moji5
7th August 2010, 05:27 PM
It wasn't that long ago that it was unheard of to see a robot at a packaging show. In recent years, however, show visitors find robots on display in virtually every aisle, usually performing palletizing operations.
Several reasons have driven the growth of the palletizing robot market. Basically, it comes down to economics. A robot can work faster and with greater consistency than a more expensive human operator, withstands harsh environments better and is largely immune to injury.
Since users are just beginning to recognize the benefits of robotic palletizing, rapid growth is expected for the next several years. Driving the interest in palletizing robots is the tight labor market and a need for greater process consistency. As it has become increasingly difficult to recruit qualified workers in the United States, 'people are more willing to automate.
Robots also can offer the flexibility needed to efficiently handle the wide variety of distribution packaging consumer goods makers must provide to satisfy their retail customers. The market is uneducated right now as to the flexibility robotic systems can offer.
Indicative of the flexibility required today is a recent installation by Fuji of a seven-robot system at a cement manufacturer. To handle the output of 14 lines and accommodate various pallet sizes and case styles, two of the robots are configured for three in/three out operation, while the other three work on a two in/two out basis.
There are two types of robots used for palletizing, articulated and gantry. The latter are suspended from an overhead rack. Encouraging the use of robots for palletizing are continuing improvements in capabilities related to payload, speed, flexibility, ease of operation and the ability to interface with line and plant controls.
Although the food and beverage industry has been a major user of palletizing robots, and interest from this sector continues to be strong, a growing number of units are being installed in plants producing personal-care, and paper products. Robots are particularly in demand in regulated industries like medical devices and pharmaceuticals where they can provide a higher level of cleanliness than a human operator and a greater degree of process control, thus simplifying the validation process, which ensures the system is operating within established parameters.
Some activity also is seen from soft goods, building material and petrochemical manufacturers. It should be noted that a high proportion of sales are generated by first-time customers.
After watching the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) make a $101-million commitment to robotics in 1999, many companies, which are striving to reduce logistics and handling costs, are taking a look at robotic palletizing.
Worker safety, quality and cost control are the drivers behind the USPS investment. When the project is complete, trays of sorted mail will be loaded by robot into all-purpose mail containers for transport by truck or air. Although the material-handling system may vary depending on the building, the robotic cells and gripper configuration will be identical.
The robotic project is one step toward a 'lights-out' mail processing facility, which is being prototyped in Ft. Myers, FL. The robots will play an integral role in this facility. A demand for high throughput has driven improvements in controls as well as interest in heavier payloads so product can be moved by the tier instead of case by case. FANUC Robotics, for example, has developed the M-410iWW, capable of handling payloads up to 880 pounds at more than 12 cycles per minute.
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Heavier payloads also are spurring interest in gantry designs, which traditionally have been able to move more weight at faster speeds than an articulated robot. Toronto-based RMT Engineering Ltd. has installed gantry units capable of handling 100 cases per minute because it moves layers of cases as a unit rather than individual cases.
Another in-demand feature is the ability to interface with plant networks and different control systems.
A similar interface between robot and plant business system is part of an upgrade to a two-year-old RL 80 palletizing robot from Reis Robotics, Elgin, IL, at Sandvik Chemical Products, Bristol, VA. Sandvik's goal is to track inventory of its mine bolt resins, a two-component polyester-based material used to strengthen mine roofs and prevent cave-ins. When the system was being designed initially.
Tracking will be accomplished by automatically updating inventory records each time the robot sets a corrugated box of product on a pallet. Since boxes could be dropped or rejected due to labeling problems, the robot only counts boxes it successfully places on a pallet.
In action, 40- and 60-pound boxes conveyed from Building 2 to Building 3 at Sandvik trip a photoeye, which starts a bar code scanner. The scanner sends label data including lot and sequential box number to the robot. The robot determines which of six pallet positions the product belongs in, the nest pattern and where the next box should be placed on the load, then picks up the case, sets it in position and transmits the part number to a database in a linked PC. As soon as interface software is written, the PC will be able to transmit case counts directly to the plant's AS400.
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Harsh environments are another area where robotic palletizers make sense. FANUC is preparing to install what it believes will be the first North American placement of a palletizing robot in a freezer and FUJI JAPAN has already done in Japanese Market. Although the industry has been slow to accept robots in this setting, there are numerous advantages. First and foremost, it removes people from the freezer, an area where the cold temperatures make it more difficult to work safely and require added manpower to compensate for the more frequent breaks personnel need. This freezer installation at a large ice cream manufacturer will join one up and running for several months at a French fry producer in Europe.
Keeping some end users from considering a robot is a lack of familiarity with its control and programming. 'That's why we have worked very hard to make the systems easy to set up. For example, the operator interface features palletizing rather than robotic terminology. The idea is to 'make it as simple as possible on the operator level.
To this end, Fuji has developed PC-based software and a color touch screen operator interface. To simplify programming of the robot itself, FUJI offers another Windows-based program.
Palletizing robots generally appeal to end users with mid-range needs. Low-end users often assume a robotic system is beyond their budget. While this may have been true a few years ago, prices, in general, have declined as hardware costs have dropped, and software has become more plug-and-play.
At the other end of the scale, high-volume palletizing still tends to be the province of hard automation. However, gantry robots like those from RMT are capable of handling many different products at relatively high speeds and can be equipped with a bar code reader so cases can be sorted as well as palletized.
Such multitasking is another feature robot users are demanding. Moving further upstream in the process, some systems like those designed by Midmac use a single robot to load the case before palletizing it.
Other developments have to do with end effectors capable of handling a wide variety of case styles and devices to protect the robot and its human coworkers. Applied Robotics, Inc., Glenville, NY, for example, offers QuickSTOP collision sensors, which shut down the work cell and deflate to absorb the impact, thus minimizing damage to tooling and product.
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Also becoming more advanced are the safety systems, which ensure no personnel get in the way of a working robot. Work cell perimeter guards like Smartscan L- and T-shaped light curtain units from Applied Robotics are sophisticated enough to differentiate between a pallet and a person. When a pallet is detected, a self muting feature allows it to pass, however, if a person tries to enter the work cell, equipment movement is halted in a split second.
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Investing in robotic equipment can be a big leap for a small business. Industrial robots have been automating tasks since 1961. The first industrial robot, the Unimate, worked with the die casting machines at a General Motors plant. In the last decade there has been a surge of robots being integrated into mid-sized and smaller companies. One reason is the growth and affordability of the used robot market. With the leaps made in controls technology, companies are upgrading robots before the current model has finished its life-span. However, the overall functionality of the six-axis articulated arm has not changed in the last decade. As companies consolidate and reorganize, the factory surplus is sold.
Automation benefits include saving money and reducing production time. Automation also leads to an increase in part quality and reliability. These are some tips to help you get started implementing automation onto your factory floor.
Involve the Shop Floor Workers Consulting the workers that currently produce the part is a good starting point. This is the person who has the experience to know what works and what had not worked in the past. They often have helpful insight into the process that you can not gain by simply watching. Requesting their participation in the robotic welding project will help it be more successful. The workers who manually perform the process can provide advice on the configuration and specifications of the equipment up front, avoiding the possibility that the equipment is not as ergonomically friendly or productive as it could be. Failure to involve them disregards the insight they have gained though experience with the process.
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Choose your Robot Operators and Robotic Programmers Carefully Most industrial robots are controlled by the use of teach pendants. Several of these pendants now are programmed with an interface that resembles a personal computer. An individual that is computer-literate will have less trouble learning how to instruct the robot and moving it to accomplish the desired tasks such as welding or material handling. For instance, the challenge of transforming a manual welding process to a robotic welding process is best handled by someone with a solid background in manual welding. This would be an ideal person to select for programming or operating the robotic welder. When choosing robot operators, programmers, and technicians, special consideration should be given to motivated employees that are willing to learn and advance their skills.
Make Training a Priority It is important when purchasing a robot integrator to choose one that provides training on the robotic system. This allows your company to be able to fully utilize the robot and minimize later down-time due to mechanical problems. Ideally the person chosen to receive the training should be the future programmer or operator. With the proper training, the programmer should be able to reliably produce efficient and effective robot programs. Basic groundwork training is a minimum, with the real learning happening on the shop floor. Generally your robotic integrator will program your robotic system to interact with your current equipment and leave you with a turnkey solution that requires only a push of a button. It is still ideal to have trained personnel on hand should a future problem arise. Routine maintenance, such as an annual grease replenishment and battery replacement, is also an issue that you will want a trained individual to perform. Many robotic systems have been destroyed by well-meaning maintenance by individuals that do not understand the complex nature of the robotic system.
Watch Part Fit-Up and Repeatability The most problematical issue with welding robots is part quality. Robotic systems are designed to repeat the same sequence of events. If the robot system has been damaged, repeatability can become an issue. Robotics systems sold feature a repeatability measurement and that should be taken into account along with payload and reach requirements. Used robots should be tested for accuracy and repeatability during the reconditioning process. When performing properly, robotic systems are more reliable and produce parts far superior in quality than manually welded parts. Touch sensing and seam tracking can be used to compensate for weld joints that are not static, but robots are limited by the laws of physics. The use of quality equipment in conjunction with robots improves the part fit-up. Attention should be paid to lasers, welding and cutting torches, welding power supplies, raw consumables, and other variables that could lead to a loss of quality in the finished product.
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Calculate Estimated ROI There has been a steady growth in the robot industry over the past decade. Experts predict that this growth trend will continue in future years. Welding robots are still the majority of the market, but many applications can be handled by robots. The general rule-of-thumb is that a robotic welder can do the work of four manual welders. Therefore when production is increasing, the choice to add robotic welders is easily justified. It will also improve efficiency, productivity, and part quality. Higher quality leads to a greater demand for your product. Improved efficiency will enable you to be more competitive in your market. The improved productivity will allow you to meet your production demands without a larger workforce.
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Increased automation is a key for desired increased production. In the scope of industrialization, automation is a step beyond mechanization. Whereas mechanization provided human operators with machinery to assist them with the muscular requirements of work, automation greatly reduces the need for human sensory and mental requirements as well. Processes and systems can also be automated. Automation plays an increasingly important role in the global economy and in daily experience. Engineers strive to combine automated devices with mathematical and organizational tools to create complex systems for a rapidly expanding range of applications and human activities. Many roles for humans in industrial processes presently lay beyond the scope of automation. Human-level pattern recognition, language recognition, and language production ability are well beyond the capabilities of modern mechanical and computer systems. In this presentation we are about to have an overview of industrial automation concepts like computer integrated manufacturing, flexible manufacturing systems, industrial robots, artificial intelligence, advanced automatic material handling systems etc…
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INTRODUCTION:
AUTOMATION It is the process of following sequence of operations with little or no human labour, using specialized equipment and devices that perform and control manufacturing processes. (OR) Automation is the use of control systems (such as numerical control, programmable logic control, and other industrial control systems), in concert with other applications of information technology (such as computer-aided technologies [CAD, CAM), to control industrial machinery and processes, reducing the need for human intervention.
TYPES: Partial automation , Full automation
MECHANIZATION: The mechanization can be defined in its simplest sense as the transfer of skills and manual activities to machine operations.
AIMS OF AUTOMATION: TO IMPROVE PRODUCT QUALITY TO REDUCE LABOR COST TO IMPROVE WORK SAFETY TO REDUCE MANUFACTURING LEAD TIME TO AVOID THE HIGH COST OF NOT AUTOMATING
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Advantages:
The main advantage of automation is: Replacing human operators in tedious tasks. Replacing humans in tasks that should be done in dangerous environments (i.e. fire, space, volcanoes, nuclear facilities, under the water, etc) Making tasks that are beyond the human capabilities such as handling too heavy loads, too large objects, too hot or too cold substances or the requirement to make things too fast or too slow. Economy improvement. Sometimes and some kinds of automation implies improves in economy of enterprises, society or most of humankind. For example, when an enterprise that has invested in automation technology recovers its investment; when a state or country increases its income due to automation like Germany or Japan in the 20th Century or when the humankind can use the internet which in turn use satellites and other automated engines. Disadvantages The main disadvantages of automation are:
Technology limits: Current technology is unable to automate all the desired tasks. Unpredictable development costs. The research and development cost of automating a process is difficult to predict accurately beforehand. Since this cost can have a large impact on profitability, it’s possible to finish automating a process only to discover that there’s no economic advantage in doing so. Initial costs are relatively high. The automation of a new product required a huge initial investment in comparison with the unit cost of the product, although the cost of automation is spread in many product batches. The automation of a plant required a great initial investment too, although this cost is spread in the products to be produced. Automation tools Different types of automation tools exist: ANN – Artificial neural network DCS – Distributed Control System HMI – Human Machine Interface SCADA – Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition PAC – Programmable Automation Controller Instrumentation Motion control Robotics P PLC – Programmable Logic Controller PLC: A programmable logic controller (PLC) or programmable controller is a digital computer used for automation of electromechanical processes,s such as control of machinery on factory assembly lines, amusement rides, or lighting fixtures. PLCs are used in many industries and machines. Unlike general-purpose computers, the PLC is designed for multiple inputs and output arrangements, extended temperature ranges, immunity to electrical noise, and resistance to vibration and impact. Programs to control machine operation are typically stored in battery-backed or non-volatile memory.
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A PLC is an example of a real time system since output results must be produced in response to input conditions within a bounded time, otherwise unintended operation will result. SCADA stands for supervisory control and data acquisition. It generally refers to an industrial control system: a computer system monitoring and controlling a process. The process can be industrial, infrastructure or facility-based as described as Industrial processes include those of manufacturing, production, power generation, fabrication, and refining, and may run in continuous, batch, repetitive, or discrete modes. Infrastructure processes may be public or private, and include water treatment and distribution, wastewater collection and treatment, oil and gas pipelines, electrical power transmission and distribution, civil defense siren systems, and large communication systems. Facility processes occur both in public facilities and private ones, including buildings, airports, ships, and space stations. They monitor and control HVAC, access, and energy consumption.
Computer Integrated Manufacturing Computer-Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) in engineering is a method of manufacturing in which the entire production process is controlled by computer. The traditionally separated process methods are joined through a computer by CIM. This integration allows the processes to exchange information with each other and enable them to initiate actions. Through this integration, manufacturing can be faster and with fewer errors. Yet, the main advantage is the ability to create automated manufacturing processes. Typically CIM relies on closed-loop control processes, based on real-time input from sensors. It is also known as flexible design and manufacturing. Overview The term “Computer Integrated Manufacturing” is both a method of manufacturing and the name of a computer-automated system in which individual engineering, production, marketing, and support functions of a manufacturing enterprise are organized. In a CIM system functional areas such as design, analysis, planning, purchasing, cost accounting, inventory control, and distribution are linked through the computer with factory floor functions such as materials handling and management, providing direct control and monitoring of all process operations. As method of manufacturing, three components distinguish CIM from other manufacturing Methodologies: Means for data storage, retrieval, manipulation and presentation; Mechanisms for sensing state and modifying processes; Algorithms for uniting the data processing component with the sensor/modification component. CIM is an example of the implementation of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in manufacturing.
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CIM implies that there are at least two computers exchanging information, e.g. the controller of a arm robot and a microcontroller of a CNC machine. Some factors involved when considering a CIM implementation are the production volume, the experience of the company or personnel to make the integration, the level of the integration into the product itself and the integration of the production processes. CIM is most useful where a high level of ICT is used in the company or facility, such as CAD/CAM systems, the availability of process planning and its data. Although none of what this says is correct. History: The idea of “Digital Manufacturing” was prominent the 1980s, when Computer Integrated Manufacturing was developed and promoted by machine tool manufacturers and the Computer and Automated Systems Association and Society of Manufacturing Engineers (CASA/SME). “CIM is the integration of total manufacturing enterprise by using integrated systems and data communication coupled with new managerial philosophies that improve organizational and personnel efficiency.” ERHUM Computer Integrated manufacturing topics – Key Challenges There are three major challenges to development of a smoothly operating Computer Integrated Manufacturing system: Integration of components from different suppliers: When different machines, such as CNC, conveyors and robots, are using different communications protocols. In the case of AGVs, even differing lengths of time for charging the batteries may cause problems.
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Data integrity: The higher the degree of automation, the more critical is the integrity of the data used to control the machines. While the CIM system saves on labor of operating the machines, it requires extra human labor in ensuring that there are proper safeguards for the data signals that are used to control the machines. Process control: Computers may be used to assist the human operators of the manufacturing facility, but there must always be a competent engineer on hand to handle circumstances which could not be foreseen by the designers of the control software. Subsystems in Computer Integrated Manufacturing A Computer Integrated Manufacturing system is not the same as a “lights out” factory, which would run completely independent of human intervention, although it is a big step in that direction. Part of the system involves flexible manufacturing, where the factory can be quickly modified to produce different products, or where the volume of products can be changed quickly with the aid of computers.
Some or all of the following subsystems may be found in a CIM operation: Computer-aided techniques: CAD (Computer Aided Design) CAE (Computer Aided Engineering) CAM (Computer Aided Manufacturing) CAPP (Computer Aided Process Planning) CAQ (Computer-aided quality assurance) PPC (Production planning and control) ERP (Enterprise resource planning) A business system integrated by a common database. Devices and equipment required: CNC, Computer numerical control machine tools DNC, Direct numerical control machine tools PLC’s, Programmable logic controllers Robotics Computers Software Controllers Networks Interfacing Monitoring equipment Technologies: FMS, (Flexible manufacturing system) ASRS, automated storage and retrieval systems AGV, automated guided vehicles Robotics Automated conveyance systems An industrial robot is officially defined by ISO as an automatically controlled, reprogrammable, multipurpose manipulator programmable in three or more axes. The field of robotics may be more practically defined as the study, design and use of robot systems for manufacturing (a top-level definition relying on the prior definition of robot). Typical applications of robots include welding, painting, assembly, pick and place, packaging and palletizing, product inspection, and testing, all accomplished with high endurance, speed, and precision.
A flexible manufacturing system (FMS) is a manufacturing system in which there is some amount of flexibility that allows the system to react in the case of changes, whether predicted or unpredicted. This flexibility is generally considered to fall into two categories, which both contain numerous subcategories. The first category, machine flexibility, covers the system’s ability to be changed to produce new product types, and ability to change the order of operations executed on a part. The second category is called routing flexibility, which consists of the ability to use multiple machines to perform the same operation on a part, as well as the system’s ability to absorb large-scale changes, such as in volume, capacity, or capability. Most FMS systems comprise of three main systems. The work machines which are often automated CNC machines are connected by a material handling system to optimize parts flow and the central control computer which controls material movements and machine flow. The main advantages of an FMS are its high flexibility in managing manufacturing resources like time and effort in order to manufacture a new product. The best application of an FMS is found in the production of small sets of products like those from a mass production.
A flexible manufacturing system combines the benefits of highly automated and controlled systems – Accuracy – Mass production with the benefits of versatile, adjustable Systems – Flexibility – Uniqueness of product A comprehensive description of a Flexible Manufacturing System follows here: The Manufacturing Cell A flexible manufacturing cell (FMC) consists of two or more CNC machines, a cell computer and a robot. The cell computer (typically a programmable logic controller) is interfaced with the microprocessors of the robot and the CNCs. The Cell Controller The functions of the cell controller include work load balancing, part scheduling, and material flow control. The supervision and coordination among the various operations in a manufacturing cell is also performed by the cell computer. The software includes features permitting the handling of machine breakdown, tool breakage and other special situations. The Cell Robot In many applications, the cell robot also performs tool changing and housekeeping functions such as chip removal, staging of tools in the tool changer, and inspection of tools for breakage or expressive wear. When necessary, the robot can also initiate emergency procedures such as system shut-down. Parker-Hannifin Corporation, Forrest City, NC.
The Flexible Manufacturing System – FMS The flexible manufacturing system (FMS) is a configuration of computer-managed numerical work stations where materials are automatically handled and machine loaded. The flexible manufacturing system is principally used in mid-volume (200 to 30,000 parts per year) mid-variety (5 to 155 part types) production. Flexible Manufacturing System Components-Two or more computer-managed numerical work stations that perform a series of operations; An integrated material transport system and a computer that controls the flow of materials, tools, and information (e.g. machining data and machine malfunctions) throughout the system; Auxiliary work stations for loading and unloading, cleaning, inspection, etc. Flexible Manufacturing System Goals Reduction in manufacturing cost by lowering direct labor cost and minimizing scrap, re-work, and material wastage. Less skilled labor required. Reduction in work-in-process inventory by eliminating the need for batch processing Reductions in production lead time permitting manufacturers to respond more quickly to the variability of market demand Better process control resulting in consistent quality.
Different FMSs levels are: Flexible Manufacturing Module (FMM). Example: a NC machine, a pallet changer and a part buffer; Flexible Manufacturing (Assembly) Cell (F (M/A) C). Example: Four FMMs and an AGV (automated guided vehicle); Flexible Manufacturing Group (FMG). Example : Two FMCs, a FMM and two AGVs which will transport parts from a Part Loading area, through machines, to a Part Unloading Area; Flexible Production Systems (FPS). Example: A FMG and a FAC, two AGVs, an Automated Tool Storage, and an Automated Part/assembly Storage; Flexible Manufacturing Line (FML). Example: multiple stations in a line layout and AGVs. Advantages and disadvantages of FMSs implementation Advantages Faster, lower- cost changes from one part to another which will improve capital utilization Lower direct labor cost, due to the reduction in number of workers Reduced inventory, due to the planning and programming precision Consistent and better quality, due to the automated control Lower cost/unit of output, due to the greater productivity using the same number of workers Savings from the indirect labor, from reduced errors, rework, repairs and rejects Disadvantages Limited ability to adapt to changes in product or product mix (ex. machines are of limited capacity and the tooling necessary for products, even of the same family, is not always feasible in a given FMS) Substantial pre-planning activity Expensive, costing millions of dollars Technological problems of exact component positioning and precise timing necessary to process a component Sophisticated manufacturing systems FMSs complexity and cost are reasons for their slow acceptance by industry.
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In most of the cases FMCs are favored. An automated guided vehicle or automatic guided vehicle (AGV) is a mobile robot that follows markers or wires in the floor, or uses vision or lasers. They are most often used in industrial applications to move materials around a manufacturing facility or a warehouse. Application of the automatic guided vehicle has broadened during the late 20th century and they are no longer restricted to industrial environments. Automated guided vehicles (AGVs) increase efficiency and reduce costs by helping to automate a manufacturing facility or warehouse. AGVs can carry loads or tow objects behind them in trailers to which they can autonomously attach. The trailers can be used to move raw materials or finished product. The AGV can also store objects on a bed. The objects can be placed on a set of motorized rollers (conveyor) and then pushed off by reversing them. Some AGVs use fork lifts to lift objects for storage. AGVs are employed in nearly every industry, including, pulp, paper, metals, newspaper, and general manufacturing. Transporting materials such as food, linen or medicine in hospitals is also done. Common AGV Applications Automated Guided Vehicles can be used in a wide variety of applications to transport many different types of material including pallets, rolls, racks, carts, and containers. AGVs excel in applications with the following characteristics: Repetitive movement of materials over a distance Regular delivery of stable loads Medium throughput/volume When on-time delivery is critical and late deliveries are causing inefficiency Operations with at least two shifts Processes where tracking material is important Artificial intelligence (AI) is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science which aims to create it.
Textbooks define the field as “the study and design of intelligent agents,” where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions which maximize its chances of success. John McCarthy, who coined the term in 1956, defines it as “the science and engineering of making intelligent machines.” The field was founded on the claim that a central property of humans, intelligence—the sapience of Homo sapiens—can be so precisely described that it can be simulated by a machine. This raises philosophical issues about the nature of the mind and limits of scientific hubris, issues which have been addressed by myth, fiction and philosophy since antiquity. Artificial intelligence has been the subject of optimism, but has also suffered setbacks and, today, has become an essential part of the technology industry, providing the heavy lifting for many of the most difficult problems in computer science. AI research is highly technical and specialized, deeply divided into subfields that often fail to communicate with each other. Subfields have grown up around particular institutions, the work of individual researchers, the solution of specific problems, longstanding differences of opinion about how AI should be done and the application of widely differing tools. The central problems of AI include such traits as reasoning, knowledge, planning, learning, communication, perception and the ability to move and manipulate objects. General intelligence (or “strong AI”) is still a long-term goal of (some) research. Obotic Automation: Material Handling Processes Material handling is the broadest category of applications that involves moving, selecting or packing products. Material handling robots are used to move, feed or disengage parts or tools to or from a location, or to transfer parts from one machine to another. Material Handling Processes Pick and Place Dispensing Palletizing Packaging Part Transfer Machine Loading Assembly Material Removal Order Picking A variation of a material handling robot is used to build and unload units on a pallet. Manufacturing companies throughout the world are implementing material handling robots because of they are faster, more accurate and efficient.
They offer unmatched quality and Repeatability.
Palletizing and Material Handling: Palletizing is the act of loading or unloading material onto pallets. The newspaper industry has been particularly hard hit by increased labor costs. Part of the solution to this problem was to use robots like Cincinnati Milacron Robot being used to palletize advertising inserts for a newspaper. Many companies in the United States and Canada have been forced to close in such areas as die casting and injection molding because they could not compete with foreign firms. The introduction of robotics into this process has allowed the same companies to remain viable. In semiconductor industry’s IC chip manufacturing facilities; various processes take place within a clean room. This requires that personnel as well as robots not introduce dirt, dust, or oil into the area. Since robots do not breath, sneeze, or have dandruff, they are especially suited to the clean room environment demanded by the semiconductor industry. At first glance, automation might appear to devalue labor through its replacement with less-expensive machines; however, the overall effect of this on the workforce as a whole remains unclear.
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Conclusion
Today automation of the workforce is quite advanced, and continues to advance increasingly more rapidly throughout the world and is encroaching on ever more skilled jobs, yet during the same period the general well-being and quality of life of most people in the world (where political factors have not muddied the picture) have improved dramatically. Currently, for manufacturing companies, the purpose of automation has shifted from increasing productivity and reducing costs, to broader issues, such as increasing quality and flexibility in the manufacturing process. The old focus on using automation simply to increase productivity and reduce costs was seen to be short-sighted, because it is also necessary to provide a skilled workforce who can make repairs and manage the machinery. Moreover, the initial costs of automation were high and often could not be recovered by the time entirely new manufacturing processes replaced the old. (Japan’s “robot junkyards” were once world famous in the manufacturing industry.) Automation is now often applied primarily to increase quality in the manufacturing process, where automation can increase quality substantially.
[URL="http://officially.youngester.com/2010/08/robots-for-food-processing-industry.html"] (http://officially.youngester.com/2009/12/robotics-industrial-automation.html) http://lh6.ggpht.com/_S1Gu2hX9S6c/TFVTBYmzaYI/AAAAAAAAXNM/j2c7L-5fT0I/s800/kuka-robotics-youngester.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.co.jp/lh/photo/DrslUayeduW5PD9Fl5j8Dw?feat=embedwebsite)From Youngester : Industrial Robotics (http://picasaweb.google.co.jp/virvikram1982/YoungesterIndustrialRobotics?feat=embedwebsite)
The 1950s saw robotics pioneers George Devol and Joseph Engelberger develop the world's first industrial robot, the Unimate. By 1961, the Unimate was installed at a General Motors assembly line in New Jersey to take over the dangerous task of welding die castings. From then on, robots became an increasingly regular feature in factories and processing plants around the world.
Statistics from the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) state that there are now more than one million industrial robots in use around the world (only 16% of these are found in the US, the home of Devol and Engelberger). Almost all industries, including the food processing industry, are discovering innovative ways to incorporate robotics into factories and plants in coming years.
The variety of shapes and sizes of products in the food processing industry, as well as the greater delicacy required, means that it is still a relatively new market for automated technology. But recent innovations have solved a number of traditional problems and pointed the way towards an automated, high-efficiency future.
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Industrial robots: modern applications
Sales of robotics took a dramatic tumble in 2009 after the economic slowdown, but IFR figures showed increasing sales moving in to 2010 and the worldwide robotics industry has expressed confidence for sustained growth in the future. And it seems that, given the labour-intensive nature of processing food and the exceptional need for consistently high productivity, the food processing industry might prove to be a lucrative market for robotics.
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There are many advantages that robots can offer the industry. Primarily, robots make an excellent alternative to skilled human labour. As food processing plants need to remain close to their primary markets, finding qualified workers to carry out difficult and potentially dangerous jobs can be a challenge for plant operators.
"There are now more than one million industrial robots in use around the world."
Robotic units also have the potential to dramatically improve productivity when compared with their human counterparts. At a Charnwood Foods pizza-processing plant in the UK, operators decided to automate the palletisation of prepared pizzas after a second production line was added. They installed a Motoman SP100X palletising robot to pack pizzas with 12 different box sizes. The robot, which palletises and secures 320 cases an hour, 24 hours a day, has been a great success for the plant. Motoman has also developed a version of the SP100X that can operate in sub-zero freezer conditions.
Robots can also help manufacturers comply with stringent government hygiene codes. Humans will always carry a risk of transmitting bacteria to or from the food products with which they come into contact, so robots can be the most hygienic option – constructed from stainless steel for easy pressure cleaning or covered so that any oil or grease from moving parts is strictly segregated from food.
Advances in robotic grippers
Part of the reason for the food processing industry's relatively slow adoption of robots is the need for a delicate touch. Preparing or packaging sliced bread is, after all, a world away from the welding and heavy lifting required in the automotive industry.
The rise of robotics in food processing plants can be partly attributed to the ongoing development of new mechanical grippers, unlocking new specialised applications for robots in the food industry.
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"Sales of robotics took a dramatic tumble in 2009 after the economic slowdown."
Modern industrial robots in food processing plants can be fitted with any number of dedicated grippers for different applications. Grippers can work through mechanical movement or vacuum-assisted suction to perform the tricky tasks that would previously have been considered beyond them.
At the Netherlands-based KH de Jong cheese-packaging facility, owned by Friesland Foods Cheese, robots with specifically designed grippers are having a positive impact on productivity while treating fragile cheeses with the necessary lightness of touch.
The plant has installed two sets of robots, developed by FANUC Robotics, to package Edam cheese, of which the plant packages 350t a week.
FANUC's R-2000iB unit uses suction cups to gently transfer the cheese from a rack to a conveyer belt, ready to be coated with protective Edam paraffin wax. The unit's grippers are able to perform a wrist-like roll over the cheeses to ensure good contact with the suction cups, and sensors ensure that if an individual ball of Edam is left on the rack, the robot will return to pick it up without dropping any of the others.
After the wax coat is applied, the cheese is boxed up by FANUC's M-710iC robot, which features six pneumatic "fingers", allowing the cheese to be picked up and rotated 180° so that all cheeses are uniformly deposited into shipping containers with the label facing upwards and positioned to avoid damage during transit. The M-710iC can even change its own 40kg gripper, which was preciously a time-consuming two-person task.
As a result of the plant's tireless robotic workforce, KH de Jong project manager Christian Hallers noted a 10% productivity increase along with labour cost savings equivalent to 500 hours a week.
"The rise of robotics in food processing plants can be partly attributed to the ongoing development of new mechanical grippers."
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"The system has provided us with a maximum capacity of 3,600 cheeses an hour per line," Hallers says. "Handling the trays was a potential injury risk area as the metal trays can get damaged and arrive with sharp edges. Also quality has improved and, as the cheese is no longer handled manually, hygiene is maintained."
The automated butcher
In the past, robots were never trusted for complex tasks such as cutting meat as it was always assumed that an automated machine would be unable to match the performance of a human. But with increasingly sophisticated technology allowing robotic cutters to be extensively programmed based on user requirements, this small application of robotics in the food industry looks set to expand in the future.
German robotics specialist KUKA Robotics says its KR 125 robot can cut pork sides cost effectively and to a high standard. The robot uses an image recognition system to judge its cuts. As it can achieve pre-cuts rather than through cuts, the sides remain attached after cutting for better meat quality and traceability. Modern robotic meat cutters can also be customised to the user's specifications, for example cutting a higher proportion of ribs compared to bacon or vice versa.
The industrial robot has come a long way since Devol and Engelberger changed the world with the Unimate over 50 years ago, and the food industry is an apt reflection of its surprising new capabilities. The only thing more exciting than the progress of robotics in the last few decades is the anticipation of what robots might achieve in years to come. With the possibility for new applications, quality improvements and productivity boosts, the food processing industry might be wise to embrace an automated future.
Several reasons have driven the growth of the palletizing robot market. Basically, it comes down to economics. A robot can work faster and with greater consistency than a more expensive human operator, withstands harsh environments better and is largely immune to injury.
Since users are just beginning to recognize the benefits of robotic palletizing, rapid growth is expected for the next several years. Driving the interest in palletizing robots is the tight labor market and a need for greater process consistency. As it has become increasingly difficult to recruit qualified workers in the United States, 'people are more willing to automate.
Robots also can offer the flexibility needed to efficiently handle the wide variety of distribution packaging consumer goods makers must provide to satisfy their retail customers. The market is uneducated right now as to the flexibility robotic systems can offer.
Indicative of the flexibility required today is a recent installation by Fuji of a seven-robot system at a cement manufacturer. To handle the output of 14 lines and accommodate various pallet sizes and case styles, two of the robots are configured for three in/three out operation, while the other three work on a two in/two out basis.
There are two types of robots used for palletizing, articulated and gantry. The latter are suspended from an overhead rack. Encouraging the use of robots for palletizing are continuing improvements in capabilities related to payload, speed, flexibility, ease of operation and the ability to interface with line and plant controls.
Although the food and beverage industry has been a major user of palletizing robots, and interest from this sector continues to be strong, a growing number of units are being installed in plants producing personal-care, and paper products. Robots are particularly in demand in regulated industries like medical devices and pharmaceuticals where they can provide a higher level of cleanliness than a human operator and a greater degree of process control, thus simplifying the validation process, which ensures the system is operating within established parameters.
Some activity also is seen from soft goods, building material and petrochemical manufacturers. It should be noted that a high proportion of sales are generated by first-time customers.
After watching the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) make a $101-million commitment to robotics in 1999, many companies, which are striving to reduce logistics and handling costs, are taking a look at robotic palletizing.
Worker safety, quality and cost control are the drivers behind the USPS investment. When the project is complete, trays of sorted mail will be loaded by robot into all-purpose mail containers for transport by truck or air. Although the material-handling system may vary depending on the building, the robotic cells and gripper configuration will be identical.
The robotic project is one step toward a 'lights-out' mail processing facility, which is being prototyped in Ft. Myers, FL. The robots will play an integral role in this facility. A demand for high throughput has driven improvements in controls as well as interest in heavier payloads so product can be moved by the tier instead of case by case. FANUC Robotics, for example, has developed the M-410iWW, capable of handling payloads up to 880 pounds at more than 12 cycles per minute.
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Heavier payloads also are spurring interest in gantry designs, which traditionally have been able to move more weight at faster speeds than an articulated robot. Toronto-based RMT Engineering Ltd. has installed gantry units capable of handling 100 cases per minute because it moves layers of cases as a unit rather than individual cases.
Another in-demand feature is the ability to interface with plant networks and different control systems.
A similar interface between robot and plant business system is part of an upgrade to a two-year-old RL 80 palletizing robot from Reis Robotics, Elgin, IL, at Sandvik Chemical Products, Bristol, VA. Sandvik's goal is to track inventory of its mine bolt resins, a two-component polyester-based material used to strengthen mine roofs and prevent cave-ins. When the system was being designed initially.
Tracking will be accomplished by automatically updating inventory records each time the robot sets a corrugated box of product on a pallet. Since boxes could be dropped or rejected due to labeling problems, the robot only counts boxes it successfully places on a pallet.
In action, 40- and 60-pound boxes conveyed from Building 2 to Building 3 at Sandvik trip a photoeye, which starts a bar code scanner. The scanner sends label data including lot and sequential box number to the robot. The robot determines which of six pallet positions the product belongs in, the nest pattern and where the next box should be placed on the load, then picks up the case, sets it in position and transmits the part number to a database in a linked PC. As soon as interface software is written, the PC will be able to transmit case counts directly to the plant's AS400.
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Harsh environments are another area where robotic palletizers make sense. FANUC is preparing to install what it believes will be the first North American placement of a palletizing robot in a freezer and FUJI JAPAN has already done in Japanese Market. Although the industry has been slow to accept robots in this setting, there are numerous advantages. First and foremost, it removes people from the freezer, an area where the cold temperatures make it more difficult to work safely and require added manpower to compensate for the more frequent breaks personnel need. This freezer installation at a large ice cream manufacturer will join one up and running for several months at a French fry producer in Europe.
Keeping some end users from considering a robot is a lack of familiarity with its control and programming. 'That's why we have worked very hard to make the systems easy to set up. For example, the operator interface features palletizing rather than robotic terminology. The idea is to 'make it as simple as possible on the operator level.
To this end, Fuji has developed PC-based software and a color touch screen operator interface. To simplify programming of the robot itself, FUJI offers another Windows-based program.
Palletizing robots generally appeal to end users with mid-range needs. Low-end users often assume a robotic system is beyond their budget. While this may have been true a few years ago, prices, in general, have declined as hardware costs have dropped, and software has become more plug-and-play.
At the other end of the scale, high-volume palletizing still tends to be the province of hard automation. However, gantry robots like those from RMT are capable of handling many different products at relatively high speeds and can be equipped with a bar code reader so cases can be sorted as well as palletized.
Such multitasking is another feature robot users are demanding. Moving further upstream in the process, some systems like those designed by Midmac use a single robot to load the case before palletizing it.
Other developments have to do with end effectors capable of handling a wide variety of case styles and devices to protect the robot and its human coworkers. Applied Robotics, Inc., Glenville, NY, for example, offers QuickSTOP collision sensors, which shut down the work cell and deflate to absorb the impact, thus minimizing damage to tooling and product.
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Also becoming more advanced are the safety systems, which ensure no personnel get in the way of a working robot. Work cell perimeter guards like Smartscan L- and T-shaped light curtain units from Applied Robotics are sophisticated enough to differentiate between a pallet and a person. When a pallet is detected, a self muting feature allows it to pass, however, if a person tries to enter the work cell, equipment movement is halted in a split second.
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Investing in robotic equipment can be a big leap for a small business. Industrial robots have been automating tasks since 1961. The first industrial robot, the Unimate, worked with the die casting machines at a General Motors plant. In the last decade there has been a surge of robots being integrated into mid-sized and smaller companies. One reason is the growth and affordability of the used robot market. With the leaps made in controls technology, companies are upgrading robots before the current model has finished its life-span. However, the overall functionality of the six-axis articulated arm has not changed in the last decade. As companies consolidate and reorganize, the factory surplus is sold.
Automation benefits include saving money and reducing production time. Automation also leads to an increase in part quality and reliability. These are some tips to help you get started implementing automation onto your factory floor.
Involve the Shop Floor Workers Consulting the workers that currently produce the part is a good starting point. This is the person who has the experience to know what works and what had not worked in the past. They often have helpful insight into the process that you can not gain by simply watching. Requesting their participation in the robotic welding project will help it be more successful. The workers who manually perform the process can provide advice on the configuration and specifications of the equipment up front, avoiding the possibility that the equipment is not as ergonomically friendly or productive as it could be. Failure to involve them disregards the insight they have gained though experience with the process.
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Choose your Robot Operators and Robotic Programmers Carefully Most industrial robots are controlled by the use of teach pendants. Several of these pendants now are programmed with an interface that resembles a personal computer. An individual that is computer-literate will have less trouble learning how to instruct the robot and moving it to accomplish the desired tasks such as welding or material handling. For instance, the challenge of transforming a manual welding process to a robotic welding process is best handled by someone with a solid background in manual welding. This would be an ideal person to select for programming or operating the robotic welder. When choosing robot operators, programmers, and technicians, special consideration should be given to motivated employees that are willing to learn and advance their skills.
Make Training a Priority It is important when purchasing a robot integrator to choose one that provides training on the robotic system. This allows your company to be able to fully utilize the robot and minimize later down-time due to mechanical problems. Ideally the person chosen to receive the training should be the future programmer or operator. With the proper training, the programmer should be able to reliably produce efficient and effective robot programs. Basic groundwork training is a minimum, with the real learning happening on the shop floor. Generally your robotic integrator will program your robotic system to interact with your current equipment and leave you with a turnkey solution that requires only a push of a button. It is still ideal to have trained personnel on hand should a future problem arise. Routine maintenance, such as an annual grease replenishment and battery replacement, is also an issue that you will want a trained individual to perform. Many robotic systems have been destroyed by well-meaning maintenance by individuals that do not understand the complex nature of the robotic system.
Watch Part Fit-Up and Repeatability The most problematical issue with welding robots is part quality. Robotic systems are designed to repeat the same sequence of events. If the robot system has been damaged, repeatability can become an issue. Robotics systems sold feature a repeatability measurement and that should be taken into account along with payload and reach requirements. Used robots should be tested for accuracy and repeatability during the reconditioning process. When performing properly, robotic systems are more reliable and produce parts far superior in quality than manually welded parts. Touch sensing and seam tracking can be used to compensate for weld joints that are not static, but robots are limited by the laws of physics. The use of quality equipment in conjunction with robots improves the part fit-up. Attention should be paid to lasers, welding and cutting torches, welding power supplies, raw consumables, and other variables that could lead to a loss of quality in the finished product.
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Calculate Estimated ROI There has been a steady growth in the robot industry over the past decade. Experts predict that this growth trend will continue in future years. Welding robots are still the majority of the market, but many applications can be handled by robots. The general rule-of-thumb is that a robotic welder can do the work of four manual welders. Therefore when production is increasing, the choice to add robotic welders is easily justified. It will also improve efficiency, productivity, and part quality. Higher quality leads to a greater demand for your product. Improved efficiency will enable you to be more competitive in your market. The improved productivity will allow you to meet your production demands without a larger workforce.
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Increased automation is a key for desired increased production. In the scope of industrialization, automation is a step beyond mechanization. Whereas mechanization provided human operators with machinery to assist them with the muscular requirements of work, automation greatly reduces the need for human sensory and mental requirements as well. Processes and systems can also be automated. Automation plays an increasingly important role in the global economy and in daily experience. Engineers strive to combine automated devices with mathematical and organizational tools to create complex systems for a rapidly expanding range of applications and human activities. Many roles for humans in industrial processes presently lay beyond the scope of automation. Human-level pattern recognition, language recognition, and language production ability are well beyond the capabilities of modern mechanical and computer systems. In this presentation we are about to have an overview of industrial automation concepts like computer integrated manufacturing, flexible manufacturing systems, industrial robots, artificial intelligence, advanced automatic material handling systems etc…
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INTRODUCTION:
AUTOMATION It is the process of following sequence of operations with little or no human labour, using specialized equipment and devices that perform and control manufacturing processes. (OR) Automation is the use of control systems (such as numerical control, programmable logic control, and other industrial control systems), in concert with other applications of information technology (such as computer-aided technologies [CAD, CAM), to control industrial machinery and processes, reducing the need for human intervention.
TYPES: Partial automation , Full automation
MECHANIZATION: The mechanization can be defined in its simplest sense as the transfer of skills and manual activities to machine operations.
AIMS OF AUTOMATION: TO IMPROVE PRODUCT QUALITY TO REDUCE LABOR COST TO IMPROVE WORK SAFETY TO REDUCE MANUFACTURING LEAD TIME TO AVOID THE HIGH COST OF NOT AUTOMATING
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Advantages:
The main advantage of automation is: Replacing human operators in tedious tasks. Replacing humans in tasks that should be done in dangerous environments (i.e. fire, space, volcanoes, nuclear facilities, under the water, etc) Making tasks that are beyond the human capabilities such as handling too heavy loads, too large objects, too hot or too cold substances or the requirement to make things too fast or too slow. Economy improvement. Sometimes and some kinds of automation implies improves in economy of enterprises, society or most of humankind. For example, when an enterprise that has invested in automation technology recovers its investment; when a state or country increases its income due to automation like Germany or Japan in the 20th Century or when the humankind can use the internet which in turn use satellites and other automated engines. Disadvantages The main disadvantages of automation are:
Technology limits: Current technology is unable to automate all the desired tasks. Unpredictable development costs. The research and development cost of automating a process is difficult to predict accurately beforehand. Since this cost can have a large impact on profitability, it’s possible to finish automating a process only to discover that there’s no economic advantage in doing so. Initial costs are relatively high. The automation of a new product required a huge initial investment in comparison with the unit cost of the product, although the cost of automation is spread in many product batches. The automation of a plant required a great initial investment too, although this cost is spread in the products to be produced. Automation tools Different types of automation tools exist: ANN – Artificial neural network DCS – Distributed Control System HMI – Human Machine Interface SCADA – Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition PAC – Programmable Automation Controller Instrumentation Motion control Robotics P PLC – Programmable Logic Controller PLC: A programmable logic controller (PLC) or programmable controller is a digital computer used for automation of electromechanical processes,s such as control of machinery on factory assembly lines, amusement rides, or lighting fixtures. PLCs are used in many industries and machines. Unlike general-purpose computers, the PLC is designed for multiple inputs and output arrangements, extended temperature ranges, immunity to electrical noise, and resistance to vibration and impact. Programs to control machine operation are typically stored in battery-backed or non-volatile memory.
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A PLC is an example of a real time system since output results must be produced in response to input conditions within a bounded time, otherwise unintended operation will result. SCADA stands for supervisory control and data acquisition. It generally refers to an industrial control system: a computer system monitoring and controlling a process. The process can be industrial, infrastructure or facility-based as described as Industrial processes include those of manufacturing, production, power generation, fabrication, and refining, and may run in continuous, batch, repetitive, or discrete modes. Infrastructure processes may be public or private, and include water treatment and distribution, wastewater collection and treatment, oil and gas pipelines, electrical power transmission and distribution, civil defense siren systems, and large communication systems. Facility processes occur both in public facilities and private ones, including buildings, airports, ships, and space stations. They monitor and control HVAC, access, and energy consumption.
Computer Integrated Manufacturing Computer-Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) in engineering is a method of manufacturing in which the entire production process is controlled by computer. The traditionally separated process methods are joined through a computer by CIM. This integration allows the processes to exchange information with each other and enable them to initiate actions. Through this integration, manufacturing can be faster and with fewer errors. Yet, the main advantage is the ability to create automated manufacturing processes. Typically CIM relies on closed-loop control processes, based on real-time input from sensors. It is also known as flexible design and manufacturing. Overview The term “Computer Integrated Manufacturing” is both a method of manufacturing and the name of a computer-automated system in which individual engineering, production, marketing, and support functions of a manufacturing enterprise are organized. In a CIM system functional areas such as design, analysis, planning, purchasing, cost accounting, inventory control, and distribution are linked through the computer with factory floor functions such as materials handling and management, providing direct control and monitoring of all process operations. As method of manufacturing, three components distinguish CIM from other manufacturing Methodologies: Means for data storage, retrieval, manipulation and presentation; Mechanisms for sensing state and modifying processes; Algorithms for uniting the data processing component with the sensor/modification component. CIM is an example of the implementation of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in manufacturing.
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CIM implies that there are at least two computers exchanging information, e.g. the controller of a arm robot and a microcontroller of a CNC machine. Some factors involved when considering a CIM implementation are the production volume, the experience of the company or personnel to make the integration, the level of the integration into the product itself and the integration of the production processes. CIM is most useful where a high level of ICT is used in the company or facility, such as CAD/CAM systems, the availability of process planning and its data. Although none of what this says is correct. History: The idea of “Digital Manufacturing” was prominent the 1980s, when Computer Integrated Manufacturing was developed and promoted by machine tool manufacturers and the Computer and Automated Systems Association and Society of Manufacturing Engineers (CASA/SME). “CIM is the integration of total manufacturing enterprise by using integrated systems and data communication coupled with new managerial philosophies that improve organizational and personnel efficiency.” ERHUM Computer Integrated manufacturing topics – Key Challenges There are three major challenges to development of a smoothly operating Computer Integrated Manufacturing system: Integration of components from different suppliers: When different machines, such as CNC, conveyors and robots, are using different communications protocols. In the case of AGVs, even differing lengths of time for charging the batteries may cause problems.
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Data integrity: The higher the degree of automation, the more critical is the integrity of the data used to control the machines. While the CIM system saves on labor of operating the machines, it requires extra human labor in ensuring that there are proper safeguards for the data signals that are used to control the machines. Process control: Computers may be used to assist the human operators of the manufacturing facility, but there must always be a competent engineer on hand to handle circumstances which could not be foreseen by the designers of the control software. Subsystems in Computer Integrated Manufacturing A Computer Integrated Manufacturing system is not the same as a “lights out” factory, which would run completely independent of human intervention, although it is a big step in that direction. Part of the system involves flexible manufacturing, where the factory can be quickly modified to produce different products, or where the volume of products can be changed quickly with the aid of computers.
Some or all of the following subsystems may be found in a CIM operation: Computer-aided techniques: CAD (Computer Aided Design) CAE (Computer Aided Engineering) CAM (Computer Aided Manufacturing) CAPP (Computer Aided Process Planning) CAQ (Computer-aided quality assurance) PPC (Production planning and control) ERP (Enterprise resource planning) A business system integrated by a common database. Devices and equipment required: CNC, Computer numerical control machine tools DNC, Direct numerical control machine tools PLC’s, Programmable logic controllers Robotics Computers Software Controllers Networks Interfacing Monitoring equipment Technologies: FMS, (Flexible manufacturing system) ASRS, automated storage and retrieval systems AGV, automated guided vehicles Robotics Automated conveyance systems An industrial robot is officially defined by ISO as an automatically controlled, reprogrammable, multipurpose manipulator programmable in three or more axes. The field of robotics may be more practically defined as the study, design and use of robot systems for manufacturing (a top-level definition relying on the prior definition of robot). Typical applications of robots include welding, painting, assembly, pick and place, packaging and palletizing, product inspection, and testing, all accomplished with high endurance, speed, and precision.
A flexible manufacturing system (FMS) is a manufacturing system in which there is some amount of flexibility that allows the system to react in the case of changes, whether predicted or unpredicted. This flexibility is generally considered to fall into two categories, which both contain numerous subcategories. The first category, machine flexibility, covers the system’s ability to be changed to produce new product types, and ability to change the order of operations executed on a part. The second category is called routing flexibility, which consists of the ability to use multiple machines to perform the same operation on a part, as well as the system’s ability to absorb large-scale changes, such as in volume, capacity, or capability. Most FMS systems comprise of three main systems. The work machines which are often automated CNC machines are connected by a material handling system to optimize parts flow and the central control computer which controls material movements and machine flow. The main advantages of an FMS are its high flexibility in managing manufacturing resources like time and effort in order to manufacture a new product. The best application of an FMS is found in the production of small sets of products like those from a mass production.
A flexible manufacturing system combines the benefits of highly automated and controlled systems – Accuracy – Mass production with the benefits of versatile, adjustable Systems – Flexibility – Uniqueness of product A comprehensive description of a Flexible Manufacturing System follows here: The Manufacturing Cell A flexible manufacturing cell (FMC) consists of two or more CNC machines, a cell computer and a robot. The cell computer (typically a programmable logic controller) is interfaced with the microprocessors of the robot and the CNCs. The Cell Controller The functions of the cell controller include work load balancing, part scheduling, and material flow control. The supervision and coordination among the various operations in a manufacturing cell is also performed by the cell computer. The software includes features permitting the handling of machine breakdown, tool breakage and other special situations. The Cell Robot In many applications, the cell robot also performs tool changing and housekeeping functions such as chip removal, staging of tools in the tool changer, and inspection of tools for breakage or expressive wear. When necessary, the robot can also initiate emergency procedures such as system shut-down. Parker-Hannifin Corporation, Forrest City, NC.
The Flexible Manufacturing System – FMS The flexible manufacturing system (FMS) is a configuration of computer-managed numerical work stations where materials are automatically handled and machine loaded. The flexible manufacturing system is principally used in mid-volume (200 to 30,000 parts per year) mid-variety (5 to 155 part types) production. Flexible Manufacturing System Components-Two or more computer-managed numerical work stations that perform a series of operations; An integrated material transport system and a computer that controls the flow of materials, tools, and information (e.g. machining data and machine malfunctions) throughout the system; Auxiliary work stations for loading and unloading, cleaning, inspection, etc. Flexible Manufacturing System Goals Reduction in manufacturing cost by lowering direct labor cost and minimizing scrap, re-work, and material wastage. Less skilled labor required. Reduction in work-in-process inventory by eliminating the need for batch processing Reductions in production lead time permitting manufacturers to respond more quickly to the variability of market demand Better process control resulting in consistent quality.
Different FMSs levels are: Flexible Manufacturing Module (FMM). Example: a NC machine, a pallet changer and a part buffer; Flexible Manufacturing (Assembly) Cell (F (M/A) C). Example: Four FMMs and an AGV (automated guided vehicle); Flexible Manufacturing Group (FMG). Example : Two FMCs, a FMM and two AGVs which will transport parts from a Part Loading area, through machines, to a Part Unloading Area; Flexible Production Systems (FPS). Example: A FMG and a FAC, two AGVs, an Automated Tool Storage, and an Automated Part/assembly Storage; Flexible Manufacturing Line (FML). Example: multiple stations in a line layout and AGVs. Advantages and disadvantages of FMSs implementation Advantages Faster, lower- cost changes from one part to another which will improve capital utilization Lower direct labor cost, due to the reduction in number of workers Reduced inventory, due to the planning and programming precision Consistent and better quality, due to the automated control Lower cost/unit of output, due to the greater productivity using the same number of workers Savings from the indirect labor, from reduced errors, rework, repairs and rejects Disadvantages Limited ability to adapt to changes in product or product mix (ex. machines are of limited capacity and the tooling necessary for products, even of the same family, is not always feasible in a given FMS) Substantial pre-planning activity Expensive, costing millions of dollars Technological problems of exact component positioning and precise timing necessary to process a component Sophisticated manufacturing systems FMSs complexity and cost are reasons for their slow acceptance by industry.
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In most of the cases FMCs are favored. An automated guided vehicle or automatic guided vehicle (AGV) is a mobile robot that follows markers or wires in the floor, or uses vision or lasers. They are most often used in industrial applications to move materials around a manufacturing facility or a warehouse. Application of the automatic guided vehicle has broadened during the late 20th century and they are no longer restricted to industrial environments. Automated guided vehicles (AGVs) increase efficiency and reduce costs by helping to automate a manufacturing facility or warehouse. AGVs can carry loads or tow objects behind them in trailers to which they can autonomously attach. The trailers can be used to move raw materials or finished product. The AGV can also store objects on a bed. The objects can be placed on a set of motorized rollers (conveyor) and then pushed off by reversing them. Some AGVs use fork lifts to lift objects for storage. AGVs are employed in nearly every industry, including, pulp, paper, metals, newspaper, and general manufacturing. Transporting materials such as food, linen or medicine in hospitals is also done. Common AGV Applications Automated Guided Vehicles can be used in a wide variety of applications to transport many different types of material including pallets, rolls, racks, carts, and containers. AGVs excel in applications with the following characteristics: Repetitive movement of materials over a distance Regular delivery of stable loads Medium throughput/volume When on-time delivery is critical and late deliveries are causing inefficiency Operations with at least two shifts Processes where tracking material is important Artificial intelligence (AI) is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science which aims to create it.
Textbooks define the field as “the study and design of intelligent agents,” where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions which maximize its chances of success. John McCarthy, who coined the term in 1956, defines it as “the science and engineering of making intelligent machines.” The field was founded on the claim that a central property of humans, intelligence—the sapience of Homo sapiens—can be so precisely described that it can be simulated by a machine. This raises philosophical issues about the nature of the mind and limits of scientific hubris, issues which have been addressed by myth, fiction and philosophy since antiquity. Artificial intelligence has been the subject of optimism, but has also suffered setbacks and, today, has become an essential part of the technology industry, providing the heavy lifting for many of the most difficult problems in computer science. AI research is highly technical and specialized, deeply divided into subfields that often fail to communicate with each other. Subfields have grown up around particular institutions, the work of individual researchers, the solution of specific problems, longstanding differences of opinion about how AI should be done and the application of widely differing tools. The central problems of AI include such traits as reasoning, knowledge, planning, learning, communication, perception and the ability to move and manipulate objects. General intelligence (or “strong AI”) is still a long-term goal of (some) research. Obotic Automation: Material Handling Processes Material handling is the broadest category of applications that involves moving, selecting or packing products. Material handling robots are used to move, feed or disengage parts or tools to or from a location, or to transfer parts from one machine to another. Material Handling Processes Pick and Place Dispensing Palletizing Packaging Part Transfer Machine Loading Assembly Material Removal Order Picking A variation of a material handling robot is used to build and unload units on a pallet. Manufacturing companies throughout the world are implementing material handling robots because of they are faster, more accurate and efficient.
They offer unmatched quality and Repeatability.
Palletizing and Material Handling: Palletizing is the act of loading or unloading material onto pallets. The newspaper industry has been particularly hard hit by increased labor costs. Part of the solution to this problem was to use robots like Cincinnati Milacron Robot being used to palletize advertising inserts for a newspaper. Many companies in the United States and Canada have been forced to close in such areas as die casting and injection molding because they could not compete with foreign firms. The introduction of robotics into this process has allowed the same companies to remain viable. In semiconductor industry’s IC chip manufacturing facilities; various processes take place within a clean room. This requires that personnel as well as robots not introduce dirt, dust, or oil into the area. Since robots do not breath, sneeze, or have dandruff, they are especially suited to the clean room environment demanded by the semiconductor industry. At first glance, automation might appear to devalue labor through its replacement with less-expensive machines; however, the overall effect of this on the workforce as a whole remains unclear.
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Conclusion
Today automation of the workforce is quite advanced, and continues to advance increasingly more rapidly throughout the world and is encroaching on ever more skilled jobs, yet during the same period the general well-being and quality of life of most people in the world (where political factors have not muddied the picture) have improved dramatically. Currently, for manufacturing companies, the purpose of automation has shifted from increasing productivity and reducing costs, to broader issues, such as increasing quality and flexibility in the manufacturing process. The old focus on using automation simply to increase productivity and reduce costs was seen to be short-sighted, because it is also necessary to provide a skilled workforce who can make repairs and manage the machinery. Moreover, the initial costs of automation were high and often could not be recovered by the time entirely new manufacturing processes replaced the old. (Japan’s “robot junkyards” were once world famous in the manufacturing industry.) Automation is now often applied primarily to increase quality in the manufacturing process, where automation can increase quality substantially.
[URL="http://officially.youngester.com/2010/08/robots-for-food-processing-industry.html"] (http://officially.youngester.com/2009/12/robotics-industrial-automation.html) http://lh6.ggpht.com/_S1Gu2hX9S6c/TFVTBYmzaYI/AAAAAAAAXNM/j2c7L-5fT0I/s800/kuka-robotics-youngester.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.co.jp/lh/photo/DrslUayeduW5PD9Fl5j8Dw?feat=embedwebsite)From Youngester : Industrial Robotics (http://picasaweb.google.co.jp/virvikram1982/YoungesterIndustrialRobotics?feat=embedwebsite)
The 1950s saw robotics pioneers George Devol and Joseph Engelberger develop the world's first industrial robot, the Unimate. By 1961, the Unimate was installed at a General Motors assembly line in New Jersey to take over the dangerous task of welding die castings. From then on, robots became an increasingly regular feature in factories and processing plants around the world.
Statistics from the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) state that there are now more than one million industrial robots in use around the world (only 16% of these are found in the US, the home of Devol and Engelberger). Almost all industries, including the food processing industry, are discovering innovative ways to incorporate robotics into factories and plants in coming years.
The variety of shapes and sizes of products in the food processing industry, as well as the greater delicacy required, means that it is still a relatively new market for automated technology. But recent innovations have solved a number of traditional problems and pointed the way towards an automated, high-efficiency future.
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Industrial robots: modern applications
Sales of robotics took a dramatic tumble in 2009 after the economic slowdown, but IFR figures showed increasing sales moving in to 2010 and the worldwide robotics industry has expressed confidence for sustained growth in the future. And it seems that, given the labour-intensive nature of processing food and the exceptional need for consistently high productivity, the food processing industry might prove to be a lucrative market for robotics.
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There are many advantages that robots can offer the industry. Primarily, robots make an excellent alternative to skilled human labour. As food processing plants need to remain close to their primary markets, finding qualified workers to carry out difficult and potentially dangerous jobs can be a challenge for plant operators.
"There are now more than one million industrial robots in use around the world."
Robotic units also have the potential to dramatically improve productivity when compared with their human counterparts. At a Charnwood Foods pizza-processing plant in the UK, operators decided to automate the palletisation of prepared pizzas after a second production line was added. They installed a Motoman SP100X palletising robot to pack pizzas with 12 different box sizes. The robot, which palletises and secures 320 cases an hour, 24 hours a day, has been a great success for the plant. Motoman has also developed a version of the SP100X that can operate in sub-zero freezer conditions.
Robots can also help manufacturers comply with stringent government hygiene codes. Humans will always carry a risk of transmitting bacteria to or from the food products with which they come into contact, so robots can be the most hygienic option – constructed from stainless steel for easy pressure cleaning or covered so that any oil or grease from moving parts is strictly segregated from food.
Advances in robotic grippers
Part of the reason for the food processing industry's relatively slow adoption of robots is the need for a delicate touch. Preparing or packaging sliced bread is, after all, a world away from the welding and heavy lifting required in the automotive industry.
The rise of robotics in food processing plants can be partly attributed to the ongoing development of new mechanical grippers, unlocking new specialised applications for robots in the food industry.
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"Sales of robotics took a dramatic tumble in 2009 after the economic slowdown."
Modern industrial robots in food processing plants can be fitted with any number of dedicated grippers for different applications. Grippers can work through mechanical movement or vacuum-assisted suction to perform the tricky tasks that would previously have been considered beyond them.
At the Netherlands-based KH de Jong cheese-packaging facility, owned by Friesland Foods Cheese, robots with specifically designed grippers are having a positive impact on productivity while treating fragile cheeses with the necessary lightness of touch.
The plant has installed two sets of robots, developed by FANUC Robotics, to package Edam cheese, of which the plant packages 350t a week.
FANUC's R-2000iB unit uses suction cups to gently transfer the cheese from a rack to a conveyer belt, ready to be coated with protective Edam paraffin wax. The unit's grippers are able to perform a wrist-like roll over the cheeses to ensure good contact with the suction cups, and sensors ensure that if an individual ball of Edam is left on the rack, the robot will return to pick it up without dropping any of the others.
After the wax coat is applied, the cheese is boxed up by FANUC's M-710iC robot, which features six pneumatic "fingers", allowing the cheese to be picked up and rotated 180° so that all cheeses are uniformly deposited into shipping containers with the label facing upwards and positioned to avoid damage during transit. The M-710iC can even change its own 40kg gripper, which was preciously a time-consuming two-person task.
As a result of the plant's tireless robotic workforce, KH de Jong project manager Christian Hallers noted a 10% productivity increase along with labour cost savings equivalent to 500 hours a week.
"The rise of robotics in food processing plants can be partly attributed to the ongoing development of new mechanical grippers."
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"The system has provided us with a maximum capacity of 3,600 cheeses an hour per line," Hallers says. "Handling the trays was a potential injury risk area as the metal trays can get damaged and arrive with sharp edges. Also quality has improved and, as the cheese is no longer handled manually, hygiene is maintained."
The automated butcher
In the past, robots were never trusted for complex tasks such as cutting meat as it was always assumed that an automated machine would be unable to match the performance of a human. But with increasingly sophisticated technology allowing robotic cutters to be extensively programmed based on user requirements, this small application of robotics in the food industry looks set to expand in the future.
German robotics specialist KUKA Robotics says its KR 125 robot can cut pork sides cost effectively and to a high standard. The robot uses an image recognition system to judge its cuts. As it can achieve pre-cuts rather than through cuts, the sides remain attached after cutting for better meat quality and traceability. Modern robotic meat cutters can also be customised to the user's specifications, for example cutting a higher proportion of ribs compared to bacon or vice versa.
The industrial robot has come a long way since Devol and Engelberger changed the world with the Unimate over 50 years ago, and the food industry is an apt reflection of its surprising new capabilities. The only thing more exciting than the progress of robotics in the last few decades is the anticipation of what robots might achieve in years to come. With the possibility for new applications, quality improvements and productivity boosts, the food processing industry might be wise to embrace an automated future.