Tasks of robotization of production processes

For the robot to function, an operator panel, a control unit and the robot itself are required. The operator panel is needed to control and program the robot, and the control unit is used as a controller.

Today, the selection of a robot is carried out on the basis of 4 parameters: load capacity, reach, accuracy, budget. Each of these parameters affects the final cost of the entire process of robotization of production, since the more complex work is needed, the more costs for development, installation and commissioning.

The first thing to look out for is the mass that the robot can lift. The next criterion is the radius within which the robot is able to perform the assigned tasks. The third criterion is how accurately the robot will work. The last criterion is the budget, since the quality of the robots used depends on it.
What is robotization of production processes for?

Today, robots can relieve manufacturing of a lot of problems. However, it should be understood that the list of problems that a robot is able to cope with depends on the specifics of production. The main tasks of robotization of production processes:

Ensuring maximum safety – minimizing the time employees spend in hazardous conditions.
Ensuring high labor productivity – minimizing the number of errors that the robot makes when performing its functions.
Ensuring the maximum quality of the robot’s performance of its functions – the number of rejects should not exceed 1%.

If you understand why you need to implement a robot and what tasks it will perform, 25% of the automation implementation work has already been done. But it is also worth understanding that if you want to robotize something that no one else has done, you will need the most qualified team of specialists.
Making a decision on the need for robotization of production processes
This is one of the key stages of production robotization. From the very beginning, it is necessary to understand whether robotization is exactly necessary for production. Having approved the need for robotization, it is necessary to develop a technical task. The correct formulation of the terms of reference is the key result of this stage. Without the correct formulation, the result of robotization may not coincide with expectations. To draw up a technical assignment correctly, you need a specialized company that integrates robots.

Next, a commercial offer is created. The entire robotic cell should be registered in it. It consists of a 3D model, algorithms, complexity and price. Also, the commercial proposal must define the payback period of the implemented robot system. This will allow you to assess the effectiveness of your investment.
ROS is the main technology used to build robots

Today, for the robotization of production processes, ROS is used – a special ecosystem that provides wide functionality. This ecosystem was developed back in 2007 and it is still very popular today. Its advantages:

The presence of a huge number of ready-made libraries.
Fast and easy integration with simulators.
Fast development process.
Open source.
It’s free to use.

However, like every technology, ROS has drawbacks.

The main disadvantages of ROS:

1. Lack of documentation.
2. Poor implementation.
3. Many bugs and shortcomings.
4. Lack of uniform standards.
5. Testability issues.

ROS is a pretty good ecosystem, but it has an alternative – ROS2. This is a product that has been rewritten from scratch and is popular among projects where support for Embedded platforms is needed. The main feature of ROS2 is the ability to use existing solutions.

ROS2 advantages:

1. Support for a large number of new robots.
2. Support for a large number of Embedded platforms.
3. Real time mode.
4. Support for imperfect networks.
5. Development of development and debugging tools.

The main competitor to ROS is RhoMBus (Robotic MicroService Bus). Its only difference is that it uses the NATS message queue as a master or server. Other qualities of RhoMBus are the same as those of ROS. By the way, RhoMBus (Robotic MicroService Bus) allows you to use any programming language in microservices.
Robotics is a key part of agile manufacturing

The automotive industry is a good example of the flexibility of robotics. Robotic manufacturing systems have undergone significant changes since their inception in the 1960s. Although factory robots are used in the automotive industry, manufacturing robotics are starting to spread to other industries.

Production robots are getting smarter and more flexible every day. The future is a place where many human tasks can be effectively taken over by robots.

Manufacturing robots will be especially important. This includes manufacturing processes that require very careful processing, such as in pharmaceuticals or the assembly of medical devices. Robots work tirelessly. They do not get sick or injured. These features make robotics very valuable in the industry.