Within the manufacturing business, robotic machine tending has lengthy been seen as troublesome and complicated. It takes a whole lot of ability and expertise to automate the duty of loading and unloading a CNC machine.
This perceived complexity of machine tending has been a deterrent for a lot of companies. Robotics additionally looks like an costly funding, because it requires you to buy new and specialised gear.
Over the previous few years, machine tending automation has grow to be lots easier to make use of. Because of the appearance of collaborative robots — and, extra lately, robotic software kits — you now not have to fret about coping with the complexities of robotic know-how.
All you want is an understanding of the fundamentals and also you’re good to go!
Listed here are 10 explanation why machine tending automation is now simpler to make use of than ever…
1. Robotic know-how is less complicated to make use of
Because of the persevering with development of robotic know-how, machine tending automation simply retains getting simpler and simpler to make use of.
For nearly all of business historical past, machine operators have needed to have a tendency CNC machines manually. Robotic machine tending has been an answer for a few years, however the know-how has been restrictively complicated, particularly for machinists who do not usually have robotics expertise.
Lately, robots have grow to be really easy to make use of that even machinists with no robotics information can use them.
2. Methods can combine with any CNC machine
One drawback with typical machine tending options is that they require a whole lot of customization and complicated programming.
Conventional robotic integration strategies contain interfacing with the CNC machine’s communication protocols. This may be troublesome to implement, significantly for older machines that weren’t designed with automation in thoughts.
New automation options, just like the Robotiq Machine Tending Answer, can interface with nearly any CNC machine because it makes use of non-invasive integration.
3. Robotic programming is now not an elite exercise
Many individuals imagine that robotic programming is troublesome and requires a whole lot of expertise. Previously, this was true… however not anymore.
Today, programming robots for machine tending duties is now simpler than ever earlier than. With the programming wizard supplied in a robotic software equipment, customers simply want to pick a number of properties of their activity and this system will do all of the complicated programming work mechanically.
4. Plug-and-play software kits simplify all the things
A latest improvement in robotics is plug-and-play software kits. These include all the things it’s essential to deploy a robotic to a specific software.
An software equipment will embody elements such because the robotic arm itself, the controller, extra {hardware} (corresponding to that required to interface with the CNC machine), and all mandatory software program.
An instance of such an software equipment is the Robotiq Machine Tending Answer.
5. Robots are extra inexpensive than they was
Robots are more and more turning into extra inexpensive, which is opening robotic automation as much as extra new customers. Corporations that would not have been in a position to afford machine tending automation up to now can now entry it simply.
With extra folks utilizing robots, that is making them much more inexpensive as economies of scale come into play. This virtuous cycle is more likely to lead to ever-increasing numbers of robots being deployed throughout industries.
6. You’ve higher entry to help and coaching
One factor that makes any new know-how simpler to make use of is plentiful entry to high-quality help and coaching. Whereas some folks nonetheless assume that robots are troublesome to make use of, with the correct help and coaching, they are often extraordinarily user-friendly.
Sources like our free Robotiq eLearning platform cut back a whole lot of the friction historically related to robotic integration.
7. There are a lot of success tales to be taught from
If you find yourself contemplating investing in any new know-how, it may be extraordinarily useful to listen to the success tales of others who’ve used the identical know-how.
With collaborative robotic machine tending, there are actually loads of useful success tales you may view. These will help you see how others have utilized robots to their CNC machines.
Yow will discover some tales in our Case Research library and much more within the DoF robotics discussion board.
8. The payback time is impressively brief
One necessary issue for any new know-how funding is the payback time — the time it takes for the know-how to “pay for itself.”
A shorter payback time usually signifies {that a} specific know-how can have the next return on funding (ROI) over the course of its lifetime.
Collaborative robots usually have an impressively brief payback time in comparison with typical automation. A machine tending cobot will pay for itself in only a few months.
9. You may implement automation step by step
Typical automation was usually an “all or nothing” scenario — you both automated your total workflow otherwise you automated nothing.
With collaborative robots and trendy software kits, you can begin small by simply making use of machine tending to 1 CNC machine.
After getting validated the automation strategy with one machine, it is simple to copy-and-paste the robotic cell to different machines in your facility. This lets you step by step develop your automation over time.
10. Robotic know-how is continually bettering
Over the past decade, we have seen robotic know-how turning into simpler and simpler to make use of.
With these developments, we have seen increasingly folks beginning to use robots for his or her machine tending. Producers in numerous industries have discovered robots to be a fantastic answer to assist them enhance productiveness, cut back downtime, and make one of the best use of their human employees.
Robotic know-how is constantly evolving. With the arrival of software kits, just like the Robotiq Machine Tending Answer, it is now simpler than ever for brand spanking new customers to maintain up-to-date with the newest developments.
So… which machine tending activity might you automate?
What has been holding you again from automating machine tending? Inform us within the feedback beneath or be a part of the dialogue on LinkedIn, Twitter, Fb, or the DoF skilled robotics group.