PRODUCTS & SERVICES
Omron’s TM Series
Collaborative Robot uses
integrated vision and
3D positioning to offer
an even more advanced
toolkit that allows it to
respond effectively to new
requirements as they arise
during manufacturing
www.electrichybridvehicletechnology.com // January 2020 // 143
strain on plant employees by moving
heavy payloads from one location
to the next. They can also make
the workplace significantly safer
by taking over welding tasks that
would otherwise put workers in the
pathway of extremely hot objects.
Even if a particular job isn’t
dangerous, it could be repetitive
enough to cause injury – or at least
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boredom. If a robot can do this
task instead, why not improve an
employee’s job satisfaction by giving
it to another entity? The simple-touse
teaching function of Omron’s
collaborative robot makes it easy to
hand over a day’s worth of repetitive
work, whether it be machine
tending, assembly, screwdriving,
or dispensing sealing material.
The argument in favor of giving
repetitive tasks to a collaborative
robot is strengthened by the
observation that robots are able to
perform them with much greater
quality and consistency.
Checking dimensional tolerances
is an example of a task in which a
cobot significantly improves the
outcome. Every part – particularly
the power transmission and engine
assembly – in a vehicle needs to
have specific dimensions, and
cobots can make sure all parts
are within the desired tolerances.
With a highly adaptable design,
cobots can be redeployed to almost
any task in almost any workspace
without requiring changes to
production layouts. One particular
capability that is unique to Omron’s
cobot is that it can locate parts
coming down the line in any
orientation. This powerful use
of integrated vision eliminates
the need for complex, rigid
fixtures that confine parts to
extremely specific placement.
As manufacturers strive to
design production lines that build
multiple vehicle models, ranging
from gas-powered to hybrid to fully
electric, human creativity is needed
to design the most e icient layouts
and resolve any bottlenecks that
may arise.
If a collaborative robot replaces
a human worker on a machinetending
task, the operator can focus
on more complex activities such as
quality inspection or line-change
planning and preparation.
Ultimately, the benefits of
incorporating collaborative robots
into the automotive production line
are immense. Operators performing
back-breaking tasks such as lifting
heavy parts can now quickly set up
a cobot to take these over, and the
ability to hand o welding tasks to
a cobot is another step towards
keeping workers out of danger.
Whenever a human touch is
needed, the cobot can work safely
and seamlessly with an operator
to add finesse and consistency.
No longer fenced o like
traditional industrial robots are,
collaborative robots can quickly
learn new tasks on the fly and use
integrated vision to respond flexibly
to new parts that require new jobs
to be done. With the automotive
industry trending towards highmix,
low-volume customization
to accommodate the needs of
customers choosing between
electric, hybrid and other options,
cobots present a welcome solution
to the challenges that arise.
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