Challenge I: Robots take too long to integrates

Integration is difficult. There are many moving parts and few widely adopted standards that can fully unite factory automation. In fact, an MIT reports on industrial automation found that robots used in industrial manufacturing plants typically have their own programming language and communication protocol, with around 17-20 different languages ​​in use, most of which are owners.

In a simple environment, autonomous manufacturing robots perform the tasks they are asked to perform. But the systems they're supposed to integrate with, 15-year-old programmable logic controllers (PLCs), add to the complexity of the job.

The result is longer-than-expected ramp-ups and too much reliance on external System Integrators (IS) who strip tribal knowledge from their systems as soon as they leave the building.

 "Can't we just have the robot [insert something that looks simple]?" "

Let's take a look at a particular task performed in the walls of an example industrial manufacturer: the delivery of gaskets. It's an easy task to automate. It's a simple loops that sees a part delivered from one location to another.

Soon after you identify a task like this that you want to automate, the word "just" begins to appear. Here is a list of "only" statements:

• “The robot only needs to stay an inch outside the perimeter. "

• “The robot only needs to respond by pressing a button that is normally pressed by the worker on the side of the line. "

• "The robot only has to signal a traffic light at the intersection to announce that it is crossing."

• "The robot only needs a few Opportunity Chargers to be able to power up while it waits for its next part to be delivered."

Pay special attention to statement that begin with "the robot only needs ..." or to questions that begin with "what if the robot only needs ...". These statements will blow up your timeline.

They will also explode your budget. Because? Because you've probably hired an IS to help with the implementation and consider the commitment a one-time expenses. Production lines are dynamic entities that requires constant restructuring, optimization and adjustment "on the fly". These are not one-time expenses.

Increase the magnitude of the problems mentioned above by ten. Then add in about fifty more obstacles, most of which were unforeseen, and expect to seek approval to implement custom solutions for each of the nine different decision makers.

Integration is difficult.

The solution: visibility

Suppose our industrial manufacturer uses a system that provides visibility to both the robot and the components it interacts with. You can keep your end goals transparently in view every step of the way. It's time to turn on the flashlight.

The Freedom Robotics fleet management platform provides a series of dashboards that provide visibility to any robot at all times. With the flashlight on, operators can identify issues causing delays on production lines and better manage them in the future. A quick glance at the dashboard illustrate a fundamental problem with external device connections.

Below you can see the problematic traffic light. Freedom's platform allows operator to identify the status of the traffic light and formulate possible solutions.

 Performance measurement is a straightforward process thanks to Freedom's data aggregation capabilities, which provide instant motion reports. Below is a report that highlights performance metrics associated with automating a particular task. As you can see, the issues that arise under the hood are easily identified.

 

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