Robotics in Manufacturing

Cary Kaczowka Lachlan Murphy Stephanie Polak

Alissa Russin

History of Robots

• The idea of automated machines performing tasks originated in the ancient civilizations of China, Greece, and Egypt

• First programmable modern robot was created in 1954

• Industrial robots are used for jobs which are too dirty, dangerous, or dull for humans to perform

Father of Robotics

• George Devol 1954 – first reprogrammable, operational robot

• “Unimate” • Sold to General Motors in 1961 • Removed and stacked hot pieces of metal

from a die cast

Uses

• Welding • Assembling & Packaging • Hazardous materials • Spraying finishes • Inspection • Cutting & Polishing

http://image.made-in-china.com/2f0j00zMCthSFmSAkR/Auto-Parts-Fiber-Laser-Robot-Cutting-Machine-Cutting-Series-.jpg

Main Classifications

• Articulated Robot • SCARA

– Selective Compliant Assembly Robot Arm

• Cartesian Coordinate Robot

http://media.photobucket.com/image/recent/x139ap7ql/robot-weld.jpg

Articulate Robots • Have rotary joints, also known as

a jointed arm • Six degrees of freedom; highly

mobile – Pitch: up and down – Yaw: left and right – Roll: rotation

• Can lift small parts with great accuracy

• The mobility allows for articulated robots to be used for welding, painting, and assembly

http://www.robotmatrix.org/images/ArticulateRobotic.gif

SCARA Selective Compliant Assembly Robot Arm

• 4-axis robot arms (X, Y, Z, and rotation about Z)

• Jointed two-link arm (much like humans) can easily bend out of the way – Good for transferring parts from

one area to another or loading/unloading process stations

• Single pedestal mount requires a small footprint (less $)

• Generally faster and cleaner than Cartesian systems

• Software requires more complicated kinematics, although this is usually unseen by the end-user

http://blog.cgco.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/RH_6SQH.jpg

Cartesian Coordinate Robot • Rigid, and are very accurate and

repeatable but cannot reach around objects

• Due to their mechanical structure, these robots are very easy to program and visualize

• Require large volumes to operate • Linear joints are difficult to seal, so work

environment cannot be damp or dusty • Desirable in manufacturing

– simple to program and operate – individual arms can be replaced, keeping

downtime and maintenance to a minimum – can also be disassembled for single-axis use – Simplicity makes it less expensive than its

complex counterparts

http://www.robotmatrix.org/images/CartesianRobotWorkSpace.gif

Cartesian Coordinate Robot • Often seen in machine tools and

coordinate measuring because of rigidity

• Suited for applications with no orientation requirements, such as circuit board assembly

• Used to position a variety of end-effectors: automatic screwdrivers, automatic trills, dispensing heads, welding heads, waterjet cutting heads, and grippers

http://www.irisa.fr/lagadic/images/img-lagadic16.jpg

Gantry Robot • Cartesian coordinate where

horizontal member is supported at both ends

• Generally mounted and hang down from ceiling

• Rectangular work envelope • Great for material handling

– Pick and place – Machine loading and

unloading – Stacking – Unitizing – Palletizing

http://img.directindustry.com/images_di/photo-g/gantry-robot-49454.jpg

Programming of Robots

• A robot can only be as good as its program or operator

• General Motors Example

Future Processes

• Robots will allow processes to be automated for the ability to have unmanned factories

• Smaller businesses will have the ability to afford robots

• Replace skilled tasks • Increase productivity

Economics

• Manufacturing – 14% of US GDP – 11% of US Employment – Robotics=$5 billion-industry

• Growing at rate of 8% per year • Robotics Industries Association: 171,000 robots in

North American Factories as of 2008 • As price , more small manufacturing firms invest

Economics • Benefits

– Manufacturing lead time – Cycle time – Speed – Quality of work & repeatability – Productivity – Potential to work 24/7 – Pay no salary

• Ex: Australia’s Drake Trailers invested in a welding robot 60% increase in productivity

Economics • Cost of Robots

– Average operating cost= 30 cents per hour according to Ron Potter, director of robotic technologies of Factory Automation Systems at GM

• 60 cents/hr includes a vision system, a software package and yearly maintenance which is still 1/5 cost of employing a Chinese laborer ($3/hr)

– Approximate initial purchase & installation cost: $60,000

• Could be over $100,000 depending on size and features – Return on Investment (ROI)

• RobotWorx claims 6 month-1 year • RobotWorx ROI Calculator • http://www.robots.com/robotics.php?page=roi+calculator

Economics

• Employees – Not necessarily being replaced – Higher quality/skilled jobs – Better working conditions; removed from

dangerous and health hazardous jobs – Robots= boring monotonous jobs – Humans= creative, adaptive, decision making jobs

Economics

• Investment Trends In Other Countries – Korea: $100M per year for 10 years robotics

research and education (2002-2012) – European commission: $600M into robotics and

cognitive systems – Japan: $350M (2009-2019) in humanoid robotics,

service robots, and intelligent environments – US non-defense federal investment: small

compared to other countries

Economics

• “Automate or Evaporate” • Future Predictions

– International Federation of Robotics (IFR) • Increase in the demand for industrial robots in 2010 • Predicted more than 1.1 million industrial robots in

2013

Advantages (business) • Eliminates unskilled jobs

– Avoid some new hiring – Workers moved to supervisory roles

• Higher profits – Higher production rates

• Provides jobs for developing, producing, maintaining and training robots

• Greater financial savings – Due to greater safety – Fewer healthcare and insurance

concerns • Saves valuable time

– Faster times • Saves intellectual property and

wealth – Could go offshore

• Companies are more competitive

From: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=850697&show=html

Advantages (production) • User-friendly • Higher production rates

– Increased, constant speeds – No pauses

• Automated – Precision and quality – High repeatability and consistency

• Efficient • Safety

– Improved working condition – Workers don't perform dangerous tasks

• Systems can react quickly to change in retail demands

• Boring and monotonous jobs – welding, painting, etc.

• Dangerous jobs – handling explosives, waste, military

applications

From: https://www.media.volvocars.com/ca/enhanced/en-ca/media/preview.aspx?mediaid=12517

Disadvantages (business)

• Loss of jobs • High initial cost

– Can be considered justified because of cost of employee health insurance

• Return of investment – Cannot guarantee results

Disadvantages (production)

• Maintenance • Expertise

– workers have to be trained on how to program and interact

• Specialized – Can be difficult to re-

program • Safety

– presence can cause new problems

From: http://labintsis.com/2010/11/prednosti-i-nedostaci-automatizacije-sa-industrijskim-robotima/?lang=en

GM Case Study

• Starting in 1980 invested $45 billion on robots and software

• CFO Roger Smith believed that robots could “do anything”

• Production costs increased • Most plants ran at 50% capacity due to

software issues • Production dropped to lowest of all

competitors

“They were prisoners of the great North American manufacturing cost accounting system that says, as you eliminate labor, your costs goes down. But what they forgot was they were getting rid of direct labor but replacing it with indirect labor and huge capital costs. These costs were high because the technicians and other people needed in an automated plant were much more expensive than the hourly laborer. You need to look at every worker. You look at his value added time versus his wait time and you arrange the production flow in such a way that you maximize the value added time of each worker and reduce the waiting time. You concentrate on the worker not on the machinery. Use automation only where necessary". - Robert Lutz

Senior Executive at GM, Chrysler & Ford

GM Case Study • Take aways:

– Robots are useful in increasing production, but require careful planning & implementation

– Robots should collaborate with workers for common purpose, not replace them

– Too many robots could be counter productive – Workers need to be skilled in operation of robotics

and software

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Works Cited • "Products - IFR International Federation of Robotics." Home - IFR International Federation of Robotics. Web. 14

Nov. 2011. <http://www.ifr.org/industrial-robots/products/>. • "Peak Robotics: What Is a SCARA?" Peak Robotics - Robots and Robotic Systems. Peak Robotics, 2009. Web. 14 Nov.

2011. <http://www.peakrobotics.com/What_is_a_SCARA.htm>. • "Cartesian/Gantry Robot." The Comprehensive Robot/Robotics/Automation Resources, Directory and Market Place.

RobotMatrix. Web. 14 Nov. 2011. <http://www.robotmatrix.org/CartesianGantryRobot.htm>. • “Advantages and Disadvantages of Automating with Industrial Robots.” robots.com. RobotWorx, n.d. Web. 9

November 2011. • Pethokoukis, James. “Meet your New Coworker: Industrial robots are reshaping manufacturing.” U.S. News and

World Report. U.S. News and World Report Web., 7 March 2004, 9 November 2011. • “Manufacturing Robot.” robots.com. RobotWorx, n.d. Web. 9 November 2011 • Lamb, Robert. “How have robots changed manufacturing?” howstuffworks,com. Howstuffworks, n.d. Web. 9

November 2011. • “A roadmap for US robotics: from internet to robotics.” US- Robotics, (2009), Web. • Pethokoukis, James. "Meet Your New Coworker." U.S. News & World Report. U.S.News & World Report, L.P.,

07/03/2004. Web. 9 Nov 2011. <http://www.usnews.com/usnews/biztech/articles/040315/15eerobot htm>. • Lamb, Robert. "How have robots changed manufacturing?." How Stuff Works. HowStuffWorks, Inc, n.d. Web. 9

Nov 2011. <http://science.howstuffworks.com/robots-changed manufacturing.htm>. • "Manufacturing Robot." Robot Worx. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Nov 2011.

<http://www.robots.com/faq.php?question=manufacturing robot>. • Kimes, Mina. "Need more workers? Try a robot." CNN Money. Cable News Network, 03/01/2008. Web. 9 Nov

2011. <http://money.cnn.com/2007/09/21/smbusiness/Robots.fsb/index.htm>.