Rise of the robots

General-purpose robots offer a fast, low cost way of manufacturing products – especially if there is still some uncertainty as to final design. Despite this, the UK is one of the lowest purchasers of robots among industrially advanced countries. Eureka asked Martin Walters, managing director of ABB Robotics, if there was an advantage to using special purpose production machines and lines, as is common in the UK. “Special purpose production machines are faster, but usually die if the product dies,” he said – and could have added “if the design changes substantially”. General purpose robots, though, can fairly easily be reprogrammed to do almost anything, or turned to making a completely different product, should the original idea turn out to be a dud. Walters added: “About 40% of the world’s robots are in Japan and 2% in the UK.” ABB estimates that, by the end of 2006, only 800 new robots were sold in the UK by all suppliers – while 1,000 were sold by ABB in France alone. “Manufacturing in Western Europe – without productivity, through the use of automation – will find it harder to compete effectively against aggressive overseas competition,” he said. “Robots can provide the answer. However, UK manufacturers also need to be educated about the long-term benefits of using robots in their plant.” He also said that in recent years, the UK has purchased fewer robots than Germany, Spain, Italy, France, Australia and Canada. If robotic manufacturing is to be adopted, it is necessary to consider this from the design stage. Because they are constructed as a series of large, cantilevered arms with considerable inertia, robots are not as precise as special-purpose machines – so tolerances need to be a little larger. If tight fits are anticipated in a mechanical product with moving parts, it is worth building in polymer seals that will quickly wear to shape when the product starts to be used. Nonetheless, robots offer advantages in manufacturing, and ABB is launching a campaign entitled “10 ways to unlock your plant’s robot potential”. The reasons cited are: reduce labour costs; improve product quality/obtain more even quality; improve quality of work by eliminating hazardous, heavy and/or repetitive work cycles; increase output rate; increase product flexibility; reduce material waste; comply with safety rules; reduce labour turnover/difficulty of recruiting workers; reduce capital costs (inventory, work-in-progress, floor space etc; and space saving. ABB cites the example of Cornwall-based Characteristix, which makes badges, magnets and key rings along with other moulded plastic items. In recent years, such items have been made in China. But they can be delivered to market faster – without giving away any manufacturing secrets – if they are made in the UK. The company has transformed its moulding and printing process with a manufacturing cell comprising an ABB six axis IRB 140 robot, plastic injection moulding machine, beam robot, conveyors, and a pneumatic printing press. According to Andy Knight of Characteristix, “Many of our staff, who were previously employed on manual labouring tasks, have risen to the challenge of robot-based manufacturing –participating in robot programming and operator tuition to enhance their skills.” According to ABB, the cost of a six axis industrial robot fell 50% in real terms between 1990 and 2005. Pointers * Special purpose machines are faster, but are much less flexible if a product design has to be abandoned or changed substantially * The UK is way behind other industrialised countries in its use of general-purpose robots * If a product is to be manufactured using general-purpose robots, this needs to be considered at the design stage