Robots are wingless without sensors

Industrial automation is inextricably linked to robotics. Previously rather rigid, complex-to-program systems but now almost literally "friends" who do the dangerous, monotonous and tedious jobs and can be deployed in multiple places for different tasks. Many features of the current generation of robots are determined by the sensors used. Specialist in sensors SICK therefore states: "In today's time, it is no longer about the robot itself, but about the tooling with all its sensors."

Sensors have become significantly "smarter" over time, making applications easier to implement. The sensor guides the robot in its difficult task without making the robot itself more complex. Techniques such as AI, calculating coordinates, filtering and pre-processing data happen in the sensor. This simplifies the control of the robot.

Henk Oosterhuis is Product Manager at SICK and comments: "Robots equipped with modern vision sensors can, for example, 'see' where and in what way to grip a specific product. Even if the dimensions or orientation are not accurately known in advance. Very useful when unloading a container of boxes of different sizes and weights. Furthermore, the sensors themselves have also improved. For example, today's 2D and 3D sensors are increasingly able to detect very smooth and reflective surfaces with a high degree of accuracy. This significantly broadens the scope of application of robots within quality control."

Universally applicable

Sensor developments are also making robots increasingly broad, flexible and universally deployable. Oosterhuis: "In fact, these days it is no longer about the robot as a platform or the arm itself, but about the tooling with all its sensors. The robot with its movement capabilities and degrees of freedom is standard. The specific tooling determines what it can do and what it should do in a specific place."

Universal applicability can be further enhanced in this regard by making a robot mobile. Either by allowing it to move autonomously in a specific space or by placing it on a chassis that can easily be placed at different machines. In this way, investments can be reduced because a limited number of robots is sufficient to load or unload a multitude of machines. 

Following on from universally deployable are developments within grippers. Here, too, sensors make it possible to accurately "feel" how best to grip specific products and what forces should be generated in the process. Enough force that gripping and movement is reliable, but gentle enough not to damage a fragile product.

Opinion

"As 'sensor specialists,' today we look very strongly at the environment and the task to be performed here," Oosterhuis points out. "After all, in addition to effective movement of the robot with its tool, safety is also very important. Whereas in the past this was mainly ensured by placing a robot behind a heavy fence, in today's era more and more cobots are deployed that cooperate with people. To prevent injuries, these robots are often equipped with sensors that indicate in time when they are in danger of colliding with an object or a human being and adjust their speed accordingly. But above all, you will have to make an assessment of how dangerous the final application is. After all, no matter how slowly you make a robot move: a cutting tool without protection remains dangerous."

In this way, the specialists at SICK always look closely at the entire scenario and tailor their advice and sensors accordingly. In doing so, they also take into account, for example, an existing overall control system that must be able to communicate with the relevant sensors. But also with the end user's desire to collect data for predictive maintenance, statistics or operations, among other things (how many rejects during quality checks, how often misses, how many operations per hour?). "And we've been doing that for decades and worldwide," Oosterhuis concludes. "Among other things, this offers advantages to OEMs who also supply globally. Through our many branches and partners, their customers are assured of quick on-site assistance when needed. A matter of sense."