Webcast: Changing ROI for Industrial Robotics

Collaborative robots, so called because they may be able to share a workspace with a human, have safe-speed, safe-torque, and other features that can make robotics more approachable. Expert speakers will cover the following topics and provide application and standards-based examples. Collaborative robot implementations will be discussed; links connect to additional information. An exam will be available to earn a Professional Development Hour (PDH) during this Webcast. 

Learning Objectives–Understand:

• Attributes of robots called collaborative.
• How to evaluate whether or not a process is appropriate for a collaborative robot.
• How to determine if it is profitable to change a process to accommodate a new robot. 
• What needs to be considered in robotic return on investment (ROI) calculations. 
• How to get started (training, planning, budgeting, support).

Speakers:
 
Jeff Fryman, principal consultant, JDF Consulting Enterprises Ltd., is a retired U.S. Air Force officer. His 21-year career included 11 years as program manager overseeing technical training. He then spent 17 years as director, standards development, for Robotic Industries Association (RIA), until retirement in 2013. RIA is a North American trade group serving the robotics industry with members including robotic manufacturers, users, system integrators, component suppliers, research groups, and consulting firms. At RIA, he was responsible for developing the 1999 and 2012 editions of the ANSI/RIA R15.06 American National Standard for Industrial Robot Safety, helped organize the annual National Robot Safety Conference, developed curricula for robot safety training, and taught hundreds of classes featuring the R15.06 methodology for conducting risk assessment. He was Convenor for ISO TC184/SC2 WG3, the committee responsible for developing the ISO 10218-1 and -2 International Standards for Industrial Robot Safety, from 2001 to 2014. Fryman is vice-chair for the ANSI/ASSE Z244.1 committee, responsible for the standard for Control of Hazardous Energy – Lockout/Tagout and Alternative Methods. He has been involved in other standards development on robotic and machine safety. 

Rick Vanden Boom is automated systems group manager at Applied Manufacturing Technologies (AMT), a certified RIA integrator without a product or hardware agenda. He has more than 30 years of experience in the manufacturing automation industry with background including application engineering, sales, and operations management. He has worked for several international companies across multiple industries and has a track record of success in product development and new market introductions.

Moderator:

Mark T. Hoske, Control Engineering content manager, covering robotics, safety, and other automation and controls topics since 1994. 

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