ISSUE 3 M AY 2 0 1 8
R O B OT I C S
P R O F E S S I O N A L
BIG CONFERENCES SET TO WOO VISITORS XPONENTIAL AND AUTOMATICA TAKE CENTRE STAGE
ARE WE READY YET FOR AUTOMATED AGE?
ROBO EXOSKELETON TO HELP SKIERS
MIR TRIPLES REVENUE, AIMS FOR RECORD 2018
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CONTENTS
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Ed's Welcome
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Headline News Top stories and latest news from the robotics industr y
ROBOPRO TEAM
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News The latest news, far and wide, from the robotics industr y
Neil Martin Editor-in-Chief neil.mar tin@mvpromedia.eu
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Alex Sullivan
automatica 2018 an overlook at some of the companies attending this prestigious industr y event - automatica 2018
Publishing Director alex.sullivan@mvpromedia.eu
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FANUC how new technologies are making automation faster, smarter, and more intuitive than ever before.
Cally Bennett Group Business Manager cally.bennett@mvpromedia.eu
Paige Haughton
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Confrences The second quarter of the conference season approaches seeing some premier events
Sales and Marketing Executive Paige.haughton@cliftonmedialab.com
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Epson The evolution of robotics: meet your new colleague
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Robo Business A round-up of the business stories from the sector, from deals to forward looking market reports
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Robo Spotlight We bring a selection of featured companies into the spotlight for you
Robopro Magazine is published by IFA Magazine Publications Ltd, Arcade Chambers, 8 Kings Road, Bristol BS8 4AB Tel: +44 (0) 1179 089686 © 2018. All rights reserved ‘Robopro Magazine’ is a trademark of IFA Magazine Publications Limited. No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored in any printed or electronic retrieval system without prior permission. All material has been carefully checked for accuracy, but no responsibility can be accepted for inaccuracies. Wherever appropriate, independent research and where necessary legal advice should be sought before acting on any information contained in this publication. Robopro Magazine is for those who operate in the robotic and allied industries. Full details at: www.robopromedia.com
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ED'S WELCOME
ARE WE READY YET? We have a busy issue for you, looking at some of the main news from around the sector, a conference update and a look at the business of robotics. But first, a question Automation is happening right now and the pace will increase over the coming decades. But as societies, are we ready for the big changes on the horizon? Are our workforces fit for what is about to hit them? Various bodies have predicted massive unemployment, or great opportunities for what is just around the corner, but one thing they all agree upon is that education, training and retraining are the elements that should be focussed on by governments around the world. Workforces have to be made ready. Schools and places of higher education need to prepare their students for the shifting employment environment. But is this happening? Are politicians and their governments up to the job? Are they putting in place policies and strategies that will stand the test of time and change? Weekly I get hundreds of press releases talking about new products and new services, all driving the robotics industry forward, yet I get very little talking about education and training. By the very nature of their jobs, most politicians think short term – most have quick career spans, swapping from portfolio to portfolio as they try to climb the greasy pole. They are supported by civil services who traditionally are conservative (with a small ‘c’) and are slow to welcome change. Think about what preoccupies the UK Government – Brexit. Think about what the French Government is focussed on, updating arguably archaic work practices. Is their focus on the implications of robotics and automation? It can’t be, they are firefighting at the moment. Of course, there will be initiatives in place, working groups, learned reports and quangos that have been tasked with workforce future planning, but what we need now is a long-term vision. Plans need to be put in place that get us ready for what the future brings. What we need at the moment are visionaries, individuals and organisations, those who can understand how the future should be approached in
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terms of jobs and training, and put in place policies and initiatives that reflect the challenges ahead. It would be great to hear more from them. Mobile exoskeleton A notable story comes from US based Roam Robotics who have developed a mobile exoskeleton that aims to help to improve endurance, safety, and experience for skiers and snowboarders. The company is a start-up and their product basically provides enhanced power to a person’s legs, helping them ski. Interesting that they have initially pitched their marketing effort to the ski industry. Companies with a new product need a quick route to market and skiing is a good choice, but think of all the things that this product can do, if it’s as good as they say it is. I’ve not tested it, but allowing people to have strong knees and upper legs would be a life-changing step for many. This is one to watch. All the best,
Neil
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MARKS THE
SPOT
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HEADLINE NEWS
ROBO EXOSKELETON AIMS TO HELP SKIERS A mobile exoskeleton that aims to help to improve endurance, safety, and experience for skiers and snowboarders has been launched by Roam Robotics. The device targets the 16m US adults currently engaged in snow sports, inclusive of the millions of adults age 45 and older that will benefit the most from the support provided, especially those with knee or muscle fatigue issues. This is the company’s first product and promises to extend a ski day, access longer challenging terrain, make stronger turns, or simply enjoy the sport without the pain. All the while keeping your knees safer. The product is comprised of two braces that are strapped to the user’s thighs and connected to the ski boots. The skier also wears a small backpack that carries the power source and device controls. In total, it weighs only a few pounds. Within the braces are fabric actuators that have been constrained to create the necessary shape to support the individual action of the skier when needed. They essentially act as intelligent shock absorbers. Notably, the product only provides support when needed, and is otherwise passive and unobtrusive.
creating a lightweight device that can provide significant support to a wide spectrum of skiers.” This technical approach also means the product is significantly less expensive than traditional exoskeletons, said Roam. The hardware is powered by software that uses machine learning to identify the behaviours of the user in real time to create a seamless application of power. The experience provided by this unique lightweight hardware and AI-powered software allows the device to respond how you expect; intuitively responding to the specific needs of the skier, balancing weight and power. Chief Business Officer at Roam Nikhil Dhongade said: “In the short term, we are helping people push their personal boundaries while skiing or snowboarding. This is true for people that have knee issues or muscle fatigue, or for anyone that simply wants
to improve endurance and augment the experience. In the long term, Roam wishes to develop powered devices to meet the needs of consumer applications where the body places limits on the experience.” To date, Roam has tested their skiing product on a wide variety of users, ranging from to middleage part-time skiers to former Olympic skiers to younger skiers. The company said that a very limited number of devices will be available for the 2018-2019 ski season, with general availability planned for the following year. Roam Robotics, which was incorporated in December 2013, is a spin-off from Otherlab, the San Francisco-based family of scientists and inventors working on a range of projects in the robotics, renewable energy, digital manufacturing, transportation and educational markets.
The physics behind human motion is very complicated but the concepts are simple – power is good and weight is bad. Roam said that its unique style of actuator allows for more power into the body for less weight than any system developed to date, enabling high-end performance benefits. CEO and Founder of Roam Robotics said: “Historically, exoskeletons have been large, bulky, and expensive. By creating a product essentially out of fabric and air, we can disrupt the relationship between weight and power,
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HEADLINE NEWS
COMAU USES VR TO SHOWCASE DIGITAL PRODUCTION AND COLLABORATIVE ROBOTIC APPLICATIONS Comau UK used MACH 2018 to walk visitors through real-life factories of the future by creating a 360° virtual tour of the digital production and collaborative robotic applications it has deployed across Europe. Comau defines HUMANufacturing as its new approach to manufacturing and its own way to Industry 4.0 to meet the challenges and needs of an ever-changing market. The company said in the “factory of the future”, industrial robots are no longer confined within barriers, but can work closely and in total security with man, which plays a central role in the production process. The interaction between operators and machines is made efficient and secure by collaborative robots and new digital technologies. Industrial machines become ‘smart’, more and more flexible, and easy to use in an integrated and connected manufacturing system.
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During the event, Comau UK let visitors “see” products developed following the HUMANufacturing approach, such as advanced logistics solutions including the new Agile1500 Autonomous Mobile Robot and e.DO buildit-yourself robot kit. Comau’s future-focused technologies help companies improve their efficiency while streamlining processes and increasing production quality.
Comau UK’s virtual reality showcase mirrors its growing use of mainstream multimedia to enhance leadingedge digital manufacturing solutions. As such, the company’s engineering and enabling technologies increasingly support highly individualized, highly efficient production while safeguarding productivity and profitability across the entire manufacturing line. With extensive experience in the industry and headquarters in Rugby, England, Comau UK has been helping companies all over the United Kingdom develop and implement process and technology solutions for sustainable automation and production since 1991. Its comprehensive offer ranges from stand-alone robotics to complete automation solutions, simultaneous engineering and powerful process integration capabilities, with an increasing focus on digitalization. The company recently expanded to better meet the needs of the North-East region by opening a dedicated engineering facility in Gateshead.
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NEWS
OPTOFORCE REWRITES CORE SOFTWARE OptoForce (Budapest, Hungary) a leading robotics technology provider of multi-axis force and torque sensors, has completely rewritten its core software, resulting in new capabilities and automation tasks not previously available for industrial robots. The new developments, said the company, also feature much greater speed for integration on many industrial robotic functions. For example, the speed of pin insertion and path recording with constant speed under force mode is a major new development from this release – the latter capability providing organizations with substantially improved manufacturing performance, as it will be especially useful during surface finishing (such as polishing and deburring, among many others).
unique offering now being made available to the marketplace with this announcement, and one that will likely be in high demand by organisations.
distributors about what is needed in the field to improve a company’s operational performance with industrial robotics.
In addition, with this solution, robots can adapt to the surface and can follow any kind of surface form. This is aided by the use of spline movement and keeping the torque constant. Despite these major advancements in robotic functions, setup is still easy-to-do and simpleto- understand, requiring only OptoForce software modules.
“We take great pride in reacting to these market demands and responding accordingly, while also holding our price point constant. With that, we’re very excited to announce this release. By rewriting our core software, we’re now able to provide several new automation tasks, at a much faster speed and with greater performance and reliability, for companies relying on Universal Robots for their automation strategy and operations.”
CEO of OptoForce Ákos Domotor said: “OptoForce listens closely to customers, systems integrators, and our
The ability to provide path recording with constant speed under force mode is a very
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NEWS
MTC INSTALLS FANUC KIT The Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) has installed a range of FANUC technology to its state-ofthe-art training centre. This is part of the MTC’s continued commitment to evolve its cutting-edge training and development facilities for the next generation of engineers. The Advanced Manufacturing Training Centre (AMTC), located next to the MTC at Ansty Park, Coventry, will feature six FANUC D21 ROBODRILL machining centres, complete with FANUC CNC, as well as seven educational cells, each comprising of FANUC LRMate200iD/4S robotic arms and easy-to-use control panels. FANUC’s series of ROBODRILL vertical machining centres offers high quality, precision metalcutting with a tool change time of 0.7 seconds. With a turret able to handle tools weighing up to 4kg, the ROBODRILL represents one of the fastest and strongest 5-axis CNC machining centres on the market.
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The introduction of FANUC technology to the AMTC is the latest development in what has become a close working relationship between the two organisations. Apprenticeships have long been a central element of FANUC’s UK operations, and the company currently has six apprentices in training at its Ansty Park UK headquarters. As part of its relationship with the MTC, FANUC also welcomes AMTC apprentices to its facilities, providing further training and education, as well as exposure to the latest developments in factory automation technology. Richard Watkins, Operations Director at the AMTC, said: “Robotics and automation are two of the MTC’s key areas for developing the next generation of engineering talent. FANUC CNC is amongst the most popular machine tool control systems worldwide, and the company’s iconic yellow robots can be found in manufacturing facilities across all key industrial sectors. “To be able to have access to FANUC CNC, metal-cutting and automation technology at the
AMTC will be a huge asset to our apprentices, providing them with valuable opportunities to gain first-hand experience with technologies that they are likely to use throughout their career. “FANUC’s focus on bridging the skills gap, as well as the company’s own apprenticeship programme, exemplifies the affinity between the two organisations, and underlines the reasons why the MTC has chosen to collaborate with the company.” Andrew Armstrong, Sales and Marketing Manager at FANUC UK, added: “The UK’s manufacturing landscape is evolving at a pace not seen for decades. This is facilitated by the productivity and efficiency benefits derived from the greater connectivity and interoperability offered by manufacturing technology. Both the MTC and AMTC have been at the forefront of developing the next generation of engineers. Given FANUC’s own commitment to fostering future engineering talent, we are delighted to be able to integrate our own state-of-the-art technology into their facilities.”
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NEWS
COBOT COLLABORATION DELIVERS ENTRY-LEVEL VISIONGUIDANCE FROM SICK SICK has collaborated with Universal Robots to develop an entry-level visionguided cobot system. The SICK Inspector PIM60 URCap aims to be a simple yet powerful toolkit for creating a vision-guided robot task with minimum time and effort. It is designed for pick and place, quality inspection and measurement in industrial automation applications, particularly in the packaging, food and beverage, and electronics industries. By integrating SICK Inspector PIM60 2D vision sensors with Universal Robots’ UR3, UR5 or UR10 robots, SICK has developed an adaptable vision-guided cobot system that is quick and easy to program and configure without the need for a separate PC or specialist software expertise.
up and calibration process, based on SICK’s highlyregarded SOPAS software, so even if an engineer is new to 2D vision robot guidance, development of an effective solution is simple. Experienced users will relish the directness and simplicity of the set-up and parameter change procedures, as well as the handling capabilities of the range of Universal Robots that the SICK Inspector PIM60 URCap supports.” The SICK Inspector URCap software has been developed to ensure easy integration between a UR3, UR5 or UR10 robot and the SICK Inspector PIM60 2D vision sensor.
Standard configurations such as changing jobs and pick-points, calibration and alignment are done directly from the robot control pendant, making the everyday operations fast and straightforward. More advanced operations such as inspection and dimension measurement of objects prior to picking, can be done through SOPAS – SICK’s standard device configuration tool. The SICK Inspector URCap is also ready to expand through extra data fields that can accommodate results from both detailed object inspections and measurements.
SICK (UK) vision specialist Neil Sandhu said: “With the Sick Inspector PIM60 URCap, it’s easy to add eyes to your robot application. This entry-level package allows engineers to set up the robot to be guided to pick randomly positioned objects, as well as to inspect or measure the objects prior to picking. “Because it doesn’t need specialist programming expertise, it makes an ideal ‘starter’ vision-guided robotic solution for a production line, even on a small scale, and is sufficiently adaptable to equip a pilot process facility for production development work. “The in-camera software guides you through the set-
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NEWS
UK MARKET GETS NEW LASERGUIDED SMART WELDING CAMERA FOR ROBOTS New laser-guided smart welding camera for robots has been introduced exclusively into UK market. The new Fuji-Cam smart welding camera is being launched in the UK by CyberWeld, FANUC’s strategic arc welding systems supplier. Whilst Cyber-Weld aims to take the market lead, FANUC UK will support its strategic partner in supplying the Fuji-Cam device directly to automotive manufacturers. The real advantage of the Fuji-Cam is that the hardware and software can be integrated seamlessly to FANUC’s Arc Mate welding robot series with minimum effort.
The Fuji-Cam is a non-contact laser vision system that helps the robot to precisely locate the position of welding joints in a fraction of a second. The system can be used on both a machined surface and stainless-steel parts, due to its proven optical sensor and control technology. The system also aims to offer superior weld quality by ensuring that the welding torch is positioned at the correct angle at all times. The Fuji-Cam uses an adaptive welding function for self-adjustment of welding conditions, constantly adjusting the welding head to ensure
optimum positioning. Crucially, the camera is equipped with a unique pressurised nozzle to protect from welding spatter and fumes, and an Optical Anti-Reflection Technology to ensure optimum performance, even with shiny joints. In addition, the FUJI-CAM functionality has the ability to inspect and detect completed welds to reduce the number of defectives and waste. Multiple weld defects, such as holes, porosity, lack of fusion and undercut, can all be detected. Once the welding process is completed, the Fuji-Cam can store all weld information in a powerful database to aid weldquality control and traceability. The camera is equipped with a Friendly User Interface Technology (FRUIT™) interface, which provides a simple and efficient method of configuring and programming the FujiCam with easy diagnostic and process monitoring capability. All programming and control is implemented by a robot teach pendant, with no PC required. Both Cyber-Weld and FANUC UK believe the device is a step change product enhancement that will bring significant benefits to all end-users in both automotive and non-automotive welding applications. The first system is currently being installed at CyberWeld’s manufacturing facility in conjunction with FANUC’s latest Arc welding robot, the ARCMate 100iD. Cyber-Weld already has a purchase commitment to the first system and future business expectations are extremely high.
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NEWS
INTRODUCE ROBOT TAX, OR FACE MASSIVE ECONOMIC DISRUPTION WARN LAWYERS Lawyers from the University of Surrey argue that without the creation of a “robot tax” the world is set to face economic disruption at a scale never seen in modern history.
including an “automation tax”, where redundancy data would be collected locally then used to collect further taxes to the extent the government feels the lay-offs were due to automation.
In a paper soon to be published by the Harvard Law and Policy Review Journal, Surrey lawyers argue that current tax policies incentivise automation by allowing companies to avoid wage taxes that are collected by government. This encourages companies to automate, which will reduce tax revenues and ultimately reduce the number of people in gainful employment.
Professor Ryan Abbott, Professor of Law and Health Sciences at the University of Surrey, said: “Robots can be a force for good—they have been integral to key scientific breakthroughs and they have helped us become more efficient in our work and our personal lives. However, as things stand, automation presents a clear and present danger to many jobs and tax revenues.”
The authors believe the system should be changed so that taxes are neutral between robot and human workers. They provide several mechanisms for achieving tax neutrality,
“We believe a more neutral tax system will solve the imbalance that we currently face, and the revenue raised could be used to retrain those rendered technologically unemployed.”
INDUSTRY SHOCK AS SELFDRIVING CARS ATTACKED IN CALIFORNIA In what appear to be unprovoked attacks, self-driving cars in California have been damaged by humans. The mainstream media picked up the stories of two attacks which have shocked the industry. The first involved a car operated by the General Motors Cruise driverless car division. The automated Chevrolet was stopped at a pedestrian crossing when a man ran across the street and struck the car with his body. His motivation for the attack was not explained. Although he was not injured, the car was significantly damaged. The car also had a driver, although it was in selfdriving mode, as this is the law in California. This law changes next month when certain automated cars will be allowed on public roads without a driver. The second incident involved a self-driving car, a Cruise AV, which stopped behind a taxi. The driver of the taxi apparently left his vehicle and slapped the automated car on the passenger window, causing a scratch. Once again, the motivation for the attack was not made clear. The question for the industry is whether these attacks are going to remain bizarre and rare, or become more frequent.
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NEWS
SICK SAYS APP STARTING TO BEAR FRUIT FOR AUTOMATION AND ROBOTICS DEVELOPMENT SICK said its AppSpace programming environment is starting to bear fruit for automation and robotics development. The company will update on the App at the forthcoming UKIVA Machine Vision Conference. At last year’s event, SICK launched AppSpace, an open software platform that allows free and flexible customisation of applications on SICK programmable sensors and devices. Rather than being restricted to the available pre-developed proprietary software, AppSpace enables system integrators, OEMs and end-users to develop their own tailor-made solutions with ‘click-and-drop’ ease. Visitors to the show will learn about applications being developed in AppSpace that are now available for wider industry use. The first is the SICK LabelChecker, an off-the-shelf label reading and verification solution based on SICK’s InspectorP vision sensor.
SICK will also be promoting its Inspector PIM60 URCap, an entry-level visionguided robot solution for pick and place, inspection and measurement that integrates SICK Inspector PIM60 2D vision sensors with U3, U5 and U10 robots. The SICK Inspector PIM60 URCap is simple to set up and use, yet is a powerful toolkit for creating a visionguided robot task with minimum time and effort.
SICK engineers perfected the application working closely with a leading European chocolate manufacturer. The all-in-one solution is based on the SICK InspectorP vision camera for reading and verifying text, numbers, bar codes and 2D codes, as well as inspecting label design and print quality.
With the Inspector PIM60 URCap, configuration tasks such changing jobs and pick-points, calibration and alignment are done directly from the robot control pendant for speed and ease. Configuration is achieved in minutes through the UR controller or the SICK Inspector PIM60 without need for an additional PC.
SICK engineers worked closely with the manufacturer to perfect the LabelChecker as an integral quality control system without the need for an additional evaluation unit.
SICK will also introduce its Trispector P Beltpick solution for enhanced picking of products on a conveyor through integrated 3D vision robot guidance. The solution
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offers ‘plug-and-play’ support for ABB PickMaster and Universal Robots and provides users with access to SICK AppSpace apps for belt picking applications. The Trispector P Beltpick vision guidance enables gentle robot handling of products with improved Z-axis control. The system adapts the robot’s picking action to the height of each individual product, reducing the risk of damage. UK Product Manager for Imaging, Measurement & Ranging at SICK Neil Sandhu said: “The UKIVA Show has quickly become established in the calendar as the go-to event for anyone involved in working with machine vision applications. Whether you are a machine builder, integrator or enduser, it’s a great way of seeing the latest industry developments in one visit, with a packed programme of expert demonstrations, presentations and case studies.”
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NEWS
MULTIPIX HELPS PHOTONEO DEVELOP AUTONOMOUS SYSTEMS MARKET
AUTOPILOT CAR PLOUGHS INTO FIRE TRUCK A Culver City fire truck was hit by a Tesla allegedly using its ‘autopilot’ features. The Culver City firefighters reported that their truck was parked, attending a freeway accident on Monday, when the Tesla Model S smashed into the rear. The story was covered by local and national media. The firefighters on the scene said it appeared that the driver was using the car’s Autopilot system. The California Highway Patrol and Culver City Fire Department, California, confirmed the accident, but did not confirm the status of the car when it crashed.
Multipix Imaging is to distribute Photoneo´s 3D scanner products within the UK and Ireland, helping to develop the areas of collaborative robots, drones and self-driving vehicles. Photoneo, which is based in Slovakia, believes that its patented advanced 3D vision technology is setting a new benchmark for smart vision systems. It will help to drive the future in autonomous systems. Photoneo PhoXi 3D scanners use a laser light pattern projector that emits a set of coding patterns onto the target scene, interpreted by a single camera it constructs a point cloud. The PhoXi is capable of delivering 16 million
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measurements per second, either in 3.2 megapixels at 5fps, or 0.8 megapixels at 20 fps. PhoXi scanners are aimed at robot handling applications for bin picking, where randomly placed, semi-oriented objects can be picked from a container or pallet and placed on a conveyor belt. The scanners are also compatible with multiple industrial robot brands. Sales Director at Multipix Imaging Simon Hickman said: “We are very excited to be able to offer our customers the latest 3D scanner products from Photoneo. With a massive growth area in use of robots and automation systems, Photoneo 3D products are the perfect fit.”
Culver City Fire Department battalion chief Ken Powell told the Firehouse website that the emergency vehicles had their lights flashing and that both the fire truck and the car suffered major damage. He said: “It was a pretty big hit.” However, there were no injuries. Following the incident, the car manufacturer made the point that the Autopilot system is “intended for use only with a fully attentive driver.” What’s more, the owner’s manual which comes with the Model S has a number of warnings that stress that attention to the road is vital whilst using Autopilot semi-autonomous driving function and that hands should remain on the wheel.
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NEWS
TUS EXPO 2018 AND ROBO BUSINESS EUROPE 2018 CANCELLED TUS Expo 2018 and RoboBusiness Europe 2018, which would have taken place between 13 and 15 February 2018 in Rotterdam, were cancelled. RoboBusiness Media said at the time: “Recently we have been confronted with the decision of an important strategic partner to withdraw from a projected collaboration. This has led to great and direct liquidity problems. “We have done everything possible to find a positive solution, such as actively searching for new investors. However, this did not lead to the desired result and for this reason we will file for bankruptcy.”
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LMI LAUNCHES NEW RUBBER AND TIRE SCANNING PRODUCTS AT TIRE TECHNOLOGY EXPO 2018 LMI Technologies (Teltow/ Berlin, Germany), a leading developer of 3D scanning and inspection solutions, officially launched its new high-speed, highsensitivity Gocator line profilers designed specifically for rubber and tire applications, at Tire Technology Expo 2018. The expo is Europe’s leading international tire design and tire manufacturing exhibition and conference. It took place in Hanover, Germany, from February 20-22, 2018. The company said that the show was also be a great opportunity for industry professionals to immerse themselves in LMI’s innovative FactorySmart approach to inline automation, inspection and optimization.
FactorySmart goes beyond the simple data acquisition of standard sensors to provide customers with a flexible, distributed and scalable solution to the real-world challenges of tire manufacturing today. Gocator delivers this capability through a complete, built-in 3D inspection platform that runs seamlessly within the factory environment to dramatically improve rubber & tire production. Christian Benderoth, Regional Development Manager for LMI Europe, said: “LMI has been developing solutions for the rubber & tire industry for many years now, and we’ve built that knowledge and experience into our new line profiler design.”
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NEWS
PRODUCTION AUTOMATION ACCELERATES AROUND WORLD
The average global robot density in the manufacturing industries is growing. New figures show that 74 robot units per 10,000 employees is the new average, growing from 66 units in 2015. By regions, the average robot density in Europe is 99 units, in the Americas 84 and in Asia 63 units. The top 10 most automated countries in the world are: South Korea, Singapore, Germany, Japan, Sweden, Denmark, USA, Italy, Belgium and Taiwan. The figures come from the 2017 World Robot Statistics, issued by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR). President of the International Federation of Robotics Junji Tsuda said: “Robot density is an excellent standard for
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comparison in order to take into account the differences in the automation degree of the manufacturing industry in various countries. As a result of the high volume of robot installations in Asia in recent years, the region has the highest growth rate. Between 2010 and 2016, the average annual growth rate of robot density in Asia was 9 percent, in the Americas 7 percent and in Europe 5 percent.”
ASIA The development of robot density in China was the most dynamic in the world. Due to the significant growth of robot installations, particularly between 2013 and 2016, the density rate rose from 25 units in 2013 to 68 units in 2016. Today, China’s robot density ranks 23rd worldwide.
And the government intends to forge ahead and make it into the world’s top 10 most intensively automated nations by 2020. By then, its robot density is targeted to rise to 150 units. Furthermore, the aim is to sell a total of 100,000 domestically produced industrial robots by 2020 (2017: 27,000 units from Chinese robot suppliers, 60,000 from foreign robot suppliers). Worldwide, the Republic of Korea has by far the highest robot density in the manufacturing industry – a position the country has held since 2010. The country’s robot density exceeds the global average by a good eight-fold (631 units). This high growth rate is the result of continued installations of a high volume of robots
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NEWS
particularly in the electrical/ electronics industry and in the automotive industry. Singapore follows in second place with a rate of 488 robots per 10,000 employees in 2016. About 90 percent of robots are installed in the electronics industry in Singapore. Japan ranked fourth in the world: In 2016, 303 robots were installed per 10,000 employees in the manufacturing industry – following Germany ranking 3rd (309 units). Japan is the world´s predominant industrial robot manufacturer: The production capacity of Japanese suppliers reached 153,000 units in 2016 – the highest level ever recorded. Today, Japan´s manufacturers deliver 52 percent of the global supply.
NORTH AMERICA Robot density in the United States increased significantly to 189 robots in 2016 – the country ranks seventh in the world. Since 2010, the necessary modernization of domestic production facilities has boosted robot sales in the United States. The main driver of this growth was the ongoing trend to automate production in order to strengthen American industries on the global market and to keep manufacturing at home, and in some cases, to bring back manufacturing that had previously been sent overseas. The automotive industry still leads as the main customer of industrial robots with about 52 percent of total sales in 2016. Robot sales in the United States will continue to increase between 2017 and 2020 by at least 15 percent on average per year.
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Robot density in Canada has been on the rise and reached 145 units in 2016 (ranking 13th worldwide). Growth was mainly driven by installations in the automotive industry. Mexico is predominantly a production hub for car manufacturers and automotive parts suppliers that export to the United States and increasingly to South America. The automotive industry in Mexico is by far the main robot customer with a share of 81 percent in 2016. Robot density is at 33 units, which is still far below the world average of 74 units, ranking 31st on the global scale.
EUROPE Europe´s most automated country is Germany – ranking 3rd worldwide with 309 units. The annual supply and the operational stock of industrial robots in 2016 had a share of 36 percent and 41 percent respectively of total robot sales in Europe. Between 2018 and 2020, the annual supply in Germany will continue to grow by at least 5 percent on average per year due to the increasing demand for robots in the general industry and in the automotive industry. France has a robot density of 132 units (ranking 18th in the world), which is well above the global average of 74 robots – but relatively weak compared to other EU countries. EU members like Sweden (223 units), Denmark (211 units), Italy (185 units) and Spain (160 units) enjoy a much higher degree of automation using industrial robots in the manufacturing segment. But under the new government, France is in the process of
regaining competitiveness in its manufacturing sectors. This may, to a certain extent, promote installations of new robots in the next few years. In 2017, the number of robot installations in France is expected to increase by about 10 percent. Between 2018 and 2020, an average annual growth rate between 5 and 10 percent is likely. As the only G7 country – the UK has a robot density below the world average of 74 units with 71 units, ranking 22nd. The general industry is highly in need of necessary investment in order to modernize and increase productivity. The low robot density rate is indicative of this fact. Despite the decision to leave the EU, there are currently many suggested investment plans for capacity expansion and modernization of foreign and local automotive companies. It is not evident though whether companies will hold back investments due to uncertainties concerning customs duties. The eastern European countries Slovenia (137 units, ranking 16th in the world) and Slovakia (135 units, ranking 17th worldwide), both have a robot density that is above Switzerland’s (128 units, ranking 19th in the world). The Czech Republic is ranking 20th on the global scale with 101 units. Robot supplies in the Czech Republic and Slovakia mainly depend on the automotive industry’s demand. Slovenia is the most successful among the Balkan countries with 60 percent of the total robot supply used mainly for the automotive industry (387 units, 33 percent more than in 2015).
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PWC IDENTIFIES WAVES OF AUTOMATION PwC said in a new report that education and retraining are critical to help workers adjust to future waves of automation. The consultancy has identified three overlapping waves of automation up to the 2030s: the algorithm wave, the augmentation wave and the autonomy wave. The main conclusions ofthe report are: •
transport and manufacturing sectors have relatively high potential for job automation by the 2030s, health and education are less automatable;
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education is a key factor driving risk of automation, with less well educated men at highest risk in the long run;
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but women could be at the higher risk over the next 5-10 years, for example in clerical roles;
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There should be broadly offsetting job gains provided increased investment is made in retraining.
The research analysed the tasks and skills involved in the jobs of over 200,000 workers across 29 countries in order to assess the potential impact of automation on workers in different industry sectors and of different genders, ages and education levels.
more likely to feel the effects in the third wave by the mid-2030s (see table below). This is due to the types of tasks that are more susceptible to automation and the current gender profiles of employment by sector. The Algorithm wave is already well underway and involves automating structured data analysis and simple digital tasks, such as credit scoring. This wave of innovation could come to maturity by the early 2020s. The Augmentation wave is also already underway but likely to come to full maturity later in the 2020s. The augmentation wave is focused on automation of repeatable tasks and exchanging information, as well as further developments of aerial drones, robots in warehouses and semi-autonomous vehicles. In the third Autonomy wave, which could come to maturity by the mid-2030s, AI will increasingly be able to analyse data from multiple sources, make decisions and take physical actions with little or no human input. Fully autonomous driverless vehicles could roll out at scale across the economy in this phase, for example. The table below summarises estimates of the proportion of jobs that could be impacted over these three waves and how this might vary for male and female workers.
Chief economist at PwC and co-author of the study John Hawksworth said that: “Our estimates are based primarily on the technical feasibility of automation, so in practice the actual extent of automation may be less due to a variety of economic, legal, regulatory and organisational constraints. Just because something can be automated in theory does not mean it will be economically or politically viable in practice. “Furthermore, other analysis we have done suggests that any job losses from automation are likely to be broadly offset in the long run by new jobs created as a result of the larger and wealthier economy made possible by these new technologies. We do not believe, contrary to some predictions, that automation will lead to mass technological unemployment by the 2030s any more than it has done in the decades since the digital revolution began.”
POTENTIAL IMPACTS BY COUNTRY The estimated proportion of existing jobs with high potential automation rates by the mid-2030s varies significantly by country.
On average across the 29 countries covered, the share of jobs at potential high risk of automation is estimated to be only around 3% by the early 2020s, but this rises to almost 20% by the late 2020s, and around 30% by the mid-2030s. The study suggests that more women could initially be impacted by the rise of automation, whereas men are
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These estimates range from only around 20-25% in some East Asian and Nordic economies with relatively high average education levels, to over 40% in Eastern European economies where industrial production, which tends to be easier to automate, still accounts for a relatively high share of total employment. Countries like the UK and the US, with servicesdominated economies but also relatively long ‘tails’ of lower skilled workers, tend to have intermediate potential automation rates.
POTENTIAL IMPACTS BY INDUSTRY SECTOR The estimated share of existing jobs with potential high rates of automation by the mid-2030s varies widely across industry sectors, from a median across countries of 52% for transportation and storage to just 8% for the education sector. Transport stands out as a sector with particularly high longer term potential automation rates as driverless vehicles roll out at scale across economies, but this will be most evident in the third wave of autonomous automation. In the shorter term, sectors such as financial services could be more exposed as algorithms outperform humans in an ever wider range of tasks involving pure data analysis.
POTENTIAL IMPACTS BY GENDER, AGE, EDUCATION Our analysis also highlights significant differences across types of workers and these will also vary across our three waves of automation (see chart below). The starkest results are those by education level, with much lower exposures on average for highly educated workers with graduate degrees or above, than for those with low to medium education levels.
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In the long run, less well educated workers could be particularly exposed to automation, emphasising the importance of increased investment in lifelong learning and retraining. More highly educated workers will typically have greater potential for adaptability to technological changes, for example in senior managerial roles that will still be needed to apply human judgement, as well as to design and supervise AI-based systems. Such workers should see their wages increase due to the productivity gains that these new technologies should bring. Differences are less marked by age group, although some older workers could find it relatively harder to adapt and retrain than younger cohorts. This may apply particularly to less well-educated men as we move into our third wave of autonomous automation in areas like driverless cars and other manual labour that has a relatively high proportion of male workers at present. But female workers could be relatively harder hit in early waves of automation that apply, for example, to clerical roles.
IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC POLICY Automation rates also differ across countries because ways of working differ. In particular, workers in countries such as Singapore and South Korea with more stringent educational requirements could have greater protection against automation in the long run. This is also true (particularly in Europe) for countries with higher levels of education spending as a percentage of GDP. Hawksworth added: “Our analysis highlights the need for increased public and private investment in education and skills to help people adapt to technological change throughout their careers.
\While increased training in digital skills and STEM subjects is one important element in this, it will also require retraining to help displaced workers to take jobs in services sectors where demand is high but automation is less easy due to the importance of social skills and the human touch. “Governments, business, trade unions and other organisations all need to play their part here in helping people to adapt to these new technologies. In addition it is important that aggregate demand levels are kept high so as to facilitate the creation of new jobs. One obvious way to do this is through increased public and private infrastructure investment in areas like transport and housing. “Possible loss of existing jobs should not lead countries to miss out on opportunities to lead the way in developing these new technologies. Unless a country blocks itself off from global trade and investment, which history shows would be extremely damaging economically in the long run, the technologies will still come to countries over time, so it is better to be at the forefront of this global race.” Global Artificial Intelligence leader at PwC Anand Rao said: “Our research shows that the impact from automation and AI will be felt in waves, with more routine and data tasks hit first. But just because businesses and people aren’t feeling the impacts right now, there is no excuse not to start planning for the future. “AI technology is getting more sophisticated every day and businesses need to understand how, where and when their people are likely to be affected in the future. Those that understand the risks and opportunities can start upskilling their people and adapting their businesses, rather than simply reacting when it’s too late.”
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PRESS-TO-PRESS TRANSFER APPLICATIONS WILL BECOME FASTER, SMOOTHER SAYS FANUC
FANUC has launched its latest rack-mounted industrial robot which will, said FANUC, make press-to-press transfer applications will become faster, smoother and more compact. The R2000iC/100P, which can be attached to a wall or ceiling, is a space-saving alternative to traditional, floor-mounted robots. It can achieve a larger work envelope in a smaller surface area, making it the perfect solution, said FANUC, for automotive manufacturers with limited floor space. The robot’s long, slender arm gives it a reach of up to 3540mm, and also facilitates cable routing and dress-out. It is equipped with motor fan cooling systems, which allow the robot to meet continuous, high-duty cycle time with a repeatability of ±0.05mm. In addition, the robot has a maximum axis speed of 210°/s for shorter Standard Press Motion (SPM) cycle times. For production lines handling larger parts, the six-axes robot has high wrist moments and inertias of up to 1000Nm/227kgm2. The robot itself can handle a maximum load of 100kg.
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Sales and marketing manager at FANUC UK Andrew Armstrong said: “The R2000iC series is widely regarded as the best in its class, due, in part, to its compact construction, reduced size and weight, and high-performance motion control. The R2000iC/100P represents a particularly innovative addition to this series. “Its ability to be rack mounted makes it perfect for applications such as die changing or press maintenance. Positioning it on a wall or ceiling gives it an optimal working envelope within a minimal surface area, making it ideal for small-scale manufacturers and subcontractors.” As with the other models in the R2000iC series, the R2000iC/100P can be integrated with FANUC’s latest intelligent software tools, including Dual Check Safety, iRVision, and Learning Vibration Control (LVC). Armstrong added: “As well as our latest developments in artificial intelligence and vision systems, you can also pair the robot with the R-30iB Plus robot controller, which provides a flexible, intuitive user interface, allowing even an automation newcomer to make the most of her industrial robot.”
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COMAU RELEASES NEW ROBOT APP Comau (Turin), part of the FCA Group and a leader in industrial automation, has released PickAPP, an Android application to perform “Pick and Place� operations. The company said that until now, robot programmers were skilled technicians who used a teach pendant device (robot remote control) to interact with the robot. It has reversed this scenario with the new APP, hoping to improve the customer experience. PickAPP is an Android application for an 8-10inch tablet, configured with graphical operations which
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drastically improve the overall user experience. Using it, anyone familiar with smartphones will be able to move a robot and create a pick and place process simply preparing a list of waypoints, without having to learn robotic programming language. The user moves the robot manually by pulling and pushing robot joints, or using the interface in a similar way that is used for toy cars or drones. Additional configurations, like the type of movement and the actions related to a gripper, can be easily added.
The application has been developed by multiple users with a different approach than the one usually used for standard industrial processes. A sample group of testers, ranging from expert technicians to young people who play games on a tablet, were able to perform the programming required for a Pick and Place process in just a few minutes without prior training. PickAPP is available for Comau low payload robots, such as Rebel-S (SCARA), Racer3 and Racer5 (3 to 5 kilogram payload), and will soon be implemented for the entire Comau robot family.
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ALL SET FOR AUTOMATICA 2018
RoboPro Magazine, together with the organisers of automatica 2018 which takes place in Munich between 19 and 22 of June, casts an eye over some of the companies which will be attending this prestigious industry event It’s only a matter of weeks now before some of the top names in automation, robotics and machine vision gather together in Munich to show-off their products and services. Here we look at five of those companies.
COMAU With its headquarters in Turin, Italy, Comau is a multinational company specialising in industrial automation. It has recently extended its product range. The small robots of the Racer and Rebel-S (SCARA) families, are the results of an innovative design strategy and developing standard technologies that can be customised for multiple applications. Comau is committed to constant research into innovative automation solutions, to meet the challenges of a constantly developing market and the new requirements determined
by the ‘digital revolution’ in the factory. Through the concept of HUMANufacturing (Human Manufacturing), the company expresses its innovative vision of the factory: smart, flexible and connected, where people are at the centre of the production process and their interaction with other elements of the automation process is made efficient and safe by collaborative robots and digital technologies. As for what the company will showcase at the event, the company said: “Comau will take part in Automatica 2018 by presenting a new product in the field of wearable technologies along with its approach to the digital factory. The key concept of the exhibition space (Stand 331 - Hall B5) will be HUMANufacturing, an expression with which Comau has defined its path towards Industry 4.0.
“In this path, Comau envisions people and robots working in close proximity safely, industrial machines being 'intelligent', easy to use and able to work efficiently and autonomously while interacting within a networked production system thanks to the use of the most innovative digital technologies. Above all - as the name HUMANufacturing expresses – it is a manufacturing system in which the person is the key player of the entire production process. “At the stand, the visitor will be involved in a real "HUMANufacturing Experience", during which he/she can learn and closely experience some of the most advanced technologies that Comau has designed for the factory 4.0. These technologies range from innovations in the field of wearable technologies to 3D printing solutions capable of making production more efficient, up to virtual applications of digital twin, which use advanced software for collecting, analyzing and processing big data in order to optimize industrial processes. Comau will also present e.DO, a small anthropomorphic modular and open-source robot for the educational and consumer field, as well as for light industry applications.” On the question as to how is the digital transformation in manufacturing affecting their own business, the company replied: “Comau is able to help companies to exploit the potential of digital production thanks to a long and consolidated presence
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in the industrial sector at a global level and to experience that allows it to supply advanced products and systems for industrial automation, combining innovative engineering solutions with enabling technologies. “On the one hand, Comau already offers the latest generation of digital solutions, such as robots and AGV platforms able to communicate and receive process data. On the other hand, Comau is working to adapt its product portfolio to IoT. Robots will have to become increasingly more digital and interconnected. They must be designed and built to receive and share operational information with other production units and a central system in order to obtain and analyze what is recorded, as well as obtain operating parameters of the product itself throughout the production process and operating procedures of the entire factory. Not only robotic systems, but all automation products will have to possess intrinsic digital properties. “Comau, both in terms of products and services offered, is committed to supporting its customers in this technological transformation. Furthermore, in order to develop and complete its skills in the field of industrial automation and digitalization, Comau has created a global network of partners with which it actively collaborates in various industrial sectors for the development of targeted solutions and services.” When asked why do you think the event attracts visitors from all sectors of production, from automobile to food and drink, Comau said: “The Munich Fair is an international reference event for the world of industrial and service robotics, but also an interesting one to discover new market trends in terms of assembly solutions, artificial vision systems and components spanning all industrial sectors. For this reason, at automatica, any company has the opportunity to find and/or present innovative solutions to make its own industrial production or that of its customers more efficient.
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“The 2018 edition is also a very interesting showcase for Comau due to the focus on digital transformation, a dedicated sector of manufacturing production, and more generally, for the presentation of topics of great interest to our business; from the collaboration between people and robots, to the use of enabling technologies for the smart factory, throughout Comau’s main theme of HUMANufacturing, the contribution of man is at the heart of the production process.”
UNIVERSAL ROBOTS Universal Robots, which manufactures affordable, cagefree and user friendly collaborative (cobot) robot arms and employs more than 470 people, has its headquarters in Odense, Denmark. It has regional offices in the United States, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Czech Republic, Turkey, China, India, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Mexico. The company also maintains a strong distribution channel with a network of around 300 partners worldwide.
Helmut Schmid (pictured), Managing Director Universal Robots (Germany) GmbH and General Manager Western Europe, said that they were looking forward to automatica. “For Universal Robots, this year's automatica is all about flexibility and rapid
integration. The Danish pioneer and market leader in the field of collaborative robotics will show how easy and quickly automation solutions for a wide variety of tasks can be implemented by using `plug-and-produce' applications. On the basis of many practical applications, visitors will gain an insight into the opportunities offered by collaborative robotics today and in the future.” The accessories for the applications that UR will be presenting in Munich this year come largely from the online ecosystem Universal Robots+, which contains an extensive range of peripheral products for UR robots and has grown strongly since its launch at automatica 2016. Currently, accessories such as hardware components, software plugins or a combination of both from around 250 UR+ partners are available, all of which are guaranteed to be implemented via plug-and-play. This reduces installation time and costs. “The positive effect is further enhanced by the simple programming and operation of the UR robots, for which no expert knowledge is required. This makes automation a cost-effective and realistic option for small and medium-sized businesses in any industry to optimize their processes,” said Helmut Schmid. When it comes to how the digital transformation in manufacturing is affecting their business, Helmut replied: “The digital transformation in production means that Universal Robots is preparing for new challenges regarding digital interfaces – that is to say, everything concerning digitalization within the application. For example, the planning of
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production layouts, interfaces for predictive maintenance, trouble shooting etc. will be digitalized and connected via Cloud solutions. They will be the interfaces for the UR robot arms in the future. To give a concrete example: The online ecosystem Universal Robots+ already contains a wide range of software solutions, e.g. a tool for CAD-based offline robot programming and simulation. With this tool, end users and integrators can easily create and simulate everything from simple to very complex robot programs offline. Unforeseen factors during the actual commissioning of a robot system are thus reduced to the absolute minimum and the integration process is shortened and simplified.” As for why the event attracts visitors from all sectors of production from automobile to food and drink – Helmut said: “The optimization of production is relevant for all industries and sectors – and automation and robotics play a key role here. With the combination of automation and robotics at one single trade fair, visitors can experience all components of an automation and robotic solution live – e.g. at the stand of Universal Robots, they don’t see only the robots themselves but also hardware components such as camera systems, sensors or grippers up to the integration. Visitors will see for themselves that for every automation task, Universal Robots can provide a cost-effective solution.” Helmut believes the event is unique and the ‘place to be’ – he said: “automatica is Europe’s largest event specialized in automation and robotics. Most of the companies use this important international platform to present their latest news and innovations. Therefore, visitors can find inspiration and orientation on how to be able to produce better-quality products more efficiently now and in the future.”
in use in more than 50 countries around the world - in a wide variety of industries, company sizes and applications ranging from pickand-place to injection moulding, palletizing, quality inspection, assembly and many more. This success goes of course hand in hand with the general advance of this technology. However, there is still no such thing as widespread and cross-sector use. Many small and medium-sized companies in particular are not yet aware of the advantages of this relatively inexpensive automation option for their individual needs. We want to change this situation and focus on explaining the potential and versatile use of collaborative robotics - under the umbrella of 'flexible automation solutions by means of plug and produce'. Universal Robots wants their (potential) customers to know that for every problem, UR can provide a cost-effective, easy-to-install solution.”
MOBILE INDUSTRIAL ROBOTS Mobile Industrial Robots is a leading manufacturer of collaborative mobile robots which is based in Odense, Denmark. It is dedicated to developing userfriendly, flexible and safe robots to help companies increase the efficiency of their operations. It manufactures a new generation of advanced mobile robots which gives customers a rapid return on investment, often with a payback period of less than a year. Its collaborative robots are now used by manufacturers in a wide range of industries and healthcare sectors to automate their in-house transportation.
The company’s dedicated employees are passionate about making a difference and creating success and innovation within the world of robotics. MiR is represented worldwide via branch offices and through an extensive distributor network. The company plans to showcase autonomous mobile robots at automatica. They said: “We will show different applications with our autonomous mobile robots to demonstrate the various ways the mobile robots can be used. For example, we will demonstrate a MiR200 with a conveyor system, a MIRHook that tows a special designed cart, and a MiR200 with a robotic arm that docks to a Precise Docking Station. “This has been developed because top modules such as robotic arms or conveyors often need a very high level of precision. With Precise Docking, the MiR robot can dock with extreme precision, and the Precise Docking clamps onto the robot to keep it standing completely still.” When asked as to how the digital transformation in manufacturing is affecting their own business, the company replied: “The digital transformation is positive for us because it says something about the mindset for adapting new, innovative technologies. There is a lot of focus on the Internet of Things (IoT) and Industry 4.0, and our highly flexible robots fit perfectly to the ideals of automation and taking over repetitive, lowvalue tasks and redeploying people for higher-value work.” As for why the company thinks the event attracts visitors from all sectors of production,
As to what Universal Robots hopes to achieve by exhibiting at the event, Helmut was clear: “Universal Robots is the world market leader in the field of collaborative robotics, with 21,000 collaborating robots
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from automobile to drink, it said: “automatica is one of the world largest exhibitions and manufacturers of all types of robots, and machines from all over the world are present. Today, there is a huge focus on optimization of production in all sectors, so everyone is looking for solutions that can help them become more efficient in their processes and workflows. Our robots are definitely not restricted to one or two sectors of productions – they can be deployed in all industries. As a result, we are looking forward to meeting the variety of end-users of robots who will be at automatica.” When it comes to automatica 2018 being the place to be, it said: “All the big manufacturers of products for automation are exhibiting at automatica, and visitors from all sectors can see the newest technologies. For our distributors, it is the same. automatica has for several years been one of the world’s biggest tradeshows within automation, so of course we want to be there too. For MIR, it is also an obvious tradeshow to participate in because it is in Germany, which is close to our home country (Denmark) and is also our largest European market.” Finally, the company has a clear objective with automatica: “There are so many potential users of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) in the industry, and by showing our mobile robots in a highly dynamic environment like
a trade show, we hope to--and are sure we will--increase the degree of knowledge of AMRs and of MiR specifically. We know we have a lot of potential endusers of our robots coming to the show, and we look forward to showing them our different features and applications.”
RETHINK ROBOTICS Boston-based Rethink Robotics is transforming the way manufacturing is done, with smart, collaborative robots that are able to automate tasks that have been beyond the reach of traditional automation. The industry’s first fully integrated collaborative robot, Sawyer, is powered by the Intera software platform, that makes it the easiest to use and fastest to deply cobot
on the market today. Intera 5.2, with Intera Insights, provides production data at a glance, displaying real-time manufacturing data and KPIs on a customizable dashboard. Intera also powers the ClickSmart™ family of gripper kits, allowing manufacturers to deploy automation faster, more intelligently, in more tasks and applications The result is that manufacturers of all sizes get the industrial automation solution they need to increase productivity, lower costs and accelerate innovation. The company will use automatica to showcase its Sawyer robots. It said: “Rethink Robotics will have Sawyer robots at the show to demonstrate various applications where automation improves the manufacturing process. Sawyer provides manufacturers with the high-performance automation they need while maintaining reliability, safety and affordability. “Intera’s advanced graphical interface allows individuals without a robotics degree to train and program the robot by simply demonstrating the task at hand. With a small footprint and built-in force sensing capabilities, Sawyer operates safely next to its human counterparts without any gating or fencing required.”
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As for how the digital transformation in manufacturing is affecting their business., the company replied: “As the digital transformation makes its way through manufacturing, our robots become smarter and more efficient. The newest version of our best-in-class Intera software platform, Intera 5.2, drives manufacturing productivity with increased functionality and capabilities that provide data from the manufacturing floor, including metrics like cycle time, part count, speed and force.” When it comes to why the company thinks the event attracts visitors from all sectors of production – from automobile to food and drink – the reply was: “Robotics and automation are no longer restricted to certain areas of manufacturing – with the evolution of this technology, more industries are realizing the benefits of automation for smoother business operations. The technology showcased at this event attracts visitors from all sectors because it has the potential to revolutionize their production operations regardless of industry.” And the event, according to Rethink, is unique, because “… automatica is one of the largest automation and roboticsfocused events in the world, bringing together the smartest technology on the market and the industry leaders that are blazing the trail for smart factories and Industrie 4.0. automatica is also unique because attendees get to experience the technology in person – for example, in our stand, attendees can train our smart collaborative robot Sawyer right on the exhibition floor.”
safe to be around, require a much smaller footprint, are easy to program and are inexpensive enough to provide a rapid return on investment – in as little as three months. At automatica, we hope to connect with attendees from various industries to demonstrate how Rethink’s cobots are different than other cobots on the market and showcase how automation can improve their manufacturing and production operations.”
ROBOTIQ Founded in 2008 in Canada by Samuel Bouchard (CEO), Vincent Duchaine and Jean-Philippe Jobin (CTO), Robotiq’s core business is the manufacture of flexible robot grippers, sensors and vision systems. The goal is to make automation easy, fast and accessible to global manufacturersand SMEs without the need of extensive technical knowledge, leading to a quick ROI. Principal products are flexible electric robot grippers, force torque sensor, vision systems, real-time robot monitoring software, readyto-use, downloadable robotic programs. The product’s principal features are easy to install, simple to program, Plug + Play, can grip parts of many different sizes and can bring the senses of touch and vision to robots. The focus is on human-robot collaboration,
software applications to accelerate robot projects and the optimization of robotperformance. The sales channel is a global network of distributors of over 40 countries. Robotiq is looking forward to attending automatica 2018, but would not be drawn on what it attends to exhibit, preferring to keep its cards close to their chest. When the company was asked about how is the digital transformation in manufacturing affecting their own business, it said: “Right now, digital transformation allows us to provide answers to the question: How is your production robot today? In fact, manufacturers put collaborative robots on the floor after doing their math, when they're sure that ROI will be reached in a decent period of time. “But now is the time to know the exact performance of the robot, to be aware of each unplanned stop so that we can get back to production faster. Our robot monitoring software, Insights, was built to track performance and see trends to optimize production and minimize downtime.” As to why Robotiq thinks the event attracts visitors from all sectors of production - from automobile to food and drink – it replied: “Automation is evolving fast and the various technologies answer to
As to what the company hopes to achieve by exhibiting at the event: “Prior to cobots, manufacturing robots were kept behind cages, programmed by highly paid specialists, and were purchased for a single purpose. Cobots change all that – they’re
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different needs in all those sectors of production. Plus, with demographics that predict a massive labor shortage in many top industrial countries in the next 10 years, automation in general is an interesting alternative to help close the skills gap.”
We continue to establish Robotiq as a complete solution, with tools and know-how to simplify collaborative robot applications. We strive to get factories to start production faster, and our automatica goals are built towards this!”
Moving onto the question as to what they hope to achieve by exhibiting at the event, Robotiq said: “Manufacturers struggle to put robots to work in their factory because it’s still considered too costly and too complicated.
AUTOMATICA 2018 - THE EVENT TO ATTEND
It features the world’s largest range of industrial and service robotics, assembly solutions, machine vision systems and components. It gives companies from all relevant branches of industry access to innovations, knowledge and trends with a great deal of business relevance. As the digital shift continues, automatica ensures market transparency and provides orientation with a clear objective: being able to manufacture higherquality products with even greater efficiency.
automatica 2018 is seen within the industry as the leading marketplace for automated production.
CONTACT DETAILS Universal Robots A/S
Robotiq Inc
Energivej 25 5260 Odense S Denmark
966 Chemin Olivier, Suite 325 Lévis, Qc, Canada G7A 2N1
Tel: +45 89 93 89 89
Tel: 1-888-ROBOTIQ (762-6847)
E: sales@universal-robots.com
E: mailto:d.maltais@robotiq.com
W: www.universal-robots.com
W: www.robotiq.com
Comau SpA
Rethink Robotics
Tel: +39 0110049111
E: sales@rethinkrobotics.com
E: press@comau.com
W: www.rethinkrobotics.com
Via Rivalta 30 10095 Grugliasco (Turin - Italy)
27 Wormwood Street, Boston, MA 02210 Tel: (617) 500-2487
Mobile Industrial Robots ApS Emil Neckelmanns Vej 15F 5220 Odense SØ Tel: +45 20 377 577 E: mail@mir-robots.com W: www.mobile-industrial-robots.com
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FANUC
FANUC WHITE PAPER: HOW NEW TECHNOLOGIES ARE MAKING AUTOMATION FASTER, SMARTER, AND MORE INTUITIVE THAN EVER BEFORE Connectivity and digital manufacturing was on everyone’s minds at MACH this year. As a result, FANUC partnered with Renishaw to demonstrate how new technologies are making automation faster, smarter, and more intuitive than ever before. Across the pond, one Texan subcontractor is already putting this manufacturing mélange to good use
With MACH just gone, FANUC has been busy preparing a stand that embodies the pinnacle of automated technology, from cells that incorporate the company’s latest industrial robots and RoboMachines, to software connecting the whole stand as a communicative, intelligent unit. “Our theme this year was ‘Connectivity’ – something that FANUC has had as standard for many years. We therefore wanted to demonstrate this by making
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sure that every exhibit on the stand could demonstrate its true potential to connect to, and communicate with, other technologies,” said Andrew Armstrong, sales and marketing manager at FANUC UK. For this exhibit in particular, FANUC looked to give visitors something a little different. The company partnered with Renishaw, one of the world’s leading engineering and scientific technology companies, to demonstrate how condition monitoring and no-
fault-forward capabilities can be applied to machining cells. “We equipped a ROBODRILL a-DiB5B with a Renishaw Equator, a gauging system for defining and reviewing part quality,” said Andrew. “The Equator will scan parts machined on the ROBODRILL, compare them to reference data and identify when quality starts to decline. From there, it can communicate with the ROBODRILL to take corrective measures.”
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FANUC
The new cell is now producing 600 to 700 finished parts per day, and is able to do the work of the two original cell designs. According to Wardell and Buck, the cell paid for itself in an incredible 18 days. Their success in implementing FANUC and Renishaw technologies has led them to pursue a follow-up project for a customer, which involves a part-sorting cell.
LOOKING ACROSS THE POND Renishaw and FANUC technologies are already being used together State-side to improve efficiency, productivity and profitability for a Texan subcontractor. Conroe Machine is a relatively young company, having been founded by Murray “Tippy” Touchette in 2000. The company has since grown to a team of 150 employees, and operates in a climate-controlled, 65,000 square-foot plant located on an industrial estate around 45 minutes from Houston. Although a general-purpose shop by nature, the company’s proximity to Houston means that a high-percentage of its business often comes from the oil and gas industry: specifically, for drilling components. One of the company’s continuously running jobs for the industry is the manufacture of thrust bearing races for downhole mud motors. These parts are produced by the thousands each week.
manager, James Wardell, and automation manager Jeff Buck identified the need to upgrade the system even further. “Our production plateaued at 400 to 500 parts per day for each cell,” explains James Wardell. “We had a single operator inspecting parts, but they could only correctly inspect so many at this kind of volume, and we needed more output. “We therefore conceived a fully-automated process for the finish machining, with: automatic part loading; post-process measurement; and automatic tool compensation, part engraving and boxing / palletising.” Wardell and Buck went on to install a hard-turning cell consisting of a lathe, a Renishaw Equator, an engraving machine, and a FANUC M20iA six-axis robot.
Still in development at the time of writing, this cell consists of two Renishaw Equators, a FANUC LR Mate 200iC six-axis robot, multiple lanes of low-profile conveyors, a FANUC iRVision system, and an ATI quick-tool-changer. FANUC’s iRVision technology identifies the part number, and tells the Equator which measurement program to run. Good parts are placed on the appropriate conveyor, and bad parts are placed on a scrap conveyor. “It’s great to see FANUC technologies employed alongside other smart systems to deliver true value to a customer,” said FANUC’s Andrew Armstrong. “What we’re essentially seeing here is an example of Industry 4.0 in action, with machines communicating to maintain product quality and improve process efficiency. “2018 is all about smart solutions, communications and connectivity. At FANUC, we’re just getting started.”
Production was originally handled by four lathes, which would rough and finish bearings. They were subsequently re-developed into two cells, which would rough, but not finish. The bearings would be case hardened to HRC 65, at a depth of 1.7mm, before undergoing a finish turning process. The cells were loaded and unloaded by FANUC robots. As business increased, however, Conroe Machine’s technology
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CONFERENCES
BIG CONFERENCES SET TO WOO VISITORS The second quarter of the conference season sees some premier events which should generate a lot of discussion and planning over the remainder of the year The main speakers and topics are: Tuesday, May 1: The Unmanned Economy
AUVSI XPONENTIAL 2018 First up is AUVSI XPONENTIAL 2018, the industry’s largest trade show which is on from April 30 to May 3 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver. The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International is the world’s largest non-profit organisation devoted exclusively to advancing unmanned systems and the robotics community. The event describes itself thus: “An intersection of cuttingedge innovation and real-world applications, XPONENTIAL is the one event that brings all things unmanned into sharp focus. Join more than 8,500 industry leaders and forwardthinking users from both the defense and commercial sectors to learn the latest on policy, business use cases and technology applications— and grab your share of this billion dollar industry.” The event experts will present keynotes, sponsored by Northrop Grumman, devoted to themes critical to the advancement and growth of unmanned systems. More than 8,500 industry leaders and forward-thinking users from the defense and commercial sectors are expected to attend the show to learn the latest on public policy, business solutions, and technology applications.
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The opening keynote will highlight how unmanned systems are changing the way we work, live and play. Industry thought leaders will discuss how the technology is influencing Industry 4.0; the automation of technology, emerging opportunities, potential challenges and the workforce of the future. David Autor, Ford Professor of Economics and associate head, Department of Economics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Michael Chasen, CEO, PrecisionHawk Wednesday, May 2: The Unmanned Lifestyle These keynotes will build on the ideas and concepts presented the previous day to explore the cross section between technology and society. From the emergence of artificial intelligence in our lives, to unmanned systems and robotics in the military, to the automated delivery of medication and vaccines to remote areas around the globe and everything in between, this session will explore what these advancements mean today and in the future. Zeynep Tufekci, associate professor, School of Information and Library Science, University of North Carolina
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CONFERENCES
Stephanie Hill, senior vice president of Corporate Strategy and Business Development, Lockheed Martin Eduardo Martinez, president, the UPS Foundation, and Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, UPS Thursday, May 3: Unmanned for Good These keynotes are dedicated to exploring the humanitarian and public safety applications of unmanned systems to provide aid and support. This interactive discussion with first responders who conducted unmanned missions in response to Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, as well as recent wildfires, will highlight the lifesaving benefits of the technology in emergencies. The recipients of the AUVSI XCELLENCE Humanitarian Awards, sponsored by DJI, will be also be announced during this session. Chris Hernandez, sector vice president, Research, Technology and Engineering, Northrop Grumman
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Keynote Panel: Unmanned Systems Respond to Disaster Charles L. Werner, Charlottesville Fire Chief Emeritus and chair, National Council on Public Safety UAS, moderator Robin Murphy, Raytheon Professor of Computer Science and Engineering, Texas A&M University Thomas Madigan, commander, Alameda County (California) Sheriff's Office Mike Morgan, director, Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control AUVSI president and CEO Brian Wynne said: “We are pleased to welcome this exceptional line-up of experts to keynote the themed sessions at XPONENTIAL 2018. These outstanding speakers will enhance XPONENTIAL’s educational programming by lending their expertise, experience and unique perspective in unmanned systems, giving attendees
a priceless opportunity to apply critical learning to reallife business challenges.”
AUTOMATICA 2018 In June we have a date in Munich with automatica 2018. The show’s organisers say that the event, which takes place from 19 to 22 June, features the world’s largest range of industrial and service robotics, assembly solutions, machine vision systems and components. It gives companies from all relevant branches of industry access to innovations, knowledge and trends with a great deal of business relevance. It has already allocated more exhibition space than in 2016 and the increase in area from international exhibitors is 16%. The area increase for first-time exhibitors is 12%, including Dürr Systems, Rollon, SIASUN Robot, Siemens, Sumitomo, TÜV SÜD, Volkswagen and WAGO Kontakttechnik.
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CONFERENCES
Two points of focus this year is a new integrated subject area, IT2Industry, and how to unlock the potential of service robots. IT2industry The new integrated subject area, IT2Industry, focuses on the interplay between automation and information technology, a core component of digital automation and robotics. The idea is that IT2Industry provides companies with guidance on current digitalization trends in industry, promising strategies and important IoT technologies. The organisers explained that the industrial Internet of things (the Industry 4.0 concept) will play the leading role in the future. Highly complex, automated production machines and robots are networked with each other and throughout a company. This creates multi-site, flexible production systems, which not only produce automatically, but which also control themselves as well as service and maintain themselves to a great extent. The consulting company PwC estimated in a recent study that German industry will invest an average of 3.3 percent of its annual sales in Industry 4.0 solutions over the next five years. This corresponds to almost 50 percent of the planned new equipment investments and an annual investment of more than 40 billion euros relative to the entire German industry. In order for Industry 4.0 applications to function, companies must invest in IoT platforms, among other things, which connect the machines to the Internet as well as safeguard, analyze and control them and provide the necessary interfaces for access to applications and other systems. In a survey conducted among 385 IT decision makers primarily from the manufacturing sector in autumn of 2017 by IDG, 57 percent of the respondents
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(picture: Care-O-Bot Paul in action at Saturn Ingolstadt)
stated that IoT platforms are an indispensable technology. It is already used by approx. 22 percent of respondents. In combination with IoT, those surveyed cited security technologies (53 percent) and cloud computing (48 percent) as also essential. In the same study, 64 percent of respondents estimated the importance of IoT for their own company as “very high” or “high”. IT and automation in production Nevertheless, the manufacturing sector is considered as only “moderately” digitalized with 42 index points, according to the Monitoring Report Wirtschaft Digital. According to the investigation conducted by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology, this industry is consequently lagging significantly behind comparatively highly digitalized sectors such as the information technology and telecommunications industry and providers of financial and insurance service. This lagging behind has various causes, and the high complexity of digitalizing production is certainly one of them. Digitalization presents two main challenges for industry: the digitalization of production and the digitalization of business models and processes.
The digitalization of production is the focus of automatica 2018. This involves linking complex, highly-automated production machines and robots “intelligently” with state-of-the-art IT and Internet connectivity to get the best of two worlds: the low cost of mass production with substantial customer proximity and customization of solutions for craft enterprises or factories. IT2Industry, the subject area of automatica, consequently brings together two worlds: IT and automation. In this area, something is actually growing together now, which belongs together in times of digitalization. In the subject area IT2Industry, not only relevant software and hardware providers, integrators and consultancies are exhibiting, but there will also be intensive discussions about robotic automation, big data, cloud, security and of course IoT. The exhibitors include both traditional IT vendors such as Trend Micro Deutschland and proALPHA Business Consulting as well as companies that offer practical industry 4.0/IoT applications or platforms, for example, Essert, WidasConcepts, fabrikado and SW Schwäbische Werkzeugmaschinen. The key to unlock potential of service robotics Human-robot interaction is a key to unlock the potential of service robotics believes the organisers of automatica.
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They say that advances in human-robot interaction, enabled by graphics displays, artificial intelligence and sensors, are ushering in a new generation of service robots that are easy to programme and intuitive to use. automatica will demonstrate how state-of-the-art products and systems – from flexible, collaborative robot tools to smart warehouses and humanoids—which place people at the heart of their design, enabling not only better assistance and collaboration but also reduced costs. This view is echoed by CEO of PAL Robotics Francesco Ferro who said: “We don’t have a magic solution, but we’ve improved a lot. When we made our first biped robot in 2004, we needed at least five engineers to use it. Now, a client can turn it on and control it themselves. In the future, we will only have to speak with the robot and it will complete a task.” The company explained that their robots are already used for entertainment and in healthcare. They are 18 months into a retail pilot with a robot that autonomously navigates aisles full of shoppers to provide an exhaustive, daily, 3D inventory. It’s something few retailers can currently achieve, but this kind of data is invaluable for optimized decision making, explains Ferro. What’s more, retailers are also taking advantage of highly adaptable mobile robots to provide in-store guidance and information for customers. Equipped with a dazzling array of features, including multi-modal controls with reassuring feedback in the form of expressions, lights and sounds, the Care-o-Bot 4, is now marketed by Unity Robotics, a Fraunhofer IPA spin-off. The robot’s award-winning design can already be seen hard at work at the German electronics store, Saturn Ingolstadt, helping customers find products and summoning staff when human assistance is needed.
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A core technology for industrial and service robotics The European Commission’s Horizon 2020 (H2020) work programme identifies humanrobot interaction (HRI) as one of four core robotics technologies, to which it is pledging project funding of EUR 66 million for 2018–20. Head of Robot and Assistive Systems at Fraunhofer IPA Martin Haegele said: “Human-machine interaction or HRI is considered key for both industrial and service robotics. The robot is a part of a scenario operated by professional end-users and service companies, in agriculture, healthcare and rehabilitation, logistics, security and retail. Most of these applications share one common feature, they operate without a safety fence. Exposed to everyday environments, robots have to meet safety standards, they have to be operated safely and intuitively, so obviously HRI is the most important feature.” For logistics, increasingly safe and effective interaction between robots and humans holds the promise of highlyflexible warehouses, the focus of H2020 funded project, SafeLog. With sensors embedded in their mandatory safety vests, human workers can be easily located by the system, while augmented reality assists them in a variety of roles, providing picking, navigating and maintenance information. Improving capabilities for robots, empowering businesses The drivers behind safe, dependable human-robot interaction are artificial intelligence, machine learning models and sensors, such as the illuminating artificial skin, developed by TUM’s Institute for Cognitive Systems to react to proximity. Europe leads innovation to embody intelligence into mechanical robots. The objective is to make machines that are sensitive enough to not only avoid potentially harmful contact, but so they can even be guided with a feather.
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CONFERENCES
“An area that I find really exciting is how to simplify teaching tasks to robots,” says Samuel Bouchard, CEO of Robotiq, Canadian manufacturers of collaborative robot tools. “Right now, we’re still using very lowlevel instructions. It requires a lot of expertise. If robots can have a higher level of abstraction, it’s going to be much easier to collaborate. The challenge is to put more intelligence into the different components.” The company’s goal is to empower businesses by showing them how to install robots by themselves, thus helping them to overcome workforce challenges, including a shrinking labour pool. “Obviously, the real goal is that we need to collaborate seamlessly. The service robotics area at automatica 2018 will have an array of HRI technologies, being developed to provide safe, economical, flexible automation solutions; to safeguard the jobs of older employees and to allow controls and even emotional quality of experience to be tailored to the user, and leading to one of the most significant technical step changes in robotics.
UKIVA MV CONFERENCE SPEAKERS Henry Harris-Burland, VP Marketing from Starship Technologies, the creators of self-driving delivery robots, was the first keynote speaker to be announced by the UKIVA machine vision conference organisers. Harris-Burland will give a presentation outlining the capabilities of the robot and
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discuss the future, what they’ve learned so far, the challenges they have faced, social acceptance and more. Starship robots are advanced personal delivery devices that carry items within a 2-mile (3km) radius, using pavements to make their deliveries. The Conference and Exhibition is to be held at Arena MK, Milton Keynes, UK on Wednesday 16th May 2018 (www. machinevisionconference. co.uk). The robot is equipped with nine, or ten cameras, radar, and ultrasonic sensors that create an “awareness bubble” allowing it to detect and avoid obstacles such as pedestrians, cars and cyclists. A proprietary positioning system which includes GPS, but is accurate down to 2cm, allows it to find the exact location to which it is delivering the order. A robot can hold the equivalent of three shopping bags of food up to 22lb in weight in a locked compartment that can only be opened using a code sent to the recipient via their mobile phone. Starship Technologies was founded in 2014 by Ahti Heinla and Janus Friis who were both involved in the creation of Skype and has its business headquarters in San Francisco. Extensive street trials have led to orders from major organisations such as Just Eat, Hermes Parcel Delivery in the UK, Domino’s Pizza Enterprises in Germany, Postmates and Doordash in United States and the company has established other partnerships worldwide. The company is carrying out a major trial at present in Milton Keynes itself, and will bring a robot along to event to dispense soft drinks and sweets during the lunch period so that visitors can see it in action. A ‘robot ambassador’ will be on hand to answer robot questions and engage with visitors. The keynote presentation will be made at the beginning of the afternoon session.
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Venturer Driverless Cars Project to be second keynote at UKIVA The Venturer Driverless Cars Project will form the basis of the second keynote speech at the conference. Professor Tony Pipe, Deputy Director at Bristol Robotics Laboratory, UWE will get the morning session of the conference and exhibition underway with a presentation about the project. The Venturer Consortium, led by SNCLavalin’s Atkins, consists of ten public, private and academic experts, including BAE Systems, Williams and Bristol Robotics Laboratory.
The project assesses the responses of passengers and other road users to driverless cars as well as looking at the enabling technology and developing an understanding of the insurance and legal implications of increased vehicle autonomy. These are all crucial factors that will influence wide scale adoption of CAV capability. Two practical trials using the consortium’s autonomous vehicle, BAE Systems Wildcat, have already been completed. The first was carried out in the Williams Advanced Engineering simulator and the second on roads under carefully controlled conditions. The Wildcat is equipped with a situational awareness system
utilising complementary sensor technologies including radar and cameras. UKIVA Chairman, Paul Wilson said: “We are delighted that Professor Pipe has agreed to give this keynote speech and we now have two keynotes that are looking at very different types of autonomous vehicles. While the Venturer project is concerned with passenger vehicles, our other keynote speech from Henry Harris-Burland, VP Marketing at Starship Technologies covers the development of advanced, self-driving personal delivery robots that can deliver food or shopping within a 2-mile (3km) radius in an urban environment.
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EPSON
THE EVOLUTION OF ROBOTICS: MEET YOUR NEW COLLEAGUE
By Volker Spanier, Head of Robotics Solutions for Epson Europe Robots have transformed the workplace and will take industries to new levels in the coming years as technology, workplace practices and industry processes become increasingly innovative. To date, robots have notably taken their place in large-scale production, but advances in robotics technology are presenting sizeable productivity and profitability opportunities for a wealth of industries where more smallscale, lean and agile operations are required. As the market share of robots is expected to surge over the coming years, the market is
turning to trusted, market-leading brands such as Epson for support. Even though there is some way to go until robots become the norm, innovative robotics technology is supporting the move towards a more nimble and sophisticated robotic workforce every day. In fact, the number of industrial robots deployed worldwide is expected to increase to around 2.6 million units by 2019. That is about one million units more than in what was previously considered record-breaking back in 2015.
Furthermore, next to the rise in the number of industrial robots, advanced cobots (‘collaborative robots’) are expected to increase too. While they only accounted for 5% of global robot sales in 2015, Barclays Equity Research estimates that this $120 million market could jump to $3.1 billion by 2020 and $12 billion by 2025. That would mean 150,000 cobots sold in 2020 and 700,000 in 2025.
OPENING DOORS This is all happening because robotics are opening doors to more opportunities for local production (reshoring) and the development of more tailored products for consumers (personalisation). In addition, as increased cooperation with humans, including physical cooperation, becomes apparent, novel business models and deployment strategies are entering other industries including services in healthcare and hospitality. As these demands grow, and innovation evolves, smaller, smarter and more nimble robots are becoming the clear contenders to match the fast-paced and dynamic requests of consumers around the world, as well as the growing sense of sustainability. To support this, market leaders are advancing access to these technologies. The price of robots is coming down as more entrylevel robots become available for purchase directly from websites. As such, the possibilities of offering a
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EPSON
modular approach to robotic solutions are becoming more apparent as are robot systems that can be sold at a low cost and adapted by the end user. The capacity of robots to adapt to different products or needs is improving at breakneck speed too. While they may still be ten or so years away from the dexterity needed to pick strawberries as well as a human can, developments in sensing technology such as Epson’s Force Sensor, are already enabling robots to automatically modulate the force they apply to objects. This is rapidly expanding their capabilities and allowing the automation of complex tasks that formerly required human sensory perception. In fact, certain robots can now work at speed with incredible precision, picking up and sorting elements that are neither aligned nor identically positioned.
ADIDAS AND MANGO In practice, the advent of all of this can be seen in the reshoring activities of two well-known European apparel manufacturers – Adidas and Mango. Adidas has recently set up a speed-factory near Ansbach, allowing the production of a shoe in five hours from start to finish. Mango’s decision to reshore some parts of production is mainly for the same reasons. Thanks to the benefits brought by new technologies like robots, 3D printers and body scanners, they hope to be able to develop new collections every two weeks instead of three. For both companies, although large-scale production remains elsewhere, robotics technology is allowing them to react faster to market changes by shortening the value chain and moving production closer to the end-user. New robots such as the Dual Arm, currently in the final stages of development, from Epson aim to go one step further and eliminate the need for detailed programming by
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allowing the robot to create its own preferred trajectories and actions based on specific objectives. This ease of programming reduces the need for a specialised skill set to manage the robot, and allows for one machine to be relocated and reused within a factory for multiple tasks.
GROWTH
transformed into our essential, go-to mini-machines smaller than our back pocket? Robots will continue to get smaller, smarter and more sensitive – and it is nothing to be concerned about. In fact, it is more a case of being prepared for a future where our jobs are more stimulating and creative, where we have access to more personalised solutions and greater access to goods. As robots become more nimble, we humans must too.
The growth of robotics in Europe continues to pose questions for the labour market. Robots may not yet be able to pick strawberries or thread laces but they are learning fast, understandably for some this is seen as a potentially worrying development as robots are able to take on roles previously occupied by humans. Others point to a different scenario however; yes, robots will take over some jobs, but as with previous industrial revolutions in the past, new ones will likely also be created. In a few years, we will all look back and relate to robots going through the same process as the smart phone: remember the size of the first mobile phones that have now
Volker Spanier, Head of Robotics Solutions for Epson Europe
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ROBOPRO BUSINESS
BUSINESS MIR TRIPLES REVENUE AND AIMS FOR RECORD YEAR IN 2018 Mobile Industrial Robots (Odense, Denmark and Stony Brook, NY, US) tripled revenue in 2017 to USD12m and aims to reach USD32m this year. Around 25% of sales came from the US, 20% from Germany and 15% from China. The company has also made senior appointments, with former PricewaterhouseCoopers and LEGO Education International managing director René Tristan Lydiksen becomming chief commercial officer and Danfoss R&D director Søren E Nielsen appointed as chief technology officer. The current CTO Niels Juls Jacobson moves to chief strategy officer. According to MiR CEO Thomas Visti, growth in 2017 was primarily due to multinational companies that returned with orders for larger fleets of mobile robots after they tested and analyzed the results of their single MiR robots. He said: “Of course, it’s about reading the market and analyzing developments; we saw some positive trends in 2016, but we aimed very high. For us, it was about having a strong plan to ensure we could execute in development, production and sales. I always say that
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what happens in three years in other companies happens in three months at MiR, and the speed at which we have grown certainly bears that out.” In 2017, MiR more than doubled its employees from 27 to 60 and intends to increase staffing by another 50 employees in 2018. It is doubling the size of its headquarters in Odense, and added a large test and training center in Odense in 2017. Also during 2017, MiR established offices in Shanghai, Barcelona, Singapore and Dortmund, to be closer to its markets and its current 120 distributors spread across 40 countries. In the US, MIR is investing heavily to respond to what it says is strong demand. The company established its first international office in New York in 2016, and will open a San Diego office in 2018 to support West Coast distributors and customers. Planned hires of six new sales and technical support staff in 2018 will more than double the number of US employees. A significant factor in MiR’s growth was the spring 2017 launch of the powerful MiR200, which can lift 200 kg,
pull 500 kg, is ESD-approved and cleanroom-certified. Visti said: “MiR200 has been very well received and represents a large part of our sales. The product meets clear needs in the market and increases potential applications for autonomous mobile robots. We’ve also launched a new and extremely user-friendly interface for our robots, which even employees without programming experience can use. It makes it even simpler for our customers to implement and use the robots.” MiR continues to invest strongly in product development and in the organization to ensure that it maintains its status as the market leader. Vistiagain: “While the market for mobile robots is still at an early stage, it is expected to explode in the next one to two years as more companies discover the possibilities of using mobile robots to automate internal transport. MiR is fully ready to seize the opportunities and hold its market-leading position.” MiR claims to have more robots manoeuvring through facilities all over the world than any other manufacturer. Its customer list includes Honeywell, Argon Medical, Kamstrup, Airbus and Flex and many others, MiR now has more robots maneuvering through facilities all over the world than any other manufacturer, as confirmed by ROBO Global LLC. This benchmark index tracks the global robotics and automation market and has been licensed by fund providers in the US, England, Canada, South Korea and Australia.
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ROBOPRO BUSINESS
SECOND ROBOTICS AI FUND FROM BRITBOTS ON TARGET BritBots (Martlesham, UK) which promotes UK robotics companies, has launched its second British Robotics Seed Fund and is on target to be well subscribed. BritBots said in an update that the fund had: “…attracted a lot of investor interest and has been well subscribed.” The fund is managed by Sapphire Capital Partners, a specialist manager of tax-efficient funds. The first British Robotics Seed Fund is now fully invested, leading the seed rounds of six high-potential robotics and AI related ventures. The new fund will focus on SEIS-qualifying investment opportunities, aiming to deliver significant tax benefits to investors. What’s more, there will be scope for the fund to make a number of investments under the EIS scheme when there are scale-up opportunities for existing portfolio companies.
focus on machine-learning and enabling technologies for autonomous robotics. Britbots meets with hundreds of businesses each year and has already earmarked a number of exciting businesses as potential investments for the fund.
“The second fund will look to back world-class entrepreneurs with global product opportunities. There will be a particular focus on machine-learning and enabling technologies for autonomous robotics.
The latest statement went on to say: “In a climate where returns on listed investments are constrained, exploiting the rapid global adoption of robotics and AI systems whilst also benefiting from attractive tax reliefs under SEIS/EIS makes for an exciting highgrowth investment strategy, as part of a broader portfolio. Opportunities for significant investment returns in this sector are becoming widespread, with more than 50 robotics and automation companies being acquired over the last year, for a total consideration of more than £20 billion.
Britbots meets with hundreds of businesses each year and has already earmarked a number of exciting businesses as potential investments for the fund. The success of the fund was recognised by this year’s EISA Awards. Dominic Keen, founder of Britbots said: “I’m delighted to be able to launch our second robotics fund. It is the best way for an investor to get access to mixed basket of shares in the exciting robotics and AI growth companies that are shaping our economy for the decades ahead.”
BritBots said that there has been rapid increase in the number of roboticsrelated start-ups and the new fund looks to partner with entrepreneurs and academic robotics teams to deliver high-value businesses that can deliver superior returns for investors. The second fund will look to back worldclass entrepreneurs with global product opportunities. There will be a particular
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ROBOPRO BUSINESS
NEW ANGLIA CAPITAL SEEDS SPARK EV Spark EV, which is developing an artificial intelligence-based journey prediction system for electric vehicles (EV), has recieved a £50,000 investment from New Anglia Capital as part of its seed investment round. Launched in 2017, Spark EV analyses live driver, vehicle and other data sources, such as the weather and congestion, using its advanced algorithms to increase the accuracy of journey predictions for electric vehicles. The company, which recently expanded into new premises at Lanwades Business Park near Newmarket in Suffolk, will use the money to expand business development. This includes adding a trade manager to support overseas sales, particularly in Scandinavia, where it is already receiving strong interest. The system uses a combination of easy to install sensor technology, cloud-based machine learning analysis software and a powerful smartphone app. Fleet managers and drivers enter their proposed journey and get advice on whether they will be able to complete it – based on live data, previous trips and charge point locations. This delivers reassurance to fleet managers and drivers that they will be able to schedule and complete jobs without running out of charge, removing range anxiety while increasing the amount of potential vehicle journeys by an additional 2.8 per day. Research carried out by the University of Cambridge’s Judge Business School estimates
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that the global market for EV prediction solutions will rise to at least £501m by 2022.
target an estimated half a billion pound market with our AIpowered EV prediction solution.
New Anglia Capital is a coinvestment fund aiming to stimulate entrepreneurship across Norfolk and Suffolk, with £2m of funding from New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP). The fund brings businesses and angel investors together to kick-start new products and innovative ideas into thriving new businesses, as well as support existing high-growth companies.
“As well as excellent transport links and proximity to Cambridge, our new Suffolk office gives us flexibility and space to grow, and crucial facilities, such as EV chargepoints, that enable us to demonstrate and develop our technology.“
CEO of Spark EV Technology Justin Ott said: “Since we launched Spark EV last year we’ve seen increasing interest from fleet operators looking to move to electric vehicles, but who have been previously worried about efficiency and range anxiety. This new investment from New Anglia Capital, on top of money from the Low Carbon Innovation Fund, will help us meet this growing demand and
Board member at New Anglia Capital Andrew Proctor said: “New Anglia Capital is dedicated to nurturing exciting, innovative new businesses and helping them grow and achieve their potential. The electric vehicle market is expanding enormously. Spark EV’s technology solves the key problem of anxiety over vehicle range, which is currently holding back the adoption of electric vehicles by fleets. We’re pleased to be able to support such a ground-breaking local business, and believe it has a bright future ahead of it.”
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ROBOPRO IN FOCUS
ROBOPRO SPOTLIGHT We bring a selection of featured companies into the spotlight for you
Cone Drive Tel: 1-888-994-2663 Technical Support: ae@conedrive.com Customer Service: orders@conedrive.com Web: www.conedrive.com
Cone Drive is a world leader in precision motion control technology. We work with our customers every step of the way - from design specifications to the final solution - to create highly precise and specific products that keep our customers' technology at the forefront of their industry. Cone Drive offers dedicated engineering support, unique solutions, and innovative technology across a breadth of industries and products to drive your company forward. Cone Drive Harmonic Solutions (also known as strain wave gearing) offer the ultimate in precision motion control technology. Our product range includes gearheads and component sets designed to exceed the most demanding motion control applications. Cone Drive delivers customer value with fast lead-times, dedicated global support, ability to effectively deliver engineered specials and product ratings that meet or exceed the competition. Cone Drive looks forward to enabling your company to meet and exceed your growth plans.
ABB Robotics offers a wide range of robotic solutions, integrated with the latest advances in robotic technology, for the entire scope of the manufacturing industry. From automotive and aerospace through to food and plastics production, all sectors can benefit from the added value that a robotic solution brings to the shop floor. Coupled with forward-thinking business initiatives and incremental adoption of digitalisation, the factories of today can become the smart factories of tomorrow.
ABB Robotics Tel: +44(0)1908 350300 Email: robotics@gb.abb.com Web: www.abb.com/robotics
A global race to achieve advanced automation has begun. Robots are at the centre of this race and support both large-scale OEMs and global enterprises through to mid-sized suppliers and micro-sized local start- ups. Whatever the business size or location, our robots can bring the same benefits of reliable production, greater productivity, improved precision and flexibility. Our robotic solutions span from large-scale high payload robots suitable for loading and unloading heavy parts, through to smaller collaborative robots which can be easily integrated to assemble components safely alongside skilled workers. We also support manufacturers wishing to fully embrace the digital revolution with our cross-industry digital capability ABB Ability™. This includes Connected Services which, via the MyRobotApp, unlocks a world of possibilities in predictive, proactive and immediate robot support.
LMI Technologies Tel: +1 604 636 1011 Email: contact@lmi3d.com
At LMI Technologies we work to advance 3D measurement with smart sensor technology. Our award-winning, FactorySmartŽ sensors improve the quality and efficiency of factory production by providing fast, accurate, reliable inspection solutions that leverage smart 3D technologies. Unlike contact based measurement or 2D vision, our product removes complexity and dramatically reduces implementation cost. To learn more about how LMI’s inspection solutions can benefit your business, we invite you to contact us at contact@lmi3d.com or visit us at www.lmi3d.com to explore the possibilities of smart 3D technology.
Web: www.lmi3d.com
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ROBOPRO IN FOCUS
Staubli
Since 1982, Staubli have built a highly regarded robotics business, and more significantly, transformed the way thousands of manufacturing operations perform. Today Stäubli Robotics is a leading player in robotics around the world, consistently delivering engineering as effective and reliable as our service and support.
W: www.staubli.com/en-us
Xilinx W: www.xilinx.com
Maxon Motor Tel: +1 508-677-0520 Email: info@maxonmotorusa.com Web: www.maxonmotorusa.com Adress: maxon precision motors, inc.
Xilinx is the leading provider of All Programmable semiconductor products, including FPGAs, SoCs, MPSoCs, RFSoCs, and 3D ICs. Xilinx uniquely enables applications that are both software-defined and hardware optimized – powering industry advancements in Cloud Computing, 5G Wireless, Embedded Vision, and Industrial IoT. Rising demand for multi-axis, vision-guided, safe, secure, and intelligent robotics are driving interest in scalable embedded systems. Xilinx All Programmable SoCs and MPSoCs enable parallel, deterministic control guided by real-time analytics that offload the processors from computationally intensive and time-critical operations leaving bandwidth for other tasks. This distinctive capability offers designers of robotic systems more degrees of freedom than traditional approaches and creates a flexible, complementary division of labour between previously disconnected hardware and software domains.
Maxon motor develops and builds precision drive systems. Our DC motors with ironless windings are among the best in the world. They are used wherever requirements are demanding and engineers cannot afford compromise: maxon motors drive NASA's Mars rovers and are found in countless applications around the globe. They’re in medical technology, robotics, aerospace & defense, test and measurement, Industrial automation and assembly. maxon not only provides DC brush and brushless motors, gearheads, encoders and controllers but with over 50 years of experience in drive technology, we offer our extensive know-how and work closely with engineers to help create the right system solution for their high-tech innovations. Whatever your requirements may be, we are happy to be of assistance with our global sales network, six production sites, and more than 2000 employees worldwide.
101 Waldron Road, Fall River, MA 02720 USA
Keba Tel: +43 732 7090- 23399 Email: gsb@keba.com Web: www.keba.com Adress: KEBA AG Headquarters, Gewerbepark Urfahr, 4041 Linz/Austria
Founded in 1968, KEBA AG is an internationally successful electronics company based in Linz/Austria with subsidiaries around the world. In line with its credo, “Automation by innovation”, KEBA has been developing and producing inventive, topquality automation solutions for industrial, banking, services and energy automation branches. Indeed, as a result of competence, experience and courage, KEBA is the technology and innovation leader in its market segments. Extensive development and production expertise represents a guarantee for the highest quality. Robotics of the next generation: The KEBA portfolio in the area of robotics ranges from turnkey robotics (KeMotion) and safety solutions (KeSafe) to innovative mobile operating solutions (KeTop) and an open control platform (KeMotion FlexCore), depending on the requirements of the customer. KeDrive for Motion is the fast, scalable and compact all-in-one-system. The basis for KEBA robotics solutions is more than 50 years of experience on the market and profound application knowhow. 100 % of development and production takes place in house at KEBA. If you would like to know more about how KEBA can help you with smart, innovative and flexible robotics solutions, please contact us.
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Connecting Global Competence
Systems, key technologies and components for service robotics ■ Distribution trades ■ Agriculture ■ Logistics ■ Health-care ■ Cleaning ■ Security ■ and much more
The Leading Exhibition for Smart Automation and Robotics
June 19–22, 2018 | Munich automatica-munich.com