At a recent event held at ABB Robotics in Milton Keynes, representatives from the company as well as system integrator Neuteq made the case for robotic automation and how it offers cost and productivity benefits for all kinds of applications. Simon Lott reports.

The potential offered by robotic automation has been achieved to varying degrees across the manufacturing industry, with the automotive and food markets the typically cited examples of where the technology is well established. At the ‘Lights Out…Production’ held last December however, the focus was on how robots can meet all kinds of production challenges in all sectors, even for low cost products, bringing with them many opportunities to save on resources.

Based in Switzerland, ABB is one of the largest providers of power and automation products and services in the world. While robot technology is a relatively small part of the business, it still accounts for US$1.6 billion of sales with around 160,000 installed worldwide. Neuteq, based in Tamworth, is a system integrator providing tailored, turnkey solutions involving design, development, manufacture, installation and commissioning for automation of machine tools.

The latest statistics show that there are 300 robots for every 10,000 employees in Japan. In Germany the figure is 235. In the UK however it is only 50. So why have our country’s manufacturers been slower to adopt the technology and what does it offer in terms of return on investment, especially when, according to ABB, there has been a substantial rise in the adoption of this technology in developing economies despite an abundance of low cost labour.?

Return on investment

Alan Spreckley, channel partner manager for ABB Robotics thinks this is where many manufacturers are missing a trick: “The cost of labour has gone up while the cost of robots has come down hugely in the last 20 years (comparable to the drop in price of DVD players and mobile phones over the last 15 years). The ongoing costs are also low. Our typical operating expense per employee is about £12.50 an hour, and I’m told that’s quite low. The cost of one of our robots is around £5 an hour.

“The key benefits as well as the labour savings include reduction of existing and potential worker shortages, better information through data transfer and better productivity through efficiency, less scrap, better quality components and reduced cost of rework.

“Robots also offer a high degree of flexibility as well as consistent accuracy. There is a perception that robots are too complex. Both ABB’s and our competitors are designed to be user friendly and you don’t need specialist skills to program a robot.”

Mr Spreckley also cites the ability to work in dirty, hot environments as well as around the clock and without additional costs like heating and lighting. An example given on the day was a customer that produces sinks. The best employees there could polish 30 in a single shift. Now running lights out with automation, 200 can be processed by the morning. Employees can then be freed up for more varied and rewarding roles. Finally, robots don’t need to be retrained and can switch between different tasks rapidly, so the additional costs associated with short production runs are minimised.

Integrated offering

For those looking t implement robot technology, Leroy Garratt, technical engineer at Neuteq explains what his company can offer in terms of setting up automated production at any facility: “Evaluation and set-up of equipment can be achieved from a concept drawing in three to four weeks. We initially talk about weight, size and quantity of components then advise on what robot to have, liaising with ABB based on our calculations. If you have machines already or want new ones, we discuss the loading, whether it’s got variable I/Os for the robot to talk to the machine and get the signals to work the automatic doors.

“Then we get the turnkey solution. To ensure everything works well, we work out things like guard sizing, the machine loading area, robot reach, grippers and conveyors. Before we program the robot, we run a cell simulation in 3D. Once we have all the data regarding operations such as component pick up, component orientation, machine clamping and deburring, we can then design jaws to suit with our partner, Schunk.”

He continues: “A big part of the whole process is component orientation. We often use a pallet system where the robot is programmed to pick from each part of the pallet but also use conveyors where the parts are stored in a hopper and are organised ready for processing.

“We can also use infrared systems as well as visual inspection capabilities to make sure parts loaded onto the conveyor are seen by the robot and it can move to pick them up correctly. The same technology can then be used to inspect finished parts and ensure they meet tolerance requirements.”

Keeping in shape

Of course, all of this is nothing without sustainable performance, so ABB Robotics has over 15,000 employees in 45 countries around the world dedicated to the service side of the business. The company has also put a lot of effort into remote monitoring capabilities in recent times in order to shift from a reactive to a proactive approach to maintenance to ensure the absolute minimum downtime.

Service agreements account manager at ABB Robotics Andy Eyre expands: “We’re collecting information all the time on the environment within the cabinet and the condition of all the robotic components. This data is analysed and we can then predict if a part is going to break down. We then get in touch with the customers to arrange the necessary maintenance. 60-70% of the breakdowns that we get can be pinpointed using remote support.”

The application extends further however, with data built up over time guiding scheduled maintenance so that ABB’s engineers can prepare for and spend more time focusing on any parts that need particular attention. The customer can access much of this data through the Internet and as well as showing the current status of machines and any alarms in realtime, it can also generate reports examining faults and alarms over time in order to pinpoint any specific problems.

Ultimately, Mr Eyre explains that: “Although there are various packages of support, more importantly it’s about understanding a customer’s facility and what environment the robot is in to establish the right balance between value and robot life.”

And it is this holistic approach to robot integration that defines ABB Robotics’ and Neuteq’s approach to their business, with the product itself only a part of the complete picture in a process where every element is focused on keeping costs as low as possible.

Neuteq
www.neuteq-europe.co.uk

ABB Robotics
www.abb.com