Total versatility: flexible test station with cobot
16/04/2024
Manually checking the quality of components or products in industry is labour intensive for employees and also prone to errors. The Fraunhofer Institute for Mechatronic Systems Design IEM has unveiled a solution that provides total versatility in this area. Through an ‘it’s OWL’ supported collaboration with automated teller machine (ATM) producer Diebold Nixdorf and software specialist Verlinked, Fraunhofer IEM has created a combination of collaborative robot (cobot), artificial intelligence (AI)-based image analysis and an Internet of Things (IoT) platform. The system frees employees from having to perform visual inspections and can be incorporated into all types of testing scenario.
Cobots are considered a key technology in industry. Generally equipped with AI and sensor technology, these robots work alongside people in production facilities, unlocking flexible and intelligent automation concepts. In today’s world of batch size 1 manufacturing, fragile supply chains and new and ever-changing regulations, this is a crucial advantage over competitors. In partnership with Diebold
Nixdorf and Verlinked, the Fraunhofer researchers have developed a testing robot in the ‘its OWL’ project called CogeP (Cobot-supported test stations for Intelligent Technical Systems). Employees can use the robot to check the quality of ATM control panels quickly and without any errors, plus it is a snap to retool it for an ever-changing range of testing tasks.
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| Collaborative robots free production employees from having to perform labour-intensive and error-prone manual visual inspections Image courtesy of Fraunhofer IEM/Janosch Gruschczyk |
To check the control panels, the sensor-supported robot arm moves a camera over the components, workpieces or products to be analysed from various angles. The AI-supported image analysis feature analyses the quality and then the robot moves the camera to the next product. If the analysis software finds any defects, such as a screw sticking out or a wobbly plug connection, the system notifies the employees responsible, who can then zero in on the issue and correct it right away. This boosts productivity in production activities and employees also benefit from the cobot solution.
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| The AI-powered image analysis software is integrated directly into the robot arm’s camera module. If the software detects a defect, the system will notify the employees, who can then rectify the fault Image courtesy of Fraunhofer IEM/Janosch Gruschczyk |
Dr-Ing Eugen Djakow, Group Manager for Automation Technology and Robotics at Fraunhofer IEM, commented: “Manual visual inspections in production are a monotonous, labour-intensive task for employees and they are error prone on top of that. The testing robot handles these types of task quickly and reliably, which makes people’s work in production more interesting and less monotonous too.”
One highlight of the solution is the way it combines the testing robot with an IoT platform. It functions as a real-time data centre, assigning testing tasks, storing the results and collecting the corresponding data across different robots and assignments. This means that testing processes can be further optimised. The data collected can also be used to adjust the testing for new product versions, without having to put a lot of time and effort into programming. New product versions only require minor tweaks to the testing procedure.
“Cobot-supported test stations can collect all of the testing and operational data in the central IoT platform and access the information in real time. This means companies can reconfigure their testing routines to accommodate new requirements, without costly modifications or investments. In this way, the system offers total versatility as a tool for all types of testing scenario,” added Eugen.
The cobot solution can be used not only for testing processes but also for assembly, picking and packing and general plant support. Fraunhofer IEM also harnesses its years of experience in industrial process technology and expertise in areas such as machine learning for automated pattern analysis to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to incorporate cobot workstations into existing production processes, all at low cost and without major investments in time and effort. As with their larger counterparts, this allows SMEs to modify their production operations at short notice or adapt to small unit volumes, right down to single items.
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