9 myths of automating for high-mix production

Having a kit that includes all the necessary features and equipment can make it easier for job shops to get started with automation. This is an example of an application using a UR3e cobot equipped with OnRobot's RG6 gripper, tending a metal engraving machine. OnRobot

Robots and automation have been around for decades, and many production facilities have effectively implemented them on the shop floor. The technology was not always easily available, affordable, or a good fit for many shops, especially those in low-volume, high-mix environments. But today’s technology has advanced to meet the needs of job shops. Here are nine myths worth dispelling:

1. It Didn’t Make Sense Then, So It Doesn’t Make Sense Now

“Many shops who looked at automating, even as recently as five years ago, concluded that it was not a good choice for them,” said Joe Campbell, senior manager, strategic marketing, and application development, Universal Robots, Ann Arbor, Mich. “However, they probably were looking at traditional robots. They may have concluded it was too difficult to take on and implement, too technically demanding for the day-to-day operations, or they didn’t have a team member that was an expert in robotics to run the equipment.”

Automation has been in larger production shops for a quite a while now but the applications they have been using it for may make sense for low-volume, high-mix part production. As more job shops look to automation, the equipment and application range also is expanding.

“Some shops that wanted to automate may have believed, for whatever reason, that they shouldn’t,” said Nick W. McDonald, business line manager, welding and cutting, ABB Robotics Canada, Brampton, Ont. “However, we are now seeing many examples of companies that have been doing this for the low-volume or the high-mix environment for a long time.”

Traditional robotics have come a long way to meeting the needs of the smaller shops. However, collaborative robots (cobots) and other automation technology are lowering the barriers for integration on the shop floor.

“Today’s robots have become extremely user-friendly and intuitive that shops often don’t need an expert in robotics to successfully implement automation on the shop floor,” said Kristian Hulgard, general manager, Americas division, OnRobot, Irving, Tex.

2. It’s Too Expensive

Yes, some industrial robots on the market can be very expensive, but that doesn’t mean they all are. With the range of automation expanding, more shops can find equipment that meet their needs and their budgets.

“The cost to automate has come way down in the past few years and it continues to come down,” said McDonald. “Vision systems have become smaller, smarter, and less expensive than they were, and this really makes the difference between whether you can automate or not. A vision system can limit a shop’s need to have someone tending or monitoring the machine at all times.”

Cobots tend to require less programming and can reduce start times, decreasing machine downtime. Also, they don’t usually require fencing or other ancillary safety mechanisms that traditional robots require, meaning the initial cost for the overall application will be lower.

3. Job Shops Have Too Many Limitations for Automation to Be Effective

“A lot of the small shops are pretty compressed,” said Campbell. “They don't have a lot of space between machines. Installing traditional automation, in many cases, meant rejigging the shop floor and moving machine tools, which also meant moving high-power drops, chip conveyors, coolant lines, and everything that goes with the machine. The collaborative approach is very different. It's not particularly disruptive to the overall flow of the shop and can remove this barrier for low-production shops.”

Cobots, like the ABB GoFA, can be configured for a range of different applications and layouts, and tend to require less programming than more traditional automation. ABB

With space at a premium, this may also limit the number of robots or cobots that can be situated on the shop floor. For shops that are using a number of different machining technologies, this can be problematic, which is why more shops are turning to mobile options.

“Mobile carts are a clever way to get around this problem,” said McDonald. “Say a robot is machine tending, loading, and unloading, but the machine is only being used for about half of the parts needed to be machined, with the other half being machined on another machine tool in a different part of the plant. Can automation equipment be relocated? Certainly, shops don’t want to have to move the machine tools. So, using a mobile cart that deploys automation across the shop floor makes it extremely flexible and easy for job shops to take advantage of.”

While some people still think that a robot is meant to only perform repetitive tasks with little to no variation, the technology has evolved to allow them to be programmed to perform a range of tasks as production volumes change.

4. Automation Is Not Flexible Enough

“It’s important to have a discussion with an integrator or automation manufacturer about exactly what the automation equipment is needed for,” said Campbell. “We typically would want to know what machine it is expected to be used on first and what the typical production mix and schedule looks like. Is there a lot of variability? What other machine tools might they want to use it on? It’s fairly easy to move it from one mill to another, but if you are moving across different technologies, like milling to turning, that might require an additional conversation.”

The latest gripper technology makes it even easier to use a cobot for high-mix production or across machines. Shops can either use a tool changer, which would automate the whole process, or simply manually unbolt the gripper, switch it out for a new one, and make sure the software is loaded.

“Shops can do this all the time with mobile carts and three or four grippers to handle all the standard parts they make, and adjust as they need,” said Campbell.

As production changes, the automation system also should be adaptable to meet growing needs. Shops always should consider planning ahead as much as they can, making sure that the investment includes features that can be adjusted or expanded.

“Cobots are a low-volume, high-mix shop’s bread and butter,” said Hulgard. “Finding options that have been future-proofed is always recommended. For example, traditional pneumatic grippers are powered by air and are designed to grip one part, one shape, one size, and that's it. An all-electric gripper is software controlled, which means a shop can open the fingers, close the fingers, and have control over what position the fingers are in and the amount of force they are using. This makes an electric gripper much more versatile for working with many different parts and configurations.”

Newer technology like cobots, plug-and-play tooling, electric tooling, and safety sensors all are being designed with ease of use in mind, especially for high-mix environments.

A classic problem that many shops run into is investing in a robot that is just too small and quickly outgrowing its capacity.

According to Kristian Hulgard, cobots are a low-volume, high-mix shop’s bread and butter. It’s important for machine shops to find options that can be expanded to meet both current and future needs. OnRobot

“For shops that maybe don’t know what the future holds, just leave a little bit of room in the automation that you're buying for expansion,” said McDonald. “That will make a big difference. Building flexibility into fixtures so that new parts can be added also is worth trying. Adding technology like grippers, end effectors for surface finishing or welding, and mobile carts; technology that surrounds automation can lead to greater flexibility.”

5. It’s Too Complicated to Build an Automation System

One challenge for smaller shops is understanding with what is being done and what can be done. Job shops don’t always have the resources or manpower to have someone dedicated to that investigation.

For those that do, having a dedicated member or team to pursue automation equipment is one way to ensure that they are getting exactly what they want and need. Another option is to purchase a kit created by robot manufacturers and their industry partners.

“The kits are all-in-one packages with a robot, gripper, its base, its tool holding, its programming, its machine interface, and everything,” said Campbell. “We work with process experts in CNC machine tending, laser welding, MIG welding, TIG welding, and surface finishing.”

Some job shop applications make more sense with automation, so a kit that includes all the necessary features and equipment can make it even easier for these shops to get started.

“There's a lot of equipment out there, so shops should definitely look at different use-case scenarios,” said Hulgard. “It's also important to ask for case studies from OEMs. Has what you want to do been done before? And for low-volume, high-mix metal shops, there are thousands of examples out there of where it works, has an ROI less than a year, and can be done quickly and efficiently.”

6. Parts Need to Be Exactly the Same to Be Grouped

McDonald noted that there was a big push several years ago towards palletization, especially combined with machining centres. Instead of having the robot grabbing every part, shops found that they could group parts on a pallet for the robot to grab rather than having to look for multiple, different shaped individual parts.

“If a shop can group some of the parts together, that can be a huge benefit,” he said. “They may have many different parts, but many may belong to a family of parts or are processed the same but look different. To the robot or automation, they all look the same and some shops don’t initially recognize that.

7. Programming Is Too Difficult

Programming can sometimes be a barrier for shops that don’t have the expertise in automation.

“We recognized that this was an issue and have developed an application that can take the guesswork out,” said Hulgard. “It will add a new layer for flexibility and redeployment of robots, eliminating all the need for expertise in programming the robot. If a shop wants to move a robot from A to B because of production changes, the interface will take care of the robot programming for you after you input certain parameters.”

Choosing an all-electric gripper that is software controlled means a shop can open the fingers, close the fingers, and have control over what position the fingers are in and the amount of force they are using. OnRobot

According to Hulgard, one of the advantages of using something like this is it will calculate the best possible outcomes for the automation system automatically. Shops no longer are left guessing if the robot is moving as fast as it can or in an optimal trajectory. Without this, shops are left with trial and error.

Offline programming packages also have been updated and are much better than they used to be. And while many production shops have been using them for years, small shops now have all of their parts and equipment available in CAD.

“Offline programming in a 3D environment is much better than it was 20 years ago,” said McDonald. “The accuracy of the drawings compared to what's on the floor is now much higher. Offline programming is a big deal because you can do the programming while you're still running production. You're not stopping the machine.”

8. It Will Fix all Production Issues

Many shops think that automation will solve their toughest shop-floor headaches. And while this may be true some of the time, it makes a lot more sense for it to be used to eliminate simple and repetitive tasks, freeing up skilled workers for the harder work.

“A walkthrough with an integrator can show shops what areas are best suited for automation,” said McDonald. “The ones that make the most sense often are those that may not be the most lucrative. The first step into automation should be proven applications and ones that will bring a win. It builds confidence, it shows that it can be profitable, and then you can maybe take on the more difficult tasks.”

It’s important for a shop to start simple and not bite off more than it can chew. Also, it should talk to other shops that have done it before and really get to know the manufacturing process and where automation can work and where it won’t.

“Don't think that you can solve all your production automation needs in one afternoon,” said Hulgard. “Even though everybody says it's easy, start simple. Start with one application. Get it up and running and see how it performs. You can start monitoring and measuring ROI and then take the necessary next steps.”

9. Automation Will Eliminate the Need for Skilled Workers

Machine loading and unloading is a really easy place for job shops to start automating. For the most part, it’s the best place to remove a skilled worker and move them to an area that requires the more skill.

“Loading and unloading parts all day is not very exciting or fulfilling,” said Campbell. “It’s also a position that is very difficult to fill. Automating that class of application has positive benefits for the shop owner.”

This opens up is the ability to run machines unmanned, even for a few hours outside of normal shift hours.

“If you're a shop that is short on capacity and you need automation to handle a new customer or the bigger order, you may be thinking about running unmanned. Shops can load up these standard kits with blanks, hit the start button at 5 o'clock, and go home and let the machine operate for two hours, four hours, or overnight, depending on the parts of the volume,” Campbell said.

The robot will handle the easy jobs and skilled workers can be used where they make the most sense. Companies also may find that having automation is a selling point for new hires. Young skilled workers often want to work in stimulating environments with the latest equipment, so this can even expand the hiring pool.

Associate Editor Lindsay Luminoso can be reached at lluminoso@canadianmetalworking.com.

ABB Robotics, www.abb.com

OnRobot, onrobot.com

Universal Robots, universal-robots.com