tags are deployed to safely track all usable manufacturing data and provide it reli- ably to the human. Linear and rotary pallet handling systems are primarily used for the automatic loading of machining centers not only to assist in reducing production costs, but also to permit short-term and fl exible responses to changes in the demands of the market. Pal- let handling is especially well-suited for machining where there is a large payload, cycle time of up to 15 minutes or longer and for parts that are diffi cult to handle System integrators now must create the system of machine tools, as well as the ancillary technologies that contribute to quality production, including inspection of the raw part when it comes in, machining data, and laser-marked traceability data. There is indeed a continuing trend toward smart manufactur- ing and smart cells. And from the user’s point of view, in large systems and small, its benefi ts are spindle optimization and return on investment as well as effi cient, ergonomic part handling and valuable data collection.
Vice President Liebherr Automation Systems Co. MODERN MANUFACTURING PROCESSES, SOLUTIONS & STRATEGIES
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