With a clear focus on smart manufacturing, energy efficiency and flexible production, Delta’s state-of-the-art solutions are actively shaping a new era of industrial transformation.

“The industrial world is facing a turning point – digitalisation, the energy crisis and a shortage of skilled workers demand integrated, networked and, above all, adaptable solutions,” explains Michael Mayer-Rosa, Head of Intelligent Robotic Systems (IRS) and Senior Director Industrial Automation Business Group EMEA at Delta Electronics.

“With our cobots and broad industrial automation solutions portfolio, we will be demonstrating at SPS how companies can meet these challenges with our innovative technologies. Only those who think of robotics, data and energy as an overall system will remain competitive in the future.”

Smart advances for industry

The focus of this year’s trade fair appearance will be on networked and energy-efficient solutions that show how productivity and sustainability can be combined in modern manufacturing environments. The company will focus on the following innovations and highlights at the booth:

AX5 Safety-Series: New SIL3-certified safety modules with FSoE support add built-in safety features to the AX5 platform – without additional licenses. The AX-5 supports distributed safety control to enhance the protection of particular areas and process, making it ideal for high-level of human-machine collaboration, e.g. warehouse and logistics, food and beverage, packaging and woodworking. The AX-500SC00-0S (safety controller), AX-504AM20-0S (4-channel input) and AX-504AN02-0S (4-channel output) modules are fully programmable in DIADesigner-AX, are particularly compact due to the AX-5 form factor. The combination with the AX-500CEC00-0A or ASDA-A3-EP enables a comprehensive solution for safe motion applications.

NC5 CNC-Platform: The new generation of controllers take precision and flexibility to a new level. Equipped with commands tailored for specific applications and RTCP technology, the NC5 controllers deliver high quality surface processing with in-depth know-how. The graphical programming interface and dedicated CAD/CAM make process and path adjustments effortless – perfect for modern machine builders.

Live-Highlight: Delta’s SCARA robot with the RGB-D ToF Camera DMV-TM shows how precise image processing and robotics interact – in a quick, interactive demo directly at the booth.

All solutions follow Delta’s guiding principle: to intelligently combine automation, energy and data.

Intelligent robotics solutions for flexible manufacturing

With the D-Bot Robotics Platform, Delta bundles its robotics solutions and focuses on quickly deployable applications for flexible production.

Radar Demo: A Delta D-Bot DC08 shows new possibilities for contactless object detection with the help of Waveye radar technology.

Virtual Integration: Combined with high-fidelity digital twin and the Cognibot-Kit, Delta’s D-Bot DC08 demonstrates how robotics, simulation, and AI combine to create a powerful platform for the factory of the future.

A vision for the future

With its coordinated solutions for robotics, IoT and energy management, Delta offers a clear path towards smart, sustainable and connected production. Visitors are cordially invited to experience the diverse solutions at the Delta booth in Hall 7, Booth 360 and to explore new and innovative ways of digitization and automation with the company’s experts.

On stand 123, Routeco’s demonstration cell is based around a high-speed Comau SCARA robot. This Comau cell provides a unique experience showcasing how robots and cobots can be controlled using Rockwell Automation’s Studio 5000 PLC programming software. By utilising the EtherNet/IP protocol, the demo highlights how to seamlessly network Guardmaster safety systems, Cognex vision solutions, and fast-moving independent conveyor systems working in conjunction with a Comau robot.

This powerful combination exemplifies the future of manufacturing, delivering unmatched performance and reliability. Routeco will also be sharing some exciting news on the day linked to its expanding range of mechatronics supply partners.

On stand 80, The LG Motion will be showcasing a live precision pick-and-place demonstration in an industrial automation setting. Visitors will see a Techman Robot collaborative arm integrated with OnRobot grippers and tooling, all controlled and engineered by LG Motion. The demo replicates a realistic production process, highlighting accuracy, speed and flexibility in handling components for manufacturing environments.

Unlike static displays, this demo combines camera vision, AI capabilities and adaptive gripper technology to perform highly precise automated movements. Techman’s built-in vision system, paired with OnRobot’s advanced tooling, allows for seamless detection, handling, and placement of objects with repeatable accuracy. It demonstrates how plug-and-play robotics can be deployed quickly for diverse applications from education and R&D through to production environments.

On stand 183, Bosch Rexroth is bringing its Arkite demo to the Action Area at MachineBuilding.Live, showing how this innovative operator guidance platform transforms manual workstations into digital and interactive environments.

Using augmented reality projection technology, Arkite guides operators step-by-step through complex assembly tasks directly at the workstation. Key benefits of Arkite include real-time guidance: projected light instructions reduce errors and speed up training for new staff.

Other advantages include quality assurance through the automatic recognition and validation of each production step to ensure ‘right-first-time’ assembly with a reduction in rework. Arkite also aids productivity with shorter cycle times, faster onboarding and fewer mistakes help improve overall efficiency. Finally, there are connectivity advantages too: the system easily integrates with MES/ERP platforms for data exchange and process monitoring.

The EUCHNER Action Area on stand 201 features a fully-working warehouse storage and retrieval system, built using LEGO Technic. It uses the unique EUCHNER MGB2 and CKS2 key entry system and there is a fully working gate system with safety over PROFISAFE/PROFINet.

The MGB2 and CKS2 solution is said to be one of the fastest growing safety solutions with adaptation across multiple industries and segments – it gives a high level of safety protection as well as increasing productivity through easier access and control of personnel.

On stand 163 in the Action Area, Visicon will highlight the magic that happens when you combine the latest in machine vision systems with Dobot collaborative robots, and how this enables you to unlock the potential of automation with an affordable and accessible solution. Visicon is an integration partner in the UK for Dobot Robotics, which itself is on a mission to make robot solutions affordable for the masses.

Visitors to MachineBuilding.Live will be able to talk to industry leaders about a whole range of automation technologies. Click here to register to attend.

Manufacturing companies often need to scale their capabilities and capacity quickly to meet the demands of customers serving high-volume markets such as automotive components, building automation, and IoT. Winning a tender to supply original components to a big automotive brand is a major coup for a parts maker and is a cause for celebration.

On the other hand, the win also challenges the supplier to meet obligations that are often complicated and can demand careful investment in new automation. The customer may order a relatively small number of units to test the water before placing major orders, and there may also be a ramp-up period.

A small business needs to be smart to manage the transition from being the winning tender to becoming a trusted long-term partner. Financially, making a large up-front investment in new equipment may not be feasible and risks being left with over-capacity if the business ultimately goes in a different direction. On the other hand, they need to be ready to deliver according to the agreed schedule as soon as they get the green light.

Free pallets automation

Free pallets is a flexible and scalable approach to automated manufacturing processes. Using free pallets automation is widely appreciated as a flexible approach to manufacturing products continuously, in high volume. The workpieces are mounted on pallets that move independently between workstations, usually on a conveyor or track system. They are not rigidly fixed and can be stopped, rerouted, or buffered as needed.

In a typical free pallets process, automated equipment at each station performs a specific task on the workpiece carried by the pallet, such as welding, assembly, or inspection. The pallets move asynchronously, each at their own pace, depending on the time taken to complete the process or availability of the next station. Pallets can be diverted to different paths or stations based on the product type, quality checks, or production logic. Because the pallets can queue between stations, upstream and downstream processes can operate at different speeds.

There are inherent advantages in this approach that are of particular benefit to small manufacturers. Extra stations can be added quickly and cost effectively, or unneeded stations removed, without redesigning the whole line, thereby easing scalability and letting businesses adapt as customers evolve their requirements. Also, by directing different products to follow different paths, small businesses can support mixed-model production and customise individual units if required. In addition, by decoupling the process timing between stations, automation with free pallets minimises bottlenecks and ensures resilient and maintenance-friendly manufacturing. If one station stops working for any reason, other stations can continue.

Automation with standard conveyors

Automotive components, smart heating controls and other engineering assemblies are often produced this way, enabling manufacturers to optimise flexibility and uptime. In an EV battery assembly line, for example, the battery modules are placed individually on their pallets and move through the sequence of processes. The first process may perform an automated inspection before the pallet moves to the next station for automated screwdriving. The final station then completes the sequence by laser welding the battery pack. If the welding station is busy, the pallet can wait or can be rerouted to an alternate welding cell.

Free pallets has proved effective in numerous manufacturing scenarios. Yamaha Robotics has worked with the systems integrator El.Mec, from northern Italy, which has created modular manufacturing cells for free-pallets processing using robots from the extensive Yamaha SCARA portfolio. The cells leverage an innovative design with standardised external electrical and mechanical interfaces that can be connected directly to other cells when the time is right to extend the production line for increased production output or faster throughput. This lets equipment operators scale-up their production lines even more quickly and easily than is possible in a conventional free pallets line.

The cellular concept helps manufacturing companies bid for large contracts despite having only limited capacity, confident that they can accelerate throughput and adapt individual processes as needed to fulfil their obligations throughout the lifetime of the project. Each cell contains a set of production stations and, by integrating Yamaha SCARA robots, these stations ensure fast and efficient cycle times when assembling and handling workpieces such as valves and small mechanisms. The stations can be manually withdrawn for maintenance, adjustment, or adaptation if required.

Faster and more flexible

By also integrating the Yamaha LCMR200 linear transfer system, the latest generation of this standardised cell can operate at a higher line rate than is possible when transporting the workpieces using conventional conveyors. Powered by linear motors, the LCMR200 sliders travel at up to 2500mm per second. The speed, acceleration/deceleration, and stop positions are programmable, and therefore easy to setup, fine-tune, and adapt as needed.

The sliders can carry up to 30kg and can hold the workpiece accurately to let the robots perform processes such as screwdriving, glue dispensing, or palletising without dedicated tooling. The cells are thus easier to use and setup, throughput is enhanced, and the system is also extremely quiet, even when operating at full speed.

The sliders are driven independently and encoders feed back position information continuously to the main controller. In addition to letting the system optimise throughput and prevent collisions, the position and timing data can drive quality control and process improvement. Moreover, the information also enables per-unit traceability thereby simplifying compliance with automotive industry requirements. The position data is captured automatically with no user intervention or reliance on conventional identifications systems such as RFID, thereby helping avoid extra costs and engineering effort.

By integrating the linear transfer system, the assembly cells can be interconnected with extreme accuracy as the production line is scaled up. The mechanical tolerance between the sliders is closer than ±30 micron and circulation units installed at the end of the line utilise high-rigidity guides and a closed-loop system to eliminate any deviation due to ambient temperature variations.

Free pallets automation is a proven manufacturing technique that delivers flexibility for operators and can scale when needed to increase production capacity and throughput. Further enhancement, introducing standardised, interconnectable production cells and Yamaha’s linear transfer system unleashes extra speed and faster scalability, to let small manufacturers handle big contracts more confidently.

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At the event, TM Robotics will be showcasing the THE400 and THE600 SCARA robot models in a live, high-speed part handling operation, demonstrating the precision and throughput capabilities of the series. These models are part of a growing portfolio of SCARA solutions designed for assembly, inspection and packaging tasks in compact environments.

“This year at Automatica, we’re highlighting the full capabilities of our THE series SCARA robots – including ceiling-mounted, ISO Class 4 cleanroom and IP65-rated models,” said Nigel Smith, CEO of TM Robotics. “These options allow the THE series to meet a wide range of application requirements – from space-saving installations to stringent hygiene and environmental protection standards.”

Also on display will be the Infinifeed advanced feeding solution. Designed by Terra Automation and integrated by DOMA automation, the system is powered by a Shibaura Machine THE600 SCARA robot and offers seamless part feeding and sorting to streamline production lines.

Infinifeed combines high-speed vision processing with precise robotic handling to deliver unmatched flexibility and reliability in feeding a wide variety of parts – significantly reducing downtime and enhancing overall workflow efficiency. Its compact footprint and modular design make it ideal for manufacturers seeking scalable, intelligent automation systems.

Shibaura Machine and TM Robotics experts will also be on hand to discuss the full capabilities of its 6-axis robot ranges. They include the TV series, offering high-speed flexibility for complex handling tasks; the compact, space-saving TVL range for efficient assembly and handling; and the lightweight, cost-effective TVM models designed for streamlined production. These robots are compatible with a wide range of applications, including assembly, inspection and integration with CNC and injection moulding systems.

“Automatica 2025 is a key platform for demonstrating the depth of our robotic offering,” continued Smith. “It’s a chance to showcase how Shibaura Machine’s technology, combined with TM Robotics’ distribution, integration and support, delivers integrated automation solutions built on Japanese engineering excellence.”

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Azur Space Solar Power, which is based in Heilbronn, is one of the world’s leading companies that develops and produces highly efficient multi-junction solar cells for space and terrestrial concentrator systems (CPV). All solar cells are based on the latest triple and quadruple junction technology, in which the layers are built up on a germanium substrate.

During the production process, the 4-, 6- and 8- inch (100, 150 and 200 mm) diameter wafers undergo a PECVD process (plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition) in systems from Singulus Technologies. The solar cells are supplied in cassettes, removed from them and placed in the nests of special carbon fibre workpiece carriers, which are just a few hundred micrometres larger. Depending on the cell size, the 1000 x 600 mm carriers can hold four, nine or 16 wafers. To avoid collisions, a positioning accuracy of ±0.1 mm must be reliably met when loading the workpiece carriers. After being coated on one or both sides, the solar cells must then be placed back into cassettes.

Azur Space wanted to automate this previously time-consuming and cost-intensive manual process using suction pipettes. The position of the solar wafers with flats in the cassettes can deviate by ±5 degrees and ±3 mm and the gripping points are precisely defined, making this quite a challenge. In addition, the production-related tolerances of the carriers have to be compensated for, as must the shrinkage caused by cooling. This is due to the falling temperature of the workpiece carriers, which come out of the coating process at up to 350 °C and cool down during unloading and loading.

Positioning accuracy ensured

To realise this task, automation specialist acp systems developed an intelligent, vision-assisted handling solution with an industrial robot. Due to the limited space available, this was mounted on the ceiling of the loading area of the coating system and has a reach of 1,000 millimetres. The SCARA robot is equipped with a special flat vacuum gripper system that can be quickly exchanged to handle wafers of different sizes.

The robot takes out the wafer from the cassette and places it on a backlit alignment table. A camera system with a 12-megapixel camera is located above the table at a working distance of 680 mm. It detects the exact position of the wafer and sends this information to the Cognex Vision Pro software. Based on this, the software calculates the position and angle of compensation required to insert the wafer into the carrier nest and transmits the data to the robot controller. Any distortions in the camera system were compensated for during commissioning by calibrating it with a checker plate.

In order to overcome the manufacturing tolerances of the carriers and the shrinkage caused by cooling, each workpiece carrier is first centred by pulling it against a stop and indexing it. This allows the coordinate zero point of all carriers in the handling system to be reproducibly defined. Furthermore, to compensate for manufacturing tolerances, all carriers were accurately measured beforehand in their cold, new state and each was given a data matrix code for identification. This code is used to store relevant data in the controller so that the position tolerances of the carrier nests can be calculated and compensated for.

To compensate for the thermal shrinkage caused by the workpiece carriers cooling down, a fiducial mark was first placed in the corner of each carrier opposite the coordinate zero point, and this was also accurately measured precisely when cold. A second camera system is located above this, enabling the offset of the fiducial mark compared to the cold state to be determined. The software uses this information to calculate the compensation needed to set down the wafer accurately in position. This process is repeated for each wafer to be inserted.

Flipping station for turning the wafers

acp systems also integrated a flipping station for turning the solar cells so that they can be coated on both sides. This receives the corresponding wafers one by one from the robot and grips them at defined points with vacuum suction dots. After the wafer has been rotated by 180 degrees, the robot gripper picks it up again and transfers it to the alignment table.

Before the coated solar cells are placed back into the cassettes, a final quality check is carried out by the camera system on the alignment table. This checks whether the edges of the wafers are free of damage.

The vision-assisted robotic solution described above ensures that the extremely delicate solar wafers are handled with high precision and care. This is demonstrated above all by the fact that there have been no handling-related wafer breakages since commissioning. Overall, replacing manual handling with a fully automated system has resulted in significantly improved productivity and efficiency.

Injection molded parts tend to be produced in large volumes yet, at the same time, quality expectations are high. Even small cosmetic defects can be easily visible, while perfection in terms of form and dimensions is often critical in parts for applications like automotive components, electronic connectors, medical syringes, and surgical tools.

Contractors that specialise in this field can offer advantages such as cutting-edge design knowhow and process capabilities to OEMs that may have only limited in-house expertise and manufacturing capacity. With the potential for fast turnaround and economies of scale, they also need to ensure top-notch quality control and customer support. Yamaha has helped to raise the game in both respects with a solution bringing together the low-cost YK-XE SCARA, RCXiVY2+ vision system, and YRG electric gripper.

Quality control challenge

With an array of automated injection molding machines operated continuously, producing molded items at an extremely fast rate, shift workers were fully occupied palletising items as they were removed from the machines by high-speed take-out robots.

The established process flow involves these robots removing the freshly produced items from their molding cavities at the end of each cycle and placing them on a constantly moving conveyor. The conveyor transports the items towards the palletising station, dropping them into a collection box at the end of the belt. From this box, an operator picks the items one at a time to inspect visually and place in the pallet, discarding any that are seen to be defective.

The production team noticed that items could easily become damaged by impacts and rubbing when dropped in the box. Moreover, the box effectively randomized production, preventing the team from tracing any defective molding back to its cavity of origin. In addition, operators had little time to inspect each item, giving the possibility for defective units to be passed as OK and packed for shipping to the customer. They saw the opportunity to strengthen quality control in the factory while also addressing staffing challenges.

“Picking, inspecting, and palletizing the molded products, at a high rate, for the duration of a shift, is repetitive work that demands a high level of concentration. It’s not a popular job and this company was having difficulty finding people to work in those conditions,” comments Tatsuo Katakura, Sales General Manager at Yamaha Robotics FA Section. “A SCARA robot is the perfect starting point for a solution to quality control and automation challenges like this and our YK-XE range offers the opportunity to lower the cost of ownership by saving quality control overheads.”

Improving efficiency

Working with the customer to implement a solution, Yamaha engineers chose the YK400XE-4 from the low-cost, high-performance SCARA portfolio to take care of palletising the molded parts. Its 4kg payload capacity is ample for handling the small items and the arm structure, specially optimized for low vibration at high speeds, allows an extremely fast cycle time of less than 0.4 seconds; fast enough to keep pace with the work rate of multiple molding machines and take-out robots operating upstream.

With its arm length of 400mm, the YK400XE-4 has the perfect reach to pick items from the 300mm-wide conveyor and place them directly in the pallets that are 300mm deep and 400mm wide, as figure 2 also shows. Alternatively, the team could have chosen a SCARA from the YK-TW omnidirectional range.

By transferring the molded pieces directly from the conveyor to the pallet, the engineering team achieved two important goals. Firstly, items are protected against damage as they are no longer dropped into the collection box. Moreover, the SCARA can automatically associate the position of each item as it is placed in the pallet with its originating cavity ID. Recording this information can help the company strengthen quality control and drive improvement initiatives, as well as provide traceability information for customers if required.

Easy to integrate vision

To track items as they move along the conveyor, and thus calculate the position for the SCARA to pick each one from the correct location, the team turned to Yamaha’s RCXiVY2+ vision system. This system is conceived to integrate easily with the SCARA and is controlled from within the RCX robot controller. “Unlike conventional approaches that often require specialized computer vision expertise, the project team in this case was able to integrate the camera and accomplish the complete system setup independently within a short timeframe,” observes Tatsuro Katakura.

Yamaha has created special vision instructions that simplify programming for robot engineers. Directly integrating vision in the RCX controller saves coordinate conversion, which is often needed when mapping third-party vision data and robot point data, and it’s easy to calculate position whether the camera is in a fixed position or mounted on the robot. The robot program also controls the camera optics and lighting system.

“The RCXiVY2+ system has powerful features built in, including conveyor tracking for accurate high-speed pickup, random part-position searching, on-the-fly adjustment for orientation, and OK/NG judgement,” adds Katakura. “There is also a special blob detection function, which is up to 10 times faster than conventional edge detection, to quickly position the robot when picking up irregular shaped items.”

To complete the project, the team chose a YRG series gripper from the large selection of off-the-shelf accessories available directly from Yamaha. Like the RCXiVY2+ for robot vision, these electric grippers are controlled from the main RCX340 multi-axis controller and designed to be easy to use, requiring no data exchange with the host system. Leveraging full electric control of the gripper, the team was able to quickly configure and optimize parameters including speed, positioning, and gripping force, with sensor-free detection in the event of mis-gripping or dropping.

By accomplishing this project, introducing a robot to palletise injection-molded components has improved quality control, increased efficiency, and enabled the business to introduce traceability, which had been impossible to achieve before. The project team was able to highlight the advantages of the new system within the company, seeking the green light to expand the solution to other lines in the future.

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Developed by Shibaura Machine, formerly known as Toshiba Machine, the THE series of SCARA robots has become a gold standard in high-speed, precision automation. Designed to meet the evolving demands of industries such as electronics, pharmaceutical, medical, cosmetics and automotive component assembly, each robot in the series provides exceptional cycle times, payload handling and trajectory accuracy.

At Automate 2025, the company will display all four models from the range: the THE400, THE600, THE800 and THE1000.

The compact THE400 is ideal for fast, precise operations in assembly and inspection processes, particularly within the electronics and automotive sectors. With a maximum payload of 5kg and a cycle time of just 0.39 seconds (with a 2kg load), the THE400 offers impressive speed and accuracy in a compact footprint – ideal for limited workspace environments.

Building on the capabilities of the THE400, the mid-range THE600 brings enhanced performance for heavier loads and more demanding applications. Offering 60 per cent higher payload capacity compared to similar SCARA robots in its class, the THE600 delivers powerful performance at an accessible price point. It was the first model in the series to be introduced with Shibaura Machine’s TS5000 controller – a next-generation platform designed with Industry 4.0 readiness, predictive maintenance, edge computing protocols and integrated AI diagnostics.

For applications requiring greater arm reach and payload capacity, the THE800 provides a strong balance of power and speed. It supports a maximum payload of 20kg with an improved cycle time of 0.41 seconds and has been engineered for precision motion control with a redesigned mechanical structure. This model is ideal for customers looking to automate medium-duty handling, packaging or inspection tasks with increased reach and flexibility.

As the largest model in the range, the THE1000 will be demonstrated live at the show, executing a high-speed movement sequence while carrying a 20kg payload – a clear illustration of the robot’s exceptional balance of strength, speed and control. With a 1000mm arm reach, cycle time of 0.44 seconds and compatibility with the TS5000 controller, the THE1000 is perfectly suited for tasks such as electric vehicle battery assembly, large-scale pick-and-place and other high-throughput applications.

Nigel Smith, CEO of TM Robotics, emphasised the strategic importance of showcasing the full range of capabilities at Automate 2025. “Our goal at Automate is to show how Shibaura Machine robots can be the backbone of a complete automation strategy – whether you’re integrating one robot or building a full robotic cell.”

In addition to the SCARA robots, TM Robotics will also demonstrate the TVM1200, a 6-axis vertically articulated model from the TVM series. This robot features a reach of 1418mm and a payload capacity of 15kg, making it ideal for integration with auxiliary manufacturing systems such as injection moulding machines, die casting units and CNC equipment.

“The THE series and TVM series reflect Shibaura Machine’s continued investment in intelligent, future-ready automation solutions. By combining performance with reliability and ease of integration, these robots give manufacturers the confidence to scale and adapt as demands evolve,” added Smith.

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The business of making and selling is constantly evolving. Factory operators must respond to multiple forces for change; in markets, among competitors, from legislation, and the potential for disruptors to enter the competitive landscape. In the perpetual search for improvements, automation is a powerful tool that also demands significant financial investment and commitment of time and resources. Hence, planning properly is vital and the decision making must also recognise that the chosen automation, when installed, becomes part of the changing scene where flexibility is essential.

Robots have been widely regarded as a technology that can take over labour intensive manual tasks, but they can also offer a flexible, compact, and reprogrammable alternative to conventional factory automation. Machines in established formats, such as SCARA and cartesian robots, are available in small sizes, with arm length from over one metre down to a few centimetres. They can be rated for carrying loads from as much as 40-50kg down to less than 1kg and the fastest SCARA machines have cycle time below one second.

The broad choice of different types and sizes gives factory planners many options when seeking a suitable solution. They can begin by changing one process that may be causing a bottleneck, or change an entire assembly line that may involve any combination of manual work and conventional automation.

When beginning to evaluate robot-based automation, it is important to identify the locations the new machines can be deployed most effectively, for the greatest improvement. Starting with a small-scale implementation, migrating just one or a few processes to a robot-based implementation, is often advised. By starting small, a functioning solution can be realised relatively quickly and the project can highlight key implementation challenges that show where extra knowledge may be needed to accomplish subsequent projects. The experience gained can inform these activities as automation is expanded to encompass other processes in the production line and across the factory floor.

Since speed, accuracy, strength, and endurance are major advantages of robots, in addition to their programmable flexibility, introducing them in industrial processes can take advantage of one or a combination of these attributes. Their lifting capabilities are one example. Some industrial products, such as EV battery modules, can weigh between 30-50 kg.

On the other hand, containers filled with liquids such as engineering oils or cleaning fluids can weigh just a few kilograms. Introducing a high-speed SCARA robot at the end of the line can improve productivity by taking over the repeated lifting and moving, which can eventually become tiring for any human operator over the course of a shift. Fatigue brings an increasing probability of injury.

Moreover, the robot is capable of placing the item accurately in a required position. A human worker’s accuracy will deteriorate over time, particularly if the items weigh a few kilograms or more.

Implementation

Yamaha Robotics has demonstrated solutions that implement end-of-line processes using robots, including a test and assembly station for electric vehicle batteries, at recent industry exhibitions in Europe. This battery module handler illustrated heavy lifting, rapid positioning, and accurate placement of 35kg lithium-ion modules in a test fixture for electrical testing, followed by stacking the modules in battery packs.

Accuracy is another strength of SCARA robots and smaller machines can take over precision assembly tasks such as press-fitting components or driving screws. Pneumatic screwdrivers are widely used in assembly areas, to help operators work quickly and ensure the correct torque is applied. However, errors can occur. One example is where screws are required to be inserted in deep holes. Some can be missed as operators cannot see whether a screw has been inserted. Automating the screwdriving processes provides certainty that every item is inserted and tightened satisfactorily.

A robot installed at a specific workstation in the production line can take over a task like screwdriving and significantly improve overall production yield and quality assurance. An articulated robot, or cobot, can perform the task in much the same way as a human operator, ensuring greater repeatability. Alternatively, a SCARA robot, integrated together with a suitable screw feeder in a compact work cell, can deliver the superior repeatability as well as an extremely fast cycle time. The smooth motion control that characterises SCARA robots also makes these machines ideal for dispensing air-curable adhesives, gasketing materials, or sealers.

Another popular approach is to deploy robots in offline processes, such as testing electronic assemblies and personalising or individually configuring products before storing in inventory or shipping to a customer. In 2024, Yamaha demonstrated a solution that configures electrical connectors in accordance with instructions in a network file. The cell contains a SCARA robot that selects and loads the appropriate punching tool, with integrated vision to verify the correct pins have been punched and that there are no burrs.

The process is guided by barcode to prevent errors and can handle different connectors in the same operation. Automated loading and unloading of electronic assemblies into a test fixture for in-circuit and functional testing was also demonstrated, based on a cartesian robot to ensure precise positioning of the assembly for electrical continuity.

Selection and optimisation

Creating a turnkey automation solution demands a combination of skills to bring together robots and software, application-specific tooling, and system integration. To ensure the robots can operate as efficiently as possible, the workflow and physical layout of the plant may need to be adapted.

Suitable simulation tools can provide valuable help to plan the production line, select the most appropriate types of automation for each process, and optimise the cycle time and throughput. By providing tools to create digital models of production lines, simulation software helps visualise layouts and workflows before physical implementation, as well as helping to pinpoint any bottlenecks or other inefficiencies in the system by simulating the flow of materials and processes and the interactions between robots, other automation, and people throughout the factory area.

Simulating with tools such as the Robot Simulator in Yamaha RCX Studio permits experimenting with different configurations, equipment placements, and workflows. This enables project teams to find the most efficient setup before committing to hardware or making any physical changes in the factory.

Working with appointed sales agents and system integration partners, Yamaha continuously works on developing robot cells for specific manufacturing challenges. Drawing on these experiences can help expedite solutions to commonly encountered issues

Automating with robots can deliver an effective solution to enhance manufacturing productivity, while ensuring flexibility to adapt to changes in production requirements or product design features. Whether deployed inline, or in standalone processes performed offline, robots can be introduced selectively to prove the approach and build experience before scaling up to automate an entire sequence from end to end.

Simulation is a powerful tool that can augment careful study into optimising processes, the positions of robots in the line, and the cycle time, to achieve the highest possible equipment utilisation. The skills and knowledge of external organisations, including the robot supplier and system integrator are essential to realise an effective and optimised solution.

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Through this new organisation, OMRON is further investing in the long-term success of its customers, by ensuring quick decision-making and world-class technical support, as well as strengthening its specialised expertise across Europe. The investment also comprises OMRON’s Automation and Robotics Centres of Excellence in Annecy, Barcelona, Dortmund, and the newly opened Automation Centre in Stuttgart, and an extensive network of Proof of Concept (PoC) labs that support local customer innovation.

The specialised organisation in Europe consists of a dedicated, passionate team of sales, application, and services engineers. They will operate at both European and country level, and work closely with the global robotics organisation. The new setup will enhance targeted technical expertise, whilst allowing OMRON to respond even faster to evolving customer needs.

“Robotics plays a vital role in our vision for the future of automation. This investment reflects our strong focus on building expertise, quality of service, and helping our customers stay competitive,” said Fernando Colas, CEO of OMRON Industrial Automation EMEA. “We are putting the optimal structure in place to ensure continued excellence in innovation and customer satisfaction.”

“I’m excited to kick off this new initiative, which is all about helping our customers get the most out of their robotics investments,” said Vincent Nabat, General Manager of OMRON Robotics EMEA. “With a dedicated robotics organisation, we’ll be able to respond faster to local needs, offer more direct access to technical expertise, and collaborate even more closely with our customers on co-development projects with fixed, mobile and collaborative robots.”

The new organisation also strengthens ties with OMRON’s global R&D and robotics teams, alongside the newly established European R&D team. This supports faster innovation and the delivery of solutions that are closely aligned with the specific needs of European customers.

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Here, exhibitors from all over the world will show how robots, cobots, and humanoids interact with and support humans as new exciting job descriptions are created.

Cobots are gaining ground in the world of work. They assist in rehab therapy, perform monotonous administration tasks, or work in canteen kitchens. For example, automatica exhibitor FANUC will present a cooking station where a cobot makes sandwiches and a six-axis industrial robot prepares meals. And Yaskawa will demonstrate smart gastronomy solutions with the potential to compensate for the lack of staff.

Bender+Wirth is a practical implementation example for cost-efficient automation. The mid-sized company was looking for a solution for CoB (Chip-on-Board) component assembly, but conventional system integrators didn’t fit the budget. They implemented their automation in-house with their own robot cell design based on SCARA robots supplied by Epson.

Managing Director Martin Bender comments: “The ease of integration and programming was the decisive factor – our employee was fully capable of setting up the system after attending training at Epson.” This example shows that even comparatively small companies with limited resources can benefit from modern robotics.

Digital cobot risk evaluation

In addition, a new patented system developed by Fraunhofer IFF facilitates the risk assessment for cobot deployments, which is required by law. “At automatica, we will present a patented system that makes this risk assessment significantly easier,” says Dr.-Ing. Roland Behrens, Human-Centered Systems Department Manager at Fraunhofer IFF in Magdeburg.

“This is particularly beneficial for small and medium-sized companies requiring greater levels of automation but lacking the financial resources to hire a conventional system integrator. This solution enables users to independently carry out risk assessments without any prior knowledge.”

This development could be another boost to cobot deployments as many companies are indeed focusing on the acquisition of robots to compensate for the shortage of skilled workers. And since cobots are becoming increasingly affordable while programming and parameterization become easier, robot deployments are now economical for small companies, too.

At automatica, igus will prove just how cost-effective the adoption of robotics can be. This Cologne-based company offers cobots starting at EUR 5,000 and uses its own production facility to demonstrate associated use cases.

Alexander Muhlens, Head of Low Cost Automation Business Unit, says: “For example, we use robots in our injection molding plant to remove sprues. The robot costs around EUR 10,000 and return on investment is achieved after just six months.” This makes cobots an efficient solution for SMEs, particularly since commissioning does not require any robot specialists.

AI qualifies robots for new tasks

The easier and more intuitive collaborative robot handling gets, the more application potential is unlocked. So it is unsurprising that manufacturers do everything in their power to qualify their cobots for the widest possible range of tasks by using artificial intelligence. For example, Universal Robots has lately presented the UR AI Accelerator as a solution for developers to equip their robotics solutions with the latest AI technology.

Delta Electronics has taken a similar path. The company will use automatica as an opportunity to showcase their innovative Cognibot Kit and how it enables fitting cobots of the D Bot series with advanced cognitive capabilities such as voice control, 3D machine vision systems, Artificial Intelligence, and more. Delta significantly expands the range of these cobots’ deployment options across various manufacturing environments through improved performance.

Michael Mayer-Rosa, Global Head of Intelligent Robot Systems (IRS) at Delta, comments: “The Cognibot Kit unlocks cognitive robotics for companies of all sizes. This is particularly advantageous for countries such as Germany where SMEs form a large part of the economy and are faced with labour shortages. Easy integration into existing environments was a key focus as it enables smaller companies to take advantage of the efficiency and flexibility that cost-effective solutions for automation in production, logistics, and service offer.”

Such workable, simple solutions are what European SMEs need – and automatica is the place to find them. And the best part is that the barriers to entry for automation will decrease even further very soon. Robot and systems manufacturers are working hard to develop voice-controlled models intended to make programming easy for just anyone. automatica will show just how far the developments in this sector have already come.

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