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Controllable machines have fascinated humankind since
ancient times. But where do robotics and robots have their roots? What were the
milestones in the past and what will the future bring? What are the most
important components and how do these machines work? What are cobots and
nanobots? How intelligent are robots really? Can they develop feelings and
learn social behavior? We will explain the most important facets of a
technology that will fundamentally change the future of humankind.Robotics is a sub-domain of engineering and science that
includes mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, computer science, and
others. Robotics deals with the design, construction, operation, and use of
robots and computer systems for their control, sensory feedback, and
information processing. A robot is a unit that implements this interaction with
the physical world based on sensors, actuators, and information processing.
Industry is a key application of robots, or to be precise Industry 4.0, where
industrial robots are used.Areas of Application and Benefits of RoboticsCobotsCollaborative robots or cobots are becoming increasingly
important. In a growing number of areas in industry, conventional industrial
robots are being replaced by or backed up with collaborative robots. Cobots
work together with humans in production processes and are no longer kept
separate from their human co-workers with protective devices, like typical
industrial robots. Compared to traditional industrial robots, collaborative
robots are smaller, can be used more flexibly, and are easier to program.
Cobots don’t replace human workplaces, they supplement them.
Paradigm Electronics in Canada is a example: Productivity was increased by 50
percent by using cobots, and not one single job was lost. Staff carry out new
tasks in newly created areas of activity, such as programming the machines and
quality control at the end of the automatic production process. Experts from
the Boston Consulting Group assume that in the future the use of robots will
increase productivity per employee by up to 30 percent.Industrial robots. techiesin
Industrial robots are programmable machines that are used to
handle, assemble, or process workpieces in the industrial environment. Most of
these robots consist of a robot arm, a gripper, various sensors, and a control
unit. They can also carry out actions autonomously depending on how they are
programmed. Global robot density has increased significantly over the last
years: In 2015, on average there were 66 units per 10,000 employees, but this
has now risen to 74 units. In Europe the average robot density is 99, in the US
it is 84, and in Asia it is 63.According to statistics from the IFR (International
Federation of Robotics, the international umbrella organization of all national
robotics associations) in 2016, with about 31,500 installed units, the US
recorded an all-time high for industrial robots, a 15 percent increase over
2015. Worldwide in 2016 roughly 290,000 industrial robots were in use, 14
percent more than in 2015. This trend will continue in the future: Average
growth of 12 percent p.a. is expected in the coming years.Industrial robots in the automotive industryIn this key industry for robotics, machines have played an
important role in automated production processes for more than 50 years to make
workflows more efficient, safer, faster, and more flexible. The first
industrial robot, Unimate, was integrated into the production process at
General Motors in 1961. The robot was used there to remove injection molding
parts. In 1973, the first industrial robot began working at VW in Wolfsburg,
Germany. The in-house development, nicknamed “Robby” by its human co-workers,
was used in the production process for the Passat. According to a statistical
survey by the IFR (International Federation of Robotics, the international
umbrella organization of all national robotics associations), more than 17,600
industrial robots were in use in the US in 2016, 43 percent more than in 2015.Automated Guided Vehicles / AGV
An AGV is a driverless transport vehicle with its own drive
that is controlled automatically and guided without touch. AGVs are typically
used to transport materials in production facilities. In the industrial
environment, they represent the development from the traditional, bulky
conveyor belt to a space-saving, highly flexible solution. Warehouses are
another popular operating place for AGVs, where individual goods or large
ranges of goods are taken to defined packing stations where they are processed.
This type of robot generally moves at approx. 1-2 meters per second and is able
to transport payloads of up to roughly 2,000 kilograms. AGVs differ in terms of
their power supply, the tasks they carry out and the navigation and routing
process. Power is supplied either through a cable (for rail-mounted AGVs), the
rail itself, or a battery. The battery is charged via a induction charging
plate or at charging. marketingmediaweb