Universal Robots (UR), a leader in the rapidly growing market of collaborative robots (cobots) aims to empower change in how work is done using its leading-edge robotics platform.
Sougandh K.M., Country Manager of India, Universal Robots, says, “The rising robotics market calls for robots to be used in multiple applications including assembly, dispensing, soldering, welding, palletising and machine tending. It may not always be a realistic prospect for small and mid-sized manufacturers to automate due to space and financial constraints. Despite the many benefits that cobots bring to the factory floor, we have seen their hesitation to deploy collaborative robots. Hence, we are here at the Automation Expo to introduce cobots to manufacturers, assisting them to embrace the benefits of automation and remain competitive.”
According to the International Federation of Robotics, India is one of the strongest growing economies among the emerging markets in Asia. This has prompted Indian manufacturers to explore new solutions to keep up with the technological advancements that are catapulting other economies to the top.
Manufacturing Today spoke with Sougandh to know how Universal Robots enhance digital transformation.
The emergence of Industry 5.0 opens a new world where collaboration between robots and people is perfectly synchronized. Could you help us understand how it will transform the manufacturing sector?
A new manufacturing model known as “Industry 5.0” strongly emphasises the interaction between people and machines. Technology was developed with humans as its sole focus, not to replace them. The adoption of Industry 5.0 offers manufacturers numerous advantages:
- By reducing production costs, manufacturers can become more competitive.
- Up-skilling and re-skilling workers positions manufacturers at the centre of the industry, which empowers them.
- Sustainable manufacturing is promoted through circular production models, supported by cutting-edge technologies that efficiently use resources.
- By focusing on sustainability, industry becomes more resilient against external shocks, such as Brexit, pandemics, and financial crises.
- Collaborative automation offers companies a competitive advantage through higher and more consistent product quality, greater output and lower overall costs. This places companies in a position to hire more human employees, creating more jobs.
What is Industry 5.0 and why is it required? What is required for Industry 5.0?
Industry 5.0 emphasises human collaboration with robots to increase production and effectiveness. It is about using cutting-edge technology like the Internet of Things (IoT) and big data to enable robots to assist people in working more effectively and quickly. It gives the Industry 5.0 foundations of efficiency and automation a more human touch.
The Danish firm Universal Robots is the first company to offer industrial robots that can safely and productively coexist with humans in the workplace. The company thinks that manufacturing industries will benefit greatly from using robots alongside people. the company believes they can produce the most when human intelligence and machines work together.
Industry 5.0 is crucial for challenging the idea that total automation is the optimum approach. On the shop floor, robotic automation undoubtedly improves uniformity and productivity, but in real-time, things can be very challenging. On factory floors, human judgement is frequently needed because robots are rigid, incapable of critical thought, and non-adaptive.
Universal Robots has always believed that when human intelligence and robotic technology are integrated, the results are maximised. They produce collaborative robots as a result.
What is the difference between cobots and industrial robots?
Cobots are collaborative robots that can operate alongside people in a secure environment. They are used to carry out monotonous, menial, and uninteresting tasks. Cobots work best when doing repetitive tasks like heavy lifting and pick-and-place operations. They are small in size, simple to use, and capable of carrying out numerous duties.
Robotic systems utilised in manufacturing facilities are referred to as industrial robots. They are big and bulky in build. They are unable to move around and must work in one location. For their operations, they need fencing or securing in cages. Additionally, they need to be operated by specialised engineers. In comparison to modern robots, industrial robots are relatively pricey.
What happens to current technology?
Industry 5.0 places a strong emphasis on inter-human collaboration with human values at its core. While Industry 4.0 is technology-driven and focuses on task automation and digitisation, AI, IIOT, and machine learning are at its core, it places a greater emphasis on sustainability and resilience.
Things will change with the introduction of Industry 5.0, and the emphasis will shift to human centrification.
To emphasise physical, mental, and emotional well-being and eventually protect workers’ fundamental rights, such as autonomy, human dignity, and privacy, a safe and inclusive work environment must be established. For greater career options and a better work-life balance, industrial workers must continuously upskill and reskill themselves.
What are the advantages of cobots? Is there a risk of workers being entirely replaced by machines?
Cobots or collaborative robots are robots that are designed to work alongside humans. They are small, lightweight robots that are utilised in manufacturing facilities to automate monotonous operations. Cobots have been proven to be advantageous for businesses in a number of ways, including:
- Increased production: cobots can work 24*7 without any fatigue and tiredness leading to increased output.
- Easy Installation and maintenance: cobots can be easily installed with little training and guidance. Even employees with no robotic background can operate a cobot.
- Safety: Cobots are deployed after several safety assessments which makes them safe to be used alongside humans.
- Speedy and versatile: Cobots works at a faster speed compared to human workers. They are versatile in nature and can be used for multiple tasks.
- Least errors: Cobots work with more accuracy and precision than humans. The chances of errors are negligible in the case of cobots.
- Flexible: Cobots are easy to deploy, lightweight, have multiple applications, space-saving and provide agility to automate even small batch runs.
Cobots are not intended to replace people; rather, they are designed to perform monotonous and routine chores so that people may concentrate on more important work that calls for skill and cognitive thought.
Every single stage of production in factories requires human intellect. Cobots are a supplementary tool for labour, not a replacement. Cobots are more precise and accurate in their tasks, yet they lack human creativity and adaptability. Robotic technology’s primary goal is to free up labourers from monotonous tasks while encouraging creativity and skill development in them.
How is an integration process for implementing a cobot represented in manufacturing companies?
Cobots are simple to operate and quick to set up, however ,there are some things that manufacturers should consider before deploying the robot:
Choosing the best cobot for your factory: the manufacturer should know the specifications, such as the cobot’s working range and maximum payload it can support. The manufacturers are given a CAD selection guide to help them choose the best cobot for their needs.
Setting up the workspace: Although installing a Cobot is a simple process, it must be done in a suitable location. Before installation, a detailed workspace evaluation is conducted to ensure proper interaction between cobots and people. A safety assessment is also carried out to prevent any accidents at work.
Setting up a cobot: After the assessments are over, anyone with experience in automation engineering can install the robot and get it up and running in an hour.
Additionally, Universal Robots has a UR+ academy where they teach the fundamentals and details of installation and operation. Workers, managers, and business owners may all access UR+ and learn through their user-friendly webinars, workshops, and programmes.
Is the Indian manufacturing sector ready for cobots?
India has a surplus of labour, and the manufacturing sector is labour-intensive. For Indian industrial enterprises, automation has been a constant challenge. Due to numerous concerns, including significant investment, safety considerations, specialist staff or operators, and specialised workplace environments, there has been a lot of pushback, particularly in the case of SMEs.
All of these problems have been resolved by technological improvements, and automation is now commonly used in both small and large businesses. Increased automation in India has also been made possible by the terrible pandemic. In a way, the covid-19 dilemma compelled producers to choose cobots in order to keep up with rising consumer demand and accomplish their objectives.
Due to the variety of benefits that cobots offer, the new approach to automation through cobots has been particularly advantageous for manufacturers. Additionally, the introduction of Industry 4.0 and numerous government-led programmes have been crucial in the adoption of cobots throughout the nation.
What particular skills, as well as actors, are required when implementing a cobot in manufacturing companies? What are the new skills, training and courses needed for adapting cobots?
Automation tools should be designed for human employees, simple and intuitive to use, with minimal training required. The cobots should be easy to use and operate by manufacturers on the production floor with no special technical skills or programming required. Employees do not need engineering degrees and robotic background to program and work with cobots.
At Universal Robots, intuitive software interface and a robotics ecosystem, UR+ tools, make it easy for operators to manage and integrate the cobots themselves. Cobots are also backed by warranties and service support.
What are the challenges in introducing cobots in SMEs?
Challenges SMEs face in collaborative automation:
- Identifying the right business processes to automate: the difficulty for manufacturers to identify these processes stems from understanding the manual processes that already exist in a company and allocating resources to where they are needed most.
- Lack of Skilled Labour: The inability to find skilled labour is one of the biggest problems businesses confront. The completion of projects will be in jeopardy, and indirect quality issues will diminish employee satisfaction.
- Limited capital resources: The majority of small businesses struggle with a lack of capital resources, which prevents them from choosing robots.
- Resistance: Both businesspeople and labourers are opposed to the adoption of cobots due to a lack of knowledge, preconceived notions about industrial robots, and the unwillingness of the workforce to test out novel technologies.
Cobot market – is it favourable? And how do you compare Indian scenario with global market conditions?
Following the Covid 19 crisis, the cobot market has experienced enormous growth. Collaborative automation is highly acceptable in both the Indian and international markets. Between 2017 and 2019, the market share of collaborative robots (cobots) increased by 1% annually, according to Statista. Collaborative robots made up around 4.8% of all industrial robots installed globally in 2019. However, if we look at the Indian market, according to Asian Robotics Review, India’s 50 million people loom large as a possible windfall in the upcoming cobot sweepstakes since cobot sales are expected to rise substantially, especially among SMEs.
In order to increase production volume, precision, and safety, Indian companies are quickly moving toward automation. The industrial robotics market in India has 5,000 units installed annually in 2019 and is projected to rise to 11,760 units by 2025, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.41% between 2020 and 2025.
Additionally, the Indian government has launched a number of programmes, including Make in India, policies to support industry automation and manufacturing, and the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) programme. Additionally, the Indian government is pushing for investments to create an environment for AI. The Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology also intends to increase manufacturing and robots.
The global market witnessing tremendous growth as well as the Indian market is growing at a fast pace.