automatica: Robots become intelligent this easily
The LogiMat was an absolute success, next week the all about automation in Heilbronn is coming up. As is well known, this addresses the companies of the region and therefore also has the companies of the region as exhibitors, who do not so much want to show as concretely sell. Therefore not comparable, but definitely worth visiting, especially for SMEs. In June follows as a large supraregional fair the automatica. In advance, a (further) press release:
Digitization and AI are now dominating the public debate. However, there are usually more questions than answers. That's why automatica, which will take place from June 27 to 30, 2023, is coming at just the right time with digital solutions and components in the fields of robotics, industrial image processing, and assembly technology: Here, visitors will learn firsthand how these technologies can make industrial production more efficient, safer, and more sustainable.
"If you look at the leap in development that these technologies of the future have made within just one year, it quickly becomes clear what dimension we are dealing with here. We are talking about a new era of automation with a huge impact on the productivity and competitiveness of companies," emphasizes Patrick Schwarzkopf, Managing Director of the VDMA Robotics + Automation Association.
The transformation will not tolerate any delay
The decisive factor will be how quickly the industry succeeds in exploiting the full potential of this technology. Although a large majority of companies see artificial intelligence as an opportunity, only nine percent are actually using it already. This was the finding of a study by the digital association Bitkom, for which 606 companies with 20 or more employees from all industries in Germany were surveyed.
42 percent are even of the opinion that they have missed the boat. Bitkom President Achim Berg puts this assessment into perspective: "AI is still a young technology. There is no reason to throw in the towel. Anyone who seriously engages with AI now can still gain competitive advantages."
Come, See, Digitize
KUKA addresses trend topics such as digitalization and AI with several exhibits. For the first time, the Augsburg-based automation professional is bringing its decades of expertise in systems engineering to the Munich trade fair stage: with the "KUKA Dome". This is a large screen dome in which real production systems can be visually experienced by visitors in around 90 seconds.
The complete process chain of digitization
Image processing systems - which can be seen at the trade fair booths of ifm, Cognex and many other suppliers - provide real-time images of the environment and the latest model generations learn to interpret the environment better and better with the help of AI. This not only speeds up the automation process, it also allows each individual motion sequence to be individually adapted to the current conditions - for example in pick and place processes.
For this task, for example, ifm will present 3D sensors that work according to the "time of flight" principle of laser time-of-flight measurement and can be easily integrated into the user's software solution at the data level.
Experience the digital twin in the flesh
Of course, the much-cited digital twin can also be experienced live at automatica, including at the Stäubli booth. Here, it stands right next to a real demo cell in which a Scara robot handles battery cells. Here, trade visitors can see for themselves how easy it is to anticipate optimizations or adjustments thanks to virtual commissioning before they are actually transferred to the real application without risk or error.
Festo will present another "use case" for the digital twin, demonstrating how mechanical engineering can accelerate development cycles. Gerhard Borho, Chief Digital Officer at Festo: "We are working intensively on equipping our automation components with a 'digital twin'." Components are developed virtually as far as possible, even before the first hardware is manufactured - right through to testing and system integration.
Robots become intelligent this easily
A number of other manufacturers, including many innovative companies such as Micropsi Industries and robominds, want to qualify standard robots for AI applications. robominds proves how easy it is to do this with robobrain®: the brain that gives industrial robots human intelligence.
"With the robobrain starter kit and customized bundles, we present ready-to-use solutions for processes such as (de)palletizing, picking, machine loading or sample handling in the laboratory," reveals Christian Fenk, CSO of Robominds.
Siemens, among others, will be demonstrating the innovative power with which large corporations are driving these topics of the future. Under the slogan "Accelerate Tranformation", the company will be showing its entire range of solutions in the field of AI and digitization. Concrete application examples will be used to show visitors how easy it is to link the real world with the digital world.
Just a few weeks before the start of the trade show, it is clear that digitization and artificial intelligence are dominating automation like never before. They are turning intralogistics and production concepts into reality that not only shine with outstanding efficiency, but also contribute to the issues of decarbonization and sustainability.
To the photo above: The use of AI brings significant benefits, as here in smart picking in the warehouse © robominds. Other photos automatica.
Are we networking? LinkedIn
-> Go to the Cobot group on LinkedIn (link). The author is also a consultant (robotics, tech & finance). Hardly anyone is likely to have a comparable market overview. Thanks to state subsidies, SMEs have the opportunity of a company tour with concrete recommendations etc. at a flat rate of 1,750 € incl. travel.