Data insights can give robots contextual awareness of their environment, improving both adaptability and safety. Here we explore the benefits of adaptive robot control software.
In today’s advanced manufacturing landscape, robots have transformed industries such as automotive, aerospace, and nuclear. However, to operate optimally robots need knowledge of their environment, and may be paired with sensor systems like IONA, which provide highly accurate data for positional awareness during robot activity. By detecting and accurately locating parts and datum features, information can be fed back to re-align and correct a robot program and ensure an operation is performed accurately. This data is incredibly valuable in advanced manufacturing, and when adaptive robot control software such as ORA is used with sensing systems, it can be transformative to operations.
Life before robot control software: The challenges
When pre-programmed in isolation for simple, repetitive tasks, robot operations can be rigid, inflexible and difficult to reprogram for new tasks – posing significant challenges.
- Limited flexibility and efficiency: In the automotive industry, manufacturing relying heavily on manual labour and basic automation with repetitive tasks limits effectiveness in handling complex processes. This can result in slower production cycles, higher labour costs, and increased risk of human error.
In aerospace, high-precision component manufacturing demands meticulous work, with robots previously only capable of performing repetitive tasks like drilling or riveting. A lack of advanced control systems requires worker responsibility for critical tasks, impacting production times and costs.
In the nuclear industry, with stringent safety requirements, limitations of early robotic systems mean that many tasks will be performed manually in hazardous environments, putting workers at risk and increasing the potential for accidents.
- Safety and reliability concerns: The absence of sophisticated control software can also mean robots operate with minimal safety features. Without in-process monitoring and adaptive controls, the risk of mechanical failures, operational errors, and accidents can be significantly higher.
Manufacturing after robot control software: an era of precision and efficiency
The introduction of advanced robot control software like ORA marks a turning point for advanced manufacturing.
- Enhanced precision and adaptability: Adaptive robot control software can be used with a variety of sensing systems. In automotive, it enables greater precision in tasks such as welding, painting, and assembly. Flexible control systems provide manufacturing insights and allow robots to be easily reprogrammed for different tasks, adapting quickly to changes in production lines. Flexibility improves production cycles, reduces waste, and increases product quality. ORA has been used to provide instantaneous alignment to flexible tooling by an automotive customer, dramatically cutting cycle times while improving accuracy of the operation.
In aerospace manufacturing, robot control software allows for automation of intricate processes such as composite material layup, drilling, and inspection. These tasks require high precision and consistency, which modern robot control software can deliver by integrating in-process data management and updates. Using ORA with a laser tracker sensing system has helped an aerospace customer hit tolerances way beyond what could otherwise be achieved.
In nuclear, robot control software can significantly improve safety and operational efficiency. Robots can perform complex tasks in hazardous environments with minimal human intervention, reducing risk to workers. This leads to safer nuclear operations, with robots handling everything from maintenance tasks to decommissioning operations with unmatched precision and reliability. Insphere has recently demonstrated successful use of ORA in a robotic welding cell to drive quality and capacity in nuclear decommissioning.
- Improved safety and compliance: Robot control software ensures that robots operate within defined safety parameters, where in-process monitoring contributes to a safer working environment. It ensures that robots perform tasks to exact specifications, reducing risk of defects that could lead to significant failures. The ability to monitor and log every action taken by a robot provides a transparent record for audits and inspections, enhancing safety and compliance.
- Cost efficiency and innovation: Use of robot control software can result in less downtime, faster production cycles, lower labour costs, reduced material waste and higher-quality outputs. The ability to automate dangerous tasks can improve safety and reduce potential costs associated with accidents.
The case for expert integration
To fully leverage the benefits of robot control software, it’s crucial to work with experts in this field. Professionals bring the technical knowledge and experience needed to tailor control systems to specific industrial needs and ensure that the full potential of robot control software is realised.
Conclusion
Robot control software such as ORA can revolutionise advanced manufacturing, transforming it from having rigid, labour-intensive operations into flexible, precise, and efficient systems. The benefits of enhanced precision, improved safety, and significant cost savings cannot be ignored. As industries continue to evolve, robot control software will be a critical component of their success, driving innovation and ensuring that the highest standards of quality and safety are maintained. By partnering with experts in this field, manufacturers can ensure that they stay ahead of the curve and fully realise its transformative potential.
For more information about ORA, visit the INSPHERE website here.
Craig Davey, Chief Product Officer, INSPHERE.
Craig Davey is INSPHERE’s Chief Product Officer. Originally working as a medical engineer, he specialised in quantifying uncertainties of flowrate measurement, and more recently has focussed on large volume metrology applications in manufacturing industries.
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