Robots - job killers or securing the future?
Are robots job killers or do they actually help to future-proof small and medium-sized enterprises? Germany is expected to experience a severe labor shortage in the coming decade, especially among technical specialists. At the same time, product life cycles are shortening. However, especially for smaller and medium-sized companies, the hurdle to invest in additional automation is high. Cooperating and easy-to-set-up robots (cobots) then offer a fast and cost-effective solution to increase the flexibility, quality as well as speed of production and to react to changing market requirements.
Omron's collaborative robots provide a good example of how versatile and straightforward so-called "cobots" are today. Whether in the automotive, semiconductor, food, packaging or cosmetics industries, in a variety of designs they are suitable for use in virtually any environment. Thanks to flowchart-based programming, an intuitive HMI interface and simple teach functions, almost no prior knowledge of programming is required. Similar to a PowerPoint presentation, the user can assemble complete function blocks and fill the predefined attributes with the desired parameters. The cobots also have an optional integrated camera, image processing and lighting system with which they accurately detect products.
Thanks to many core functions such as pattern, barcode and color recognition, detection, inspection, measuring and sorting applications can be implemented effortlessly and adapted to other requirements as needed. With the help of landmark recognition, the robot knows where it is and can, for example, be aligned with another machine without much effort and recalibration. It can even travel the route there autonomously, because the cobots can also be combined with the mobile robots of the LD series. This means that they can always work wherever they are needed.
User friendly and versatile
Robots first entered industry as early as the 1960s, and their installation numbers have risen inexorably ever since. Worldwide, around 500,000 to 600,000 new robot systems are currently being put into operation each year, with the increase being particularly pronounced in the Asian market, as the "World Robotics 2019" market analysis by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) and Fraunhofer IPA shows:
If small and medium-sized production companies in Germany want to keep up internationally while maintaining economic growth, they will have to invest in more automation for cost reasons alone. In addition, there is an increasing shortage of workers. According to forecasts by the Federal Statistical Office, a decline in the available workforce from around 44 million in 2013 to around 40 to 42 million in 2030 is expected due to the low birth rate (Figure 3). According to BCG (Boston Consulting Group), a labor gap of 5.8 to, at worst, even 7.7 million is to be feared. So we need more automation to counteract a decline in economic strength.
Flexibility is in demand
However, in many areas, classic industrial robotics will not be the key to success. This technology requires a high investment, but is not flexible enough for current and future requirements. The classic production lines are designed for products that are manufactured in larger quantities. However, product life cycles are becoming shorter and shorter. While the product life cycle of vehicles in the 1970s was still eight years on average, cars today often get their first facelift after only two to three years.
In almost all industries, the intervals between new product developments are also shortening and many of them have to give way to new trends after a relatively short time. Production and its automation must adapt to this scenario. Cobots provide good prerequisites for this.
First introduced to the market in 2008, collaborative robots are a relatively new category of industrial robots. Unlike traditional industrial robots that must be shielded from the human workspace by a safety fence, cobots are designed to work safely with humans. Users also need less time and money to program an application with these "helper robots". In addition, cobots can be moved from one location to another to work on different tasks, whereas traditional industrial robots need to be fixed in one place and can usually only be used for one specific task within the robot cell.
Cobots can therefore be used to achieve greater flexibility. The tasks they can perform are diverse and range from simple pick-and-place applications in parts handling, sorting and palletizing to machine loading, picking, packaging and testing. They can apply adhesives and sealants, assemble or disassemble parts, measure, test, inspect and perform tightening operations. This results in significant improvements for the employees. They no longer have to carry out monotonous, physically demanding or even dangerous work, receive support for precision work and can concentrate on their core competencies. At the same time, handling the technology is simple.
From needs analysis to support
Furthermore, additional components such as additional axes, grippers, force sensors, communication units or screwdrivers can easily be used on the cobots via plug-and-play. Omron has built up a partner network to offer a wide range of suitable components. In addition, the automation experts also provide support for questions relating to the use of cobots. This starts with the analysis of the production task, the selection of suitable cobots and grippers or additional components, such as sensors, and also includes risk analysis, commissioning, training and technical support. For small and medium-sized companies, this simplifies their entry into the flexible manufacturing industry of the future.
