Electricity + Control 2019

CONTROL SYSTEMS + AUTOMATION

control, packaging and palletizing, and intralogistics. They can support people in assembly processes at those stages where precision and repeatability are key. They can, for example, apply adhesives and seals with simultaneous quality control. Due to the repeatability factor, they are also well suited for au- tomating complex quality tests. With the ability to handle heavy lifting, they can be used as palletizers, with proper safety equipment. On the move The new generation of collaborative robots can be integrated easily with mobile robots. Such cooper- ation is made more accessible by the low weight of the latest robots as well as the possibility of building mobile platforms on mobile robots, as in the Omron LD autonomous intelligent vehicle. Col- laborative robots can now be part of a flexible, con- stantly evolving production environment in which the re-deployment of machines, line changeovers and conveyors are needed. Collaborative robots installed on mobile robots can become elements of innovative logistics solu- tions, providing complete sub-assemblies and semi-finished products for assembly stations, and finished products to be placed in stock or quality control stations. Currently, collaborative robots can effectively complement and augment the work done by people in many discrete manufacturing processes. Becoming smart Collaborative robots are just beginning to enable innovation and advance competitiveness in the manufacturing environment. With the advantages of high versatility and the ability to carry out tasks so far performed only by standard robots, all easily configurable by local engineering staff, cobots also offer further benefits. Easier implementation as a result of the reduced need to provide the security measures required by typical robots and incompa- rably greater flexibility of operation are two key fac- tors that support a positive return on investment. It is therefore expected that cooperative and collab- orative robots will constitute an increased share of the total number of industrial robots. The capabilities of machine vision combined with artificial intelligence open up further possibili- ties. A collaborative robot can have a built-in intel- ligent vision system which provides totem pairing, object position, bar code identification, colour dif- ferentiation, and other vision functions. Gestures can be used to guide the robot and the task by hand and to change the degree of freedom of the

hand-guide function easily, according to different conditions. Omron’s interactive table tennis robot, For- pheus, demonstrates just some of the possibilities of artificial intelligence (AI) combined with collabo- rative robots. Forpheus demonstrates human ma- chine collaboration by combining vision with robot- ics and artificial intelligence on the machine level. It can play an interactive game, identify ping-pong balls in a 3D space in the same way as the human vision system does, as well as evaluate the player and judge their ability level. Its high-speed robotic arm moves in response to its AI controller; it can even predict smashes. Combining artificial intelligence on the machine level with vision systems and mobile collaborative robots opens up even more exciting possibilities for new industrial applications. For the future Omron andTechman Robot Inc., a leading company for collaborative arm robots that work together with people, recently signed an agreement to form a strategic alliance in the area of collaborative robots. Omron and Techman will provide collaborative robots that can be used for various applications such as electronics assembly, product testing and inspection.The aim is to develop and deliver robots that will enable flexible manufacturing and increase the productivity and quality of production lines for customers in the automotive and electronics industries, as well as material handling operations across a range of manufacturing industries, and to realise an innovative manufacturing environment where humans and machines work in harmony.

The aim is to develop and

deliver robots that will enable flexible manufacturing and increase the productivity and quality of production lines in the automotive and electronics industries, as well as material handling operations across manufacturing.

About the author Maciej Kuczynski has over 15 years of engineering and business experience in industry and infrastructure operational

technology. He has a PhD degree in Machine Construction and Opera- tions from the Warsaw University of Technology. He specialises in projects related to business development and IIoT/OT in the area of safety & security. At Omron Maciej is responsible for managing regional marketing activities.

For more information: Omron Industrial Automation Tel: +27 (0)11 579 2600, email: info.sa@eu.omron.com or visit: www.industrial.omron.co.za

Electricity + Control

JUNE 2019

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