New AI-based machine tending capabilities help cobots at IMTS 2024

AI integrated into collaborative robot insights

• Artificial intelligence (AI) is enhancing collaborative robot performance, as demonstrated by Universal Robots and its partners at IMTS 2024; see photos, video.
• Learn how UR collaborative robot services, maintenance and training have expanded.

Artificial intelligence is helping collaborative robots work smarter and faster, as demonstrated in multiple applications at IMTS 2024. Universal Robots (UR) said in a news release before the show that a survey of 1,200 manufacturers in North America and Europe, more than half of the respondents indicated they are now using AI and machine learning in production processes.

Artificial intelligence enhances collaborative robot performance

“AI isn’t just hype,” said Ujjwal Kumar, group president of Teradyne Robotics, parent company of Universal Robots. “We’re seeing significant interest in physical AI. By adding high-performance compute hardware to our control systems and investing in targeted software upgrades,” Kumar expects partners to continue to use UR’s platform to develop and deploy AI applications.

At the UR IMTS booth, a UR robot served in a machine-tending application with new AI-based perception capabilities running on Nvidia Jetson and Isaac acceleration libraries integrated into UR’s new PolyScope X platform (Figure 1). Using AI to enable dynamic path planning ensures the robot takes the most effective, collision-free paths in and out of the machine without extensive user configuration. UR said AI perception technology will help machine tending and other material handling applications, especially for “high mix/low volume production, which is increasingly common in machine tending,” Kumar added.

Faster machine tending is enabled with new AI-based perception capabilities running on Nvidia Jetson and Isaac acceleration libraries integrated into Universal Robots new PolyScope X platform, as seen at the UR IMTS 2024 booth. Courtesy: Mark T. Hoske, WTWH Media

AI applied in many collaborative robotic applications at IMTS

AI was a focal point during guided “Cobot Walks” tours inside the UR booth and to several other IMTS 2024 booths showing UR collaborative robots used for machine tending, metal fabricating, support tools, UR+ peripherals and education. More than 60 UR robots were in IMTS 2024 displays, the company said, helped by the UR ecosystem with original equipment manufacturer (OEM), UR+, and Certified System Integrator partners. The UR+ partner program has more than 500 products.

Solutions included:

• Brinkman Automation’s “The Finisher,” said to be the world’s first automated modular deburring, polishing and cleaning cell powered by a UR5e cobot. The turnkey cell provides high-precision finishing in a modular design with quick and easy changeover for multiple parts. An integrated cleaning system eliminates the need for a subsequent cleaning operation.

• Groundlight AI (Figure 2), a visual inspection and anomaly detection system, uses AI.

Groundlight AI, a visual inspection and anomaly detection uses artificial intelligence, as seen at the UR IMTS 2024 booth. Courtesy: Mark T. Hoske, WTWH Media

• Hirebotics showed its programming platform Beacon, with “Fine Tune,” allowing customers to easily adjust the robot’s torch angles, and “Enhanced Stitch Weld,” a new capability enabling the re-sequencing of stitch patterns.

• Hirebotics’ Cobot Welder integrated with Miller’s Auto DeltaWeld is an advanced welder for cobot welding applications.

• Hurco’s VM15Di 3-axis CNC machine was tended by a UR20 cobot, UR’s longest-reach cobot (Figure 3). The cobot machine tending system is seamlessly integrated to the Hurco CNC (video), with a collaborative auto door, grippers and pneumatic vises. Any job can be set up using Hurco’s Automation Job Manager software in under five minutes, according to UR.

A Hurco CNC machine is tended by a UR20 cobot, UR’s longest-reach cobot; the machine-tending system integrates the Universal Robots UR20, a collaborative auto door, grippers and pneumatic vises, as seen at the Hurco IMTS 2024 booth. Courtesy: Mark T. Hoske, WTWH Media

• Impaqt Robotics’ pneumagiQ, a universal pneumatic gripper interface.

• Laser Marking Technologies’ Cobalt Dominator, tended by a UR3e cobot with OnRobot’s VGC10 gripper, laser marking custom UR branded luggage tags with individual attendees’ names.

• Lights Out Manufacturing used an Aries 10 part feeder and UR30 cobot to enable fast part changeovers, allowing a different-sized part to be loaded each time (Figure 4). In the demonstration, attendees could interact with the system, telling the cobot the stock dimensions of each part and the CNC program associated with each piece of stock.

• Olis Robotics’ remote diagnostic and monitoring solution.

• Sick’s End-of-Arm Safeguard.

• Smartforce Student Summit booth featured UR interactive demonstrations: A block-stacking challenge for students, UR’s education kit for the classroom, and a UR cobot on a mechatronics cart with integrated safety.

• Vectis Automation’s Park’N’Arc range extender for welding applications used the UR20 cobot. Vectis showed user-experience and easy to use cobot welding features including QuickTeach and AI Path Optimization (Figure 5).

Vectis Automation’s collaborative welding demonstration at the Universal Robots booth at IMTS 2024 used the UR20 robot integrating the Vectis Automation Park’N’Arc range extender and cobot welding features such as QuickTeach and AI Path Optimization. Courtesy: Mark T. Hoske, WTWH Media

• Zimmer’s tool changing interface uses Schmalz grippers.

Collaborative robot service, maintenance, training

Other UR announcements at IMTS included an enhanced UR Care Service Plans offers preventive field service, on-site break-fix, dedicated remote support and secure cloud connectivity-based cobot service/performance monitoring through UR Connect, shown at IMTS. The program intends to help UR customers “optimize performance, maintain peak hardware condition and uptime, and extend the life span of their cobots,” said Anurag Thakur, UR VP of service and aftermarket. The UR Care’s new Field Service program ensures prompt on-site repairs with industry-leading response times and preventive maintenance visits by skilled automation experts, Thakur said. UR simplifies service, support and training through the fleet management portal myUR.

Universal Robots, founded in 2005 and headquartered in Odense, Denmark, with Americas headquarters in Novi, Michigan, says it aims to create a world where people work with robots, not like robots. The first commercially viable UR cobot was introduced 2008. More than 75,000 UR cobots have been sold worldwide.

CONSIDER THIS

Collaborative robots are becoming even more useful with integration of AI capabilities.

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https://www.controleng.com/articles/pack-expo-recap-developing-automation-systems-for-facilities/

https://www.controleng.com/mechatronics-motion-control/robotics/

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