Connected Production with Robots - Whitepaper

Transport between individual systems is a monotonous task for which staff is often hard to find. Nevertheless, it is indispensable in the industry and usually takes place without interruption, including night shifts. Our mobile robots take on this task around the clock and perform the assigned tasks with the highest precision.

Mobile robots are increasingly used in the industry for transport. They have to meet numerous requirements and operate with extreme precision. What goods are transported between which types of systems is as varied as the customers' requirements. In this report, we show you the use of a mobile robot using a concrete example from the medical sector. It involves racks equipped with pipettes that need to be transported back and forth between two systems. Between these two systems stands our construction: a combination of a cobot, transfer device, and mobile robot.
 

Step 1: The Cobot grabs the racks

The continuously repeating process begins with the use of the cobot. Its robotic arm has a reach of 1.6 meters, can handle a payload of 10 kilograms, is 360 degrees rotatable, and is equipped with a gripper we developed. The suction cups on this gripper use vacuum technology to pick up the racks filled with pipettes from the first system, the robotic arm swings over to the second system, and the gripper places the racks there. The second system removes the pipettes from the racks, after which the gripper picks up the empty racks again and places them on the transfer device.

If someone touches the robotic arm, it immediately goes into a rest position for safety reasons. Additionally, it has no sharp edges to minimize the risk of injury.
 

Step 2: The transfer station hands over racks

The conveyors on the transfer station now transport the empty racks onto the mobile robot.
 

Step 3: Mobile robot takes over transport

Now the mobile robot is needed. It must transport the empty racks back to the first system so they can be refilled with pipettes. To do this, it drives around the system, unloads the empty racks at the back of the system, and then returns empty to the transfer device to load the next racks.
 

How does the mobile robot work?

The autonomous mobile robot receives the signal from the systems when the racks are ready for pickup. It is also equipped with sensors that help it recognize obstacles on its transport path and avoid them flexibly. If a person gets in its way, it stops immediately. It is enough for the mobile robot to know its destination – it calculates the optimal path there itself. To keep it away from certain areas, exclusion zones can also be programmed.

For movement, the mobile robot has two driving wheels in the center, complemented by four supporting wheels. On these two driving wheels, the robot can rotate 360 degrees on the spot. Thus, it is extremely agile and can move effortlessly even in production halls with tight spaces.

Depending on the model, the mobile robot can load up to 1.5 tons. Its battery needs to be recharged every 10 hours. Therefore, customers usually have two robots: while one is in use, the other charges at the charging station. The two switch places independently.

If needed and provided that the legislation of the respective industry does not require re-verification, the customer can also adjust the mobile robot's travel paths and speed themselves.
 

With the expertise of Robotec Solutions to the ideal solution

We use our long-standing expertise in robot automation to develop individual solutions, test the interaction of systems and robots, and perfectly tailor everything to the customer's specific needs.

The result is a mobile robot that performs the desired transport with maximum efficiency and precision. It takes on monotonous tasks or those that cannot be performed by humans due to a shortage of skilled workers. At the same time, the mastermind – the central computer – records the entire product flow, which is particularly required in the medical sector and would be a very labor-intensive and almost unmanageable task for humans. Since a fixed construction between the systems would unnecessarily block paths, the use of a mobile robot is ideal. Even in the event of system relocations or a move, this solution offers maximum flexibility.