An aura of success Comau Robotics

an auRa oF suCCEss

Tobias Daniel, head of Sales & Marketing at Comau Robotics & Automation Products, talks to Barbara Rossi about the important innovations launched by the business unit in the past two years, including the AURA collaborative robots.

Tobias Daniel

Comau Robotics & Automation Products is the Comau division that spearheads industrial robot design, production and sales of articulated robots, in addition to the Scara range. It is also specialised in a series of industrial automation products, such as spot welding grippers and roller hemming tools, just to mention two of the most significant solutions. Furthermore, the division designs and offers its own robot handling software, 3D simulation and other solutions for specific applications, such as welding. In addition, the robot range also benefits from next-generation control technology and Teach Pendant featuring a cutting-edge humanmachine interface. Therefore, Comau Robotics & Automation Products is a 360° partner for whoever needs to robotise a production line; it can respond to customers’ needs and provide all the robot automation components.

A global leader

The fact that both Comau itself and the Robotics & Automation Products business unit have a global presence is very important for customer care and after sales, as its specialists remain close to their clients and quickly meet their needs. Since the start, Comau has been present on the global market, given that the Consorzio was originally set up to manage an important project in Russia. Today the company operates at a global level and is present in 17 different countries, with 33 facilities, 15 production plants and five innovation centres. It employs about 12,600 staff with headquarters in Turin. Thanks to this international presence, which is concentrated where the major industrial companies have their production plants, Comau can guarantee the highest level of customer care.

One feature which distinguishes Comau from other large automation companies is its investment in training for secondary school, graduate and post-graduate students through the Comau Academy. Investing in young people is a strategic factor because it allows Comau to select the best resources and help them grow within the company. In fact, every year young people all over the world apply for the Masters and the other training programmes organised by Comau and its academic partners. The Comau Academy also offers training programmes for professionals working for other companies. The newest program, the Executive Masters in Manufacturing Automation & Digital Transformation, organised together with the eminent ESCP Business School, is due to start in January 2017.

Traditionally Comau has been a top player in the automotive sector, thanks to its affiliation with the FCA Group and its vast experience in this field, gained since the establishment of 'Consorzio Macchine Utensili' in 1973. While staying true to its roots, the company has widened its robot offering, especially in the past few years, to include other General Industry sectors. This expansion strategy – marking a new Comau-branded robotic era – is defined by the inclusion of new machines of different sizes, particularly small robots, and the expansion into new market segments. “This is the direction of our endeavour to create new Racer robots (Racer7-1.4 in 2014, Racer7-0.99 and Racer3-0.63 in 2015, Racer5-0.63 and Racer5-0.80 in 2016) and the recent Rebel-S Scara robots, available in five different models,” Mr Daniel explained.

Today, in addition to offering automotive solutions, Comau serves multiple industrial sectors including food & beverages, electronics, plastics, mechanics, foundry and so on. Within these sectors, it offers solutions for all possible applications: pick & place, assembly, palletisation and logistics, press machine and line tending, handling and more besides.

Recent innovations

To drive the changes that are transforming the world of industrial production, the company has completed numerous important innovations in the past two years. Between 2014 and 2016 Comau has presented 12 new robot models, between articulated and Scara, in addition to having introduced its own collaborative robots which

are an absolute market first – no other collaborative robot is able to handle 110kg at the wrist. Furthermore, it has presented a new motion-control software, developed and presented new robot controls (C5G) – including an 'Open' model that can internally integrate the codes of different machines and tools – and evolved its Teach Pendant (TP5). Moreover, with its partner B&R, the company has started the openROBOTICS project, a solution which offers complete integration of the robot controller with existing machines and production lines that feature B&R automation components. In this way, thanks to openROBOTICS, the robot is directly driven by the machine itself. This translates to technological simplification for the line operator, who can now program and exploit a robot just like any other automation tool that is managed by dedicated Mapp software.

Among the most recent innovations launched by Comau, the AURA (Advanced Use Robot Arm) collaborative robots deserve a special mention because they represent a real quality leap in collaborative robotics. In fact, the Comau collaborative solutions, such as the hollow wrist solution which is able to handle 110kg, are able to safely handle very high payloads. This technical feature is possible thanks to the sensors which are installed under a layer of protective foam and the combined use of other technologies, all integrated with each other. 'Sensitivity' management is a unique feature of Comau’s solutions. “For the first time, AURA combines the perception of physical proximity to a person – or to any other automation component – with actual contact and its connected intensity,” Mr. Daniel continued. “The combined use of these technologies, to which there is the added use of laser scanners to identify the position of people in the work area, can manage the robot’s deceleration and motion. The robot therefore comes to a complete stop only when it is very close to, or in actual contact with, the operator. But that’s not all. When AURA is touched, it not only stops moving, it can also react to the operators’ needs. Moreover, the solution also includes the assistance of a vision system, which is integrated into the robot control technology. This transmits data regarding the proximity of the robot to the people present in the work area. It is therefore possible, through specific software, to predict the robot’s movements and modify its path accordingly.”

The combined and integrated use of sensors and control features guarantees that the Comau collaborative robots can be installed in any position, even on the ceiling, without having to worry about vibrations. Therefore, AURA does not need to make compromises when it comes to design, layout and performance.

Investing in the future

The investments that Comau has planned and continues to implement will help to transform the entire world of industrial automation. “For Comau, production process automation means simplifying human work and helping the operators with their most difficult, heavy and repetitive tasks. This happens according to certain guidelines: first of all, the machines must be easy to use. Secondly, they must be able to integrate different sensors and technologies; in this way, the machines can become reliable colleagues for the human operator. Finally, it is necessary that all technologies are able to leverage the enabling role of the Internet. This allows us to control in real time what happens in the plants, process a huge quantity of data, supporting a company’s strategic and tactical decisions, and integrate information coming from different work environments.”