Robots in Industry 4.0
By: Chinmay D
Tags: Industry 5 0, Automation, Robots, Industry 4 0

Robots in Industry 4.0

The only thing constant in this world is change , we can’t resist it no matter what we do. Currently we are in between one of the biggest changes we would probably see few years down the line. We have a huge change in the way we produce products . We produce goods way faster , in huge quantity , utilizing raw materials to its best and with great accuracy. This transition is so different that it is being named and called as Industry 4.0 to represent the fourth revolution that has occurred in manufacturing. The fourth industrial revolution will carry forward what was started by the third industrial revolution with the adoption of computers and automation and upgrade it with smart and autonomous systems running and being supported by huge data and machine learning.

Source : InvoiceInterchange

Why Industry 4.0 is Important?

Now the question arising in your mind might be but why is Industry 4.0 important . The reasons behind it are the benefits that it has to offer for us. It immensely helps manufacturers to cope up with the market needs by becoming more flexible and reacting way faster and comfortably to changes that might come in the market . Most importantly reducing the production time helps manufacturers to focus more on research and innovation. Industry 4.0 is also very helpful in fulfilling the customize needs of customers .

Example of Industry 4.0

Source : Youtube

Here is an example from Famous Luxury & Sports car manufacturer’s Audi factory showing robots and automation being used extensively.

Robots in Industry 4.0

Robots are the most important piece of the Industry 4.0 system. Without robots theirs no existence of Industry 4.0. In the near future not only the big giant companies or manufacturing plants but also local and small scale factories will depend on new types of high tech machines, robots that are interconnected taking their production to whole new level. The latest and state of the art technologies such as Artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing and data analytics will also make industrial robots more reliable than ever.

Main Goal of Industry 4.0

So the main goal of Industry 4.0 is to almost get zero downtime and maximum efficiency. So what is zero downtime? Well , its being able to identify and fix issues in factories almost instantly . As robots use more sensors and become more digitally connected, they will become much less susceptible to disruptions. A breakdown due to even a small issue can cause huge losses & disturb the whole upcoming schedule . Thus , spotting a glitch on an assembly line in real time — and reconfiguring around it — can increase productivity, reduce errors and improve quality.

Here is an graphical representation of robots sold and estimated to be sold in near future.

Source : nelmia

By 2025 , the market for robots will be around $70 billion and for military purposes also the use will be quite high.

Industry 4.0: The Zero Down Time Solution (ZDT)

Here is an practical example from famous American car manufacturer ,General Motors (GM) . GM motors developed a system called zero down time solution and implemented it in their factory . Alongside FANUC(Japanese group of companies that provide automation products) and Cisco, they developed ZDT(Zero Down Time Solution)— a cloud-based software platform for data analysis , collected from robots across GM’s factories.

GM’s ZDT program has provided quick ROI(Return on Investment) . In fact, according to the company they avoided over 100 significant unscheduled downtimes since the program was launched. This is quite an big of an achievement in the automotive industry, where downtime can cost over $20,000 per minute.

The connected network of GM robots used in their various manufacturing plants for painting, dispensing and welding are smart enough to know when they need maintenance so they don’t break down while running . In the upcoming time as the technology evolves, the system will transform into more of an in-process adaptive tool, where robots can monitor and automatically adjust their own performance for maximum productivity. With more than 10,0000 connected robots the program has been a huge success.

Astonishingly, FANUC currently has more than 20,000 robots worldwide connected to its ZDT system. It claims that ZDT analytics have successfully identified potential equipment issues, and notified customers to take corrective actions and avoid unexpected downtime, in more than 600 cases, saving those companies more than $75 million.

Digital Tools

In addition to ZDT, FANUC has a newer Industry 4.0-enhanced product called FIELD (FANUC Intelligent Edge Link and Drive system), which is an open platform for third-party developers.

So with FIELD, both software developers and application users can create applications and communication converters that have access to connect with various types of plant floor devices. The Japanese company FANUC’s partners in the project include factory automation suppliers such as Keyence Corp. and Mitutoyo Corp.

So what kind of robots are being used ?

Here are the manufacturing robots and cobots (collaborative robots that work alongside human beings) to steadfast Industry 4.0:

Articulated Robots

Articulated robots range from the simple two-jointed structures to systems with 10 or more interacting joints and materials. They are powered by a variety of means, including electric motors and are used for variety of jobs like pick and place, dispensing, packaging, assembling and welding activities. The degree of freedom for articulated robots is as high as seven. The advantage of articulated robots is they can move around at places and obstacles were other types of robots might get block . They are commonly used in assembling factories and plants. Below is an example of Articulated robots.

Source : wiseGEEK

Delta Robots

Delta robots also called as parallel or spider robots . This bots are equipped with force and collision detection sensors, and uses the force sensors for intricate assembly applications. So basically this kind of high-speed and precise delta robots are used in the packaging industry, medical and pharmaceutical industry. This bots are also used surgery, high precision assembly operations for electronic components and 3D printing. Below is an image of Delta robots.

Source : ABIflexx

Cartesian Robots

Cartesian robots also sometimes known as six-axis robots, in particular, are gaining prominence credit to its standardized components, and operator-friendly controls that lower cost and boost performance. Cartesian robots use linear actuators to position a tool.

This type of bots can be used for different purposes such as pick-and-place, assembly, and even applying adhesive. Cartesian-robot movements are generally restricted to the framework’s , but the framework can be mounted horizontally or vertically, or even overhead in certain gantry configurations.

Source : RexrothBoschGroup

COBOTs (Collaborative Robots)

The International Federation of Robotics (IFR), collaborative industrial robots (COBOTS) defines cobots as robots which are made so as to perform collaborative tasks with humans in industrial sectors. So the next term is Sequential cobot . So what are they ? Sequential cobot collaboration occurs when there is an intersection between the humans and the robot’s workspace. When humans and robots work on the same part at the same time Cobot cooperation occurs, while in responsive cobot cooperation, the robot responds in real-time to the human’s movements.

SCARA Robots

SCARA is an acronym for Selective Compliance Articulated Robot Arm, This bots are designed to handle a variety of material handling operations. SCARA was invented in 1978 by Professor Hiroshi Makino at Yamanashi University in Japan. They have been used for industrial purposes in assembly lines since 1981.

The SCARAs robots are less rigid than Cartesian or gantry robots. However, they are more rigid than both 6-axis robots and Delta robots due to their rigid Z-axis. They are generally faster than 6-axis robots. The payload of SCARAs is generally quite low, but it is more than Delta robots which can lift between 0.3–8 kg. SCARAs are very well suited for high-speed assembly applications.

Source : Espon

Future Industry 5.0?

Industry 4.0 starts to move towards Industry 5.0 when you allow customers to customize the goods according to their needs and choices.

With Industry 4.0, the customers can choose the products out of the available options from the manufacturers and the manufacturers will deliver the exact product. For example , the customer can book the right kind of car they want from the companies website . Industry 5.0 takes the same concept to the next level by providing many more options to choose and customize.

What will Industry 5.0 do for human workers?

As we go from Industry 4.0 to Industry 5.0, we are creating higher-value jobs than before, as we are giving the freedom of design responsibility back to the human. As the manufacturing process is almost a lot automated so manufacturers are more involved in design process than manufacturing . It allows customers to get kind of personal customize goods. Though this kind of services were already provided by some extremely luxury brands like Rolls-Royce but Industry 5.0 will make it even affordable for small manufacturers.

With Industry 5.0, manufacturing process will be automated better, which means real-time data coming in from the field. In the last ten years, Rolls-Royce’s business model has flipped from selling engines to driving 50 per cent of its revenue from services.

They can do that because they understand the design failure of that engine. They know what the quality process is of that engine and they know how they want that engine to perform. Wherever a Rolls-Royce engine is in the world, they know how fast it is, how hot is it, its altitude and where it is in its performance lifecycle compared to where it’s supposed to be as per its design capability. And when such products are created with such passion and customization the outcomes will of course be of great quality . Below is the snip of Rolls Royce website in which various customization options available can be clearly seen.

Source : RollysRoyce Website

Authors:

Chinmay Deshmukh , Sukhanshu Dukare , Priyanka Ghosh , Kunal Gaikwad, Akash Gajbhiye.

References : Wikipedia ,

https://www.analyticsinsight.net/manufacturing-robots-and-cobots-to-steadfast-industry-4-0/

http://www.abiflex.pt/

https://www.boschrexroth.com/en/xc/

http://www.nelmia.com/

https://www.wisegeek.com/

https://www.epson.co.in/For-Work/Industrial-Robots/SCARA/Epson-Robot-T3/p/T3