Universal Robots is focusing on automotive manufacturing with a new cable kit and teach pendant

According to a human-robot collaboration statement announced by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, working with cobots can improve worker productivity and reduce waiting time by 85 percent. The car profession is one of the earliest occupations to use traditional industrial robots and the earliest to widely use collaborative robots. Today, automation has penetrated almost every step of the car manufacturing process, from the production of parts and sub-equipment from Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers to the final product that rolls off the assembly line at the OEM production plant. A 2019 statement by the International Federation of Robotics shows that cobots are being added faster than traditional industrial robots. So, what are the pain points in car manufacturing that are driving the increase in demand for cobots?

With their agility, small footprint, fast payback and stable performance, Universal Robots' (UR) cobots are increasingly being used in the field of car manufacturing.

Universal Robots is focusing on automotive manufacturing with a new cable kit and teach pendant

　　Directly hit the pain points of the car manufacturing industry

Jacob Bom Madsen, Software Product Manager at Universal Robots, points out that parts in the car manufacturing industry have been highly automated for decades, but some missions, especially in assembly, are still highly dependent on manual labor, such as screw tightening. The agility and small footprint of UR cobots enable them to fulfill these missions, bringing tangible benefits to car manufacturers.

Jacob Bom Madsen explains: "One of the advantages of cobots is their agility. After conducting a hazard assessment, they are able to safely collaborate with humans in any direction and accomplish a variety of missions with excellence. The small footprint of cobots means they can be easily placed on existing production lines, pedestals or mobile channels. ”

For example, the car giant Opel has deployed UR10 cobots in its manufacturing plant in Eisenach, Germany, freeing workers from tedious and repetitive tasks, such as screwing screws into engine block air compressors.

Frank Croghan, Global Product Manager at Universal Robots, said: "Fulfilling this mission requires eight hours per shift, which can lead to strain. Cobots improve the health and safety of workers and together ensure consistent screw tightening operations. ”

Together, PSA Group, Europe's second-largest car manufacturer, has deployed UR10 cobots at its large plant in Sochaux, France, to perform screw tightening on the body-in-white equipment line. After the UR10 cobot is deployed, it improves the public service a little, provides operators with more ergonomic working conditions, and reduces production costs.

Sebastian Lars Lange, Global Key Customer Manager at Universal Robots, adds: "Traceability is key in highly regulated professions such as car manufacturing. Cobots can also assist manufacturers in manipulating and tracking critical production processes, such as the exact torque applied when attaching screws to the car body. The appeal of UR cobots is not limited to the screw drive mission. Our cobots are also used in the field of passenger cars for quality inspection, small parts equipment, dispensing and finishing applications. Our approach is to enable the car industry to deploy UR cobots at every step of the manufacturing process, from Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers to OEMs. ”

New cobot solutions

Jacob Bom Madsen said: "In order to achieve a high level of sensitivity, UR actively listens to the opinions of the end user and improves the product accordingly. For example, because car manufacturers expect to integrate the e-Series cobots on their production lines and require greater agility. For this purpose, UR has developed a new cable kit for the e-series channel. ”

UR's latest cable kit now features a base flange connector, which is a plug on the base of the cobot and is designed to make the cobot more sensitive for placement and maintenance.

Jacob Bom Madsen explains, "When placing a robot on a production line, two things can go wrong. It is possible that the robot is malfunctioning, or the cable connecting the robot is disconnected. ”

With the new base flange connector, in the event of a robot failure, the user is able to leave the cables and equipment in place, remove the robot, place the new robot in the same position, and connect the cables again.

Jacob Bom Madsen continued: "One of UR's North American customers likened the process to a quick tyre change in an F1 pit because it was really fast. ”

Because the availability of space in and around most car production lines is limited, manufacturers prefer to place robotic belongings near the production line. The new cable kit for the e-series includes a new 12-meter option that provides greater agility for cobot placements.

Similarly, car manufacturers are looking for ways to add to the range of their cobots with equipment ceilings and gantries and 7th-axis rail setups. That's why UR has included a new high-flex cable option in its cable kit for the e-Series to support this arrangement.

　　

The highly flexible cable is planned to handle 5 million repetitive bends at a specified bend radius, which supports a useful 7th axis device and significantly increases the range of the cobot.

To meet the needs of car manufacturers, UR has also developed an e-series teach pendant with integrated 3-speed enablement. The device is hardwareically and functionally integrated with the e-Series Teach Pendant, plug-and-play, and can be used in conjunction with any E-Series control box. In addition, the 3-position enabling device can be fully integrated into the Polyscope user interface to support all cobot movements, including free drive in manual mode.

Frank Croghan concludes: "Both the new e-series teach pendant and the cable set are a testament to UR's commitment to quality. Start with customer needs and end with customer satisfaction. In order to ensure the quality, we have done enough preparation and very strict testing. ”

Universal Robots is focusing on automotive manufacturing with a new cable kit and teach pendant

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