Robotics in Manufacturing

Cary Kaczowka Lachlan Murphy Stephanie Polak Alissa Russin

History of Robots
The idea of automated machines performing tasks originated in the ancient civilizations of China, Greece, and Egypt First programmable modern robot was created in 1954 Industrial robots are used for jobs which are too dirty, dangerous, or dull for humans to perform

Father of Robotics
George Devol 1954
first reprogrammable, operational robot

Unimate Sold to General Motors in 1961 Removed and stacked hot pieces of metal from a die cast

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

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

Main Classifications
Articulated Robot SCARA
Selective Compliant Assembly Robot Arm

Cartesian Coordinate Robot

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

Articulate Robots
Have rotary joints, also known as a jointed arm Six degrees of freedom; highly mobile
Pitch: up and down Yaw: left and right Roll: rotation

Can lift small parts with great accuracy The mobility allows for articulated robots to be used for welding, painting, and assembly

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

Selective Compliant Assembly Robot Arm

4-axis robot arms (X, Y, Z, and rotation about Z) Jointed two-link arm (much like humans) can easily bend out of the way

SCARA

Single pedestal mount requires a small footprint (less $) Generally faster and cleaner than Cartesian systems Software requires more complicated kinematics, although this is usually unseen by the enduser

Good for transferring parts from one area to another or loading/unloading process stations

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

Cartesian Coordinate Robot

Rigid, and are very accurate and repeatable but cannot reach around objects Due to their mechanical structure, these robots are very easy to program and visualize Require large volumes to operate Linear joints are difficult to seal, so work environment cannot be damp or dusty Desirable in manufacturing

simple to program and operate individual arms can be replaced, keeping downtime and maintenance to a minimum can also be disassembled for single-axis use Simplicity makes it less expensive than its complex counterparts

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

Cartesian Coordinate Robot

Often seen in machine tools and coordinate measuring because of rigidity Suited for applications with no orientation requirements, such as circuit board assembly Used to position a variety of endeffectors: automatic screwdrivers, automatic trills, dispensing heads, welding heads, waterjet cutting heads, and grippers

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

Gantry Robot
Cartesian coordinate where horizontal member is supported at both ends Generally mounted and hang down from ceiling Rectangular work envelope Great for material handling
Pick and place Machine loading and unloading Stacking Unitizing Palletizing

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

Programming of Robots
A robot can only be as good as its program or operator General Motors Example

Future Processes
Robots will allow processes to be automated for the ability to have unmanned factories Smaller businesses will have the ability to afford robots Replace skilled tasks Increase productivity

Economics
Manufacturing
14% of US GDP 11% of US Employment Robotics=$5 billion-industry
Growing at rate of 8% per year Robotics Industries Association: 171,000 robots in North American Factories as of 2008 As price , more small manufacturing firms invest

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

Ex: Australias Drake Trailers invested in a welding robot 60% increase in productivity

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

Approximate initial purchase & installation cost: $60,000 Return on Investment (ROI)
RobotWorx claims 6 month-1 year RobotWorx ROI Calculator

60 cents/hr includes a vision system, a software package and yearly maintenance which is still 1/5 cost of employing a Chinese laborer ($3/hr) Could be over $100,000 depending on size and features

http://www.robots.com/robotics.php?page=roi+calculator

Economics
Employees
Not necessarily being replaced Higher quality/skilled jobs Better working conditions; removed from dangerous and health hazardous jobs Robots= boring monotonous jobs Humans= creative, adaptive, decision making jobs

Economics
Investment Trends In Other Countries
Korea: $100M per year for 10 years robotics research and education (2002-2012) European commission: $600M into robotics and cognitive systems Japan: $350M (2009-2019) in humanoid robotics, service robots, and intelligent environments US non-defense federal investment: small compared to other countries

Economics
Automate or Evaporate Future Predictions
International Federation of Robotics (IFR)
Increase in the demand for industrial robots in 2010 Predicted more than 1.1 million industrial robots in 2013

Advantages (business)
Eliminates unskilled jobs Higher profits
Avoid some new hiring Workers moved to supervisory roles Higher production rates

Provides jobs for developing, producing, maintaining and training robots Greater financial savings
Due to greater safety Fewer healthcare and insurance concerns Faster times

Saves valuable time

Saves intellectual property and wealth Companies are more competitive

Could go offshore

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

Advantages (production)
User-friendly Higher production rates Automated Efficient Safety
Increased, constant speeds No pauses Precision and quality High repeatability and consistency

Systems can react quickly to change in retail demands Boring and monotonous jobs Dangerous jobs
welding, painting, etc. handling explosives, waste, military applications

Improved working condition Workers don't perform dangerous tasks

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

Disadvantages (business)
Loss of jobs High initial cost
Can be considered justified because of cost of employee health insurance

Return of investment
Cannot guarantee results

Disadvantages (production)
Maintenance Expertise
workers have to be trained on how to program and interact

Specialized
Can be difficult to reprogram

Safety
presence can cause new problems

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

GM Case Study
Starting in 1980 invested $45 billion on robots and software CFO Roger Smith believed that robots could do anything Production costs increased Most plants ran at 50% capacity due to software issues Production dropped to lowest of all competitors

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

GM Case Study
Take aways:
Robots are useful in increasing production, but require careful planning & implementation Robots should collaborate with workers for common purpose, not replace them Too many robots could be counter productive Workers need to be skilled in operation of robotics and software

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Works Cited
"Products - IFR International Federation of Robotics." Home - IFR International Federation of Robotics. Web. 14 Nov. 2011. <http://www.ifr.org/industrial-robots/products/>. "Peak Robotics: What Is a SCARA?" Peak Robotics - Robots and Robotic Systems. Peak Robotics, 2009. Web. 14 Nov. 2011. <http://www.peakrobotics.com/What_is_a_SCARA.htm>. "Cartesian/Gantry Robot." The Comprehensive Robot/Robotics/Automation Resources, Directory and Market Place. RobotMatrix. Web. 14 Nov. 2011. <http://www.robotmatrix.org/CartesianGantryRobot.htm>. Advantages and Disadvantages of Automating with Industrial Robots. robots.com. RobotWorx, n.d. Web. 9 November 2011. Pethokoukis, James. Meet your New Coworker: Industrial robots are reshaping manufacturing. U.S. News and World Report. U.S. News and World Report Web., 7 March 2004, 9 November 2011. Manufacturing Robot. robots.com. RobotWorx, n.d. Web. 9 November 2011 Lamb, Robert. How have robots changed manufacturing? howstuffworks,com. Howstuffworks, n.d. Web. 9 November 2011. A roadmap for US robotics: from internet to robotics. US- Robotics, (2009), Web. Pethokoukis, James. "Meet Your New Coworker." U.S. News & World Report. U.S.News & World Report, L.P., 07/03/2004. Web. 9 Nov 2011. <http://www.usnews.com/usnews/biztech/articles/040315/15eerobot htm>. Lamb, Robert. "How have robots changed manufacturing?." How Stuff Works. HowStuffWorks, Inc, n.d. Web. 9 Nov 2011. <http://science.howstuffworks.com/robots-changed manufacturing.htm>. "Manufacturing Robot." Robot Worx. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Nov 2011. <http://www.robots.com/faq.php?question=manufacturing robot>. Kimes, Mina. "Need more workers? Try a robot." CNN Money. Cable News Network, 03/01/2008. Web. 9 Nov 2011. <http://money.cnn.com/2007/09/21/smbusiness/Robots.fsb/index.htm>.