Design of Robot Workplaces

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Lutz Huxholl

© HS-SM/Huxholl|R3/24-04
 Factory of the future

The factory of the future will have two employees: a

human and a dog. The human is there to feed the dog.
The dog will have the task of keeping the human from
touching the fully automated equipment.

Warren G. Bennis (US economist), 1925 - 2014

© HS-SM/Huxholl|R3/24-04 DESIGN OF ROBOT WORKPLACES 2

 Factory of the future I have optimized all the
processes. Now please
do me a favor – stay
here and don´t touch
anything!

© HS-SM/Huxholl|R3/24-04 DESIGN OF ROBOT WORKPLACES 3

 History of Robots

Year Event
1805 J.M. Jacquard invented the programmable loom (punch card)
1873 Spencer (USA) builds an automatic lathe with magazine feeder
1946 G.C. Devol (USA) records electromagnetic signals and controls mechanical machines
1958 Teruyuki Fukuda from Yaskawa invented the “Minertia Motor”, which was the basis for Servo-Motors. At
that time, industrial robots had not yet been invented.
1959 First commercial robot for spot welding applications (Planet Corporation)
1960 First Unimate robot (hydraulic drive).
Unimation was the first robot manufacturer in the U.S.
1968 Kawasaki gets license to produce Unimate robot in Japan
1968 Yaskawa decided to enter the robot business
1969 Kawasaki Heavy Industries develops the first Japanese industrial robot

© HS-SM/Huxholl|R3/24-04 DESIGN OF ROBOT WORKPLACES 4

 History of Robots

Year Event
1970 The first industrial robots operate in Europe
1974 ASEA (now ABB) introduces the first fully electrically driven robot
1970 - 1985 Development of the SCARA robot by H. Makino ( Japan) and first
installation
1977 Yaskawa’s legendary robot MOTOMAN-L10 with first full electric system in Japan which becomes the
basis of the current industrial robot was completed in 1977.
1983 Adept Technology INC supplies first robot systems with direct drive and integrated image processing
1999 First definition of a cobot, found in a U.S. patent: "An apparatus and method for direct physical
interaction between a person and a general-purpose manipulator controlled by a computer."
2004 KUKA launched its first lightweight cobot with its own kinetic energy - the LBR3

© HS-SM/Huxholl|R3/24-04 DESIGN OF ROBOT WORKPLACES 5

 History of Robots

Year Event
2007 With novel four-arm design, Adept succeeds in developing the fastest parallel robot Adept Quattro
2008 The world's first cobot was installed by Universal Robots (UR) at Linatex, a Danish supplier of plastics and
rubber for industrial equipment.
2009 Yaskawa Motoman, Japan, introduces control system to sync up to 8 robots
2019 At Automate 2019, Realtime Robotics introduced cobots that have integrated vision systems. They can
adapt to changes in their environment. These include obstacles of various kinds, as well as changes in
the position of the objects they are to pick up and the locations where they are to be placed.
2020 Universal Robots launches ActiNav, the world's first autonomous bin picking kit for machine loading.

© HS-SM/Huxholl|R3/24-04 DESIGN OF ROBOT WORKPLACES 6

 History of Robots
Feeding equipment for hollow rivets in the Drive belts
leather goods industry (around 1940)

Strip-off spring for

incorrect feeded
parts
Run-out rail

Turntable with 60
grooves

© HS-SM/Huxholl|R3/24-04 Source: Hesse DESIGN OF ROBOT WORKPLACES 7

 Example of design prerequisite
Undisturb of a singler by correct choice of the supply element

Disadvantages eliminated by endless

Faults due to unfavorable part shape
trough chain

Text Text

© HS-SM/Huxholl|R3/24-04 Source: Hesse DESIGN OF ROBOT WORKPLACES 8

 New installations of industrial robots

© HS-SM/Huxholl|R3/24-04 Source: World Robotics DESIGN OF ROBOT WORKPLACES 9

 New installations of industrial robots

© HS-SM/Huxholl|R3/24-04 Source: World Robotics DESIGN OF ROBOT WORKPLACES 10

 New installations of industrial robots

© HS-SM/Huxholl|R3/24-04 Source: World Robotics DESIGN OF ROBOT WORKPLACES 11

 New installations of industrial robots

© HS-SM/Huxholl|R3/24-04 Source: World Robotics DESIGN OF ROBOT WORKPLACES 12

 New installations of industrial robots

© HS-SM/Huxholl|R3/24-04 Source: World Robotics DESIGN OF ROBOT WORKPLACES 13

 Collaborative and traditional industrial robots

© HS-SM/Huxholl|R3/24-04 Source: World Robotics DESIGN OF ROBOT WORKPLACES 14

 Annual installations China vs. RoW

© HS-SM/Huxholl|R3/24-04 Source: World Robotics DESIGN OF ROBOT WORKPLACES 15

 Robots in the automotive industry

© HS-SM/Huxholl|R3/24-04 Source: KUKA DESIGN OF ROBOT WORKPLACES 16

 India´s operational stock of industrial robots hit all time high +54 %
+4,945
Operational stock of industrial robots - India (1,000 units)
+3,215

• India: one of the fastest growing industrial economies

• Average growth rate of 16 % since 2016
• Manufacturing output: India world´s fifth largest economy
• Automotive industry: largest customer (31 % in 2021)
• India benefits from nearshoring strategies in Southeast Asia
(also: friendshoring)

More than doubled in five years

© HS-SM/Huxholl|R3/24-04 Source: World Robotics; IFR DESIGN OF ROBOT WORKPLACES 17

 If existing machines are technically
• Problem in all economies and production-wise OK, then it
• Ageing society makes no sense to reinvest. In
• Lower birth rates order to increase productivity,
• Retirement of baby boomers
5 Trends in Robotics acc. to VDI • To be compensated by use of
older machines are automated.
robots

01 03 05

Shortage Automation
Low cost Use of
Digitization of skilled of older
Robots second hand
workers machines robots

• Digitized production from They are less precise, less durable Companies want to increase

02 04
incoming orders to dispatch and have lower payloads, but they capacity – but every investment is
• Individualized, customized are also a risk …
products, Lot-Size 1 • easy to use and easy to install
• Possible with automation, no and they
automation w/o robots • require less CAPEX

© HS-SM/Huxholl|R3/24-04 Acc. to: VDI-Z DESIGN OF ROBOT WORKPLACES 18

 5 Trends in Robotics acc. to IFR

© HS-SM/Huxholl|R3/24-04 Source: IFR DESIGN OF ROBOT WORKPLACES 19

 5 Trends in Robotics acc. to IFR 2024

© HS-SM/Huxholl|R3/24-04 Source: IFR DESIGN OF ROBOT WORKPLACES 20

 Energy efficiency & Re- and nearshoring

69 % 40 % 54 % 38 %

SUSTAINABILTY STRATEGY SUSTAINABILITY IMPORTANCE DIGITAL SKILLS RESHORING

69 % of the CIOs say, that 40 % of European customers 54 % of Europeans between 38 % of manufacturers plan
their sustainability strategy is say, that sustainability is 16 – 74 years have only basic to re-shore their operations
restricted due to a squeeze in highly important to them digital skills back to the country of origin
expenditures

© HS-SM/Huxholl|R3/24-04 Acc. to: Visual Components DESIGN OF ROBOT WORKPLACES 21

 Reshoring & Sustainability

43 43 29 12
% % % %

REDUCTION OF REDUCTION OF NEEDED

WASTE REDUCTION EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENT
POWER USAGE TRANSPORTATON

Manufacturers say, that made Efficiency improvement is one 29 % of manufacturers say, Only 12 % of the
good progress in terms of of the core activities in they made good progress in manufacturers say, that they
sustainability by reducing companies. 43 % of the reduction of power usage. It is made progress in reducing
waste manufacturers say, that this is likely, that this is driven by the transportation needed.
essential for meeting their rising energy costs. This part will in all probability
sustainability targets. increase due to the need
(resilience in supply chains)
and possibilities (use of
cobots).

© HS-SM/Huxholl|R3/24-04 Acc. to: Visual Components DESIGN OF ROBOT WORKPLACES 22

 Reshoring

Automotive Production Microchip Production

• Resilience has become an important reason for • The shift of microchip production back to the U.S.
reshoring in various industries: Automotive and Europe is another reshoring trend. Since most
manufacturers are investing heavily in short supply industrial products today require a semiconductor
chains to bring processes closer to their customers. chip to function, providing them close to the
• These manufacturers are using robotic automation customer is important.
to produce high-performance batteries cost- • Because robots can meet the extreme precision
effectively and in large volumes - effectively requirements in chip manufacturing, they play a
supporting electric vehicle projects. crucial role in such projects. Specially developed
• In addition, such 'reshoring' eliminates the need to robots, for example, automate the manufacture of
transport heavy batteries. This is important because silicon wafers, perform cleaning and purification
more and more logistics companies are refraining tasks, or test integrated circuits.
from shipping batteries as freight for safety reasons. • Recent examples of reverse relocations include
Intel's new chip factories in Ohio or the recently
announced chip plant in Saarland, Germany,
operated by chip manufacturer Wolfspeed and
automotive supplier ZF.

© HS-SM/Huxholl|R3/24-04 Acc. to: Intern. Federation of Robotics IFR DESIGN OF ROBOT WORKPLACES 23
 Reshoring of textile industry
• The manual loading of sewing machines and textile processes consumes up to 40% of personnel costs.

• Fluctuation and staff shortages are putting a strain on costs and production volumes in textile production.

• Investments in machinery and equipment burden capital.

What is required is reliable fabric layer separation with automation that reliably and cost-effectively separates a wide
variety of textiles and fibrous materials. Layer by layer and without double handle. It is precisely this separation and
pick-up of textiles that is one of the most important basic process engineering operations in the further processing
of fabrics of all kinds.

• Gripping fabrics of almost any kind separately and depositing them "ready-to-work" for processing
• Ancillary processes are automated economically and efficiently.
• Workers will turn more to value-adding textile production steps.

© HS-SM/Huxholl|R3/24-04 Source: Robotextile GmbH DESIGN OF ROBOT WORKPLACES 24

 Reshoring general
Act on Corporate Due Diligence in Supply Chains (here: Germany; EU in preparation)
• The Supply Chain Due Diligence Act – or simply: Supply Chain Act – entered into force on January 1st, 2023 (for
companies > 3000 employees; 2024: companies > 1000 employees).
• The law regulates corporate responsibility for the observance of human rights in global supply chains.

The law strengthens human rights and environmental protection. These include, but are not limited to:
• protection against child labor, forced labor and discrimination,
• protection against land grabbing,
• occupational health and safety,
• the right to fair wages,
• the right to form trade unions,
• protection against environmental violations.

© HS-SM/Huxholl|R3/24-04 Source: Bundesministerium f. Arbeit u. Soziales DESIGN OF ROBOT WORKPLACES 25

 Robots are easier to operate

• Software-driven automation platform providers are helping companies

Programming has become easier and
by making industrial robots operable by users without prior
is possible even for non-experts
programming experience. OEMs are working hand-in-hand with low-
code or even no-code technology partners: This allows employees of all
time consuming robot
skill levels to program a robot themselves.
programming
• Easy-to-use software enables new possibilities for robot automation:
software start-ups are conquering this market with specialized solutions
tailored to the needs of small & medium-sized enterprises.
easy to use software linked
• Many new customers responded to the pandemic in 2020 by trying out
to intuitive application logic
robotic solutions themselves. Robot suppliers responded to this
demand: easy setup and installation support low-cost robot use, for
example, with preconfigured gripper software, sensors or controllers.

easy to use programming

interfaces that allow customers
to set up robots on their own

© HS-SM/Huxholl|R3/24-04 Source: Intern. Federation of Robotics IFR DESIGN OF ROBOT WORKPLACES 26

 Robotics start-ups
The good years for German robotics startups seem
Venture capital for robotics start-ups to be over for the time being. At least when it
comes to venture capital. While some spectacular
financing rounds were announced in 2021 and
250 early 2022, things got noticeably quieter in 2022.
VENTURE CAPITAL [Mio. USD]

200

AGILE ROBOTS
150
220 Mio. USD
100
NEURA ROBOTICS
86 Mio. USD
50
WANDELBOTS
0 84 Mio. USD
Agile Robots Neura Wandelbots Micropsi Fruitcore RobCo
(2021) Robotics (2021) (2021) (2022) (2022) MICROPSI
(2021)
30 Mio. USD

© HS-SM/Huxholl|R3/24-04 Source: Achim Barnitzke, Automationspraxis DESIGN OF ROBOT WORKPLACES 27

 Selected German robotics start-ups at a glance

Agile Robots Node Artiminds

Voraus Robotik Mojin Dragandbot
Gestalt Robotics Magazino Wandelbots
Micropsi Robotise

Software & AI & Gripper Easy Robots &

Motion Mobile Robotic
Vision Robotics technology programming Cobots

Franka
Mech Mind Fruitcore
Robominds Synapticon Coboworx
Formhand
Roboception Rethink
Innocise
Robotcloud RobCo
Neura

© HS-SM/Huxholl|R3/24-04 Source: Automationspraxis DESIGN OF ROBOT WORKPLACES 28

 General applications

Application in
production
Medical applications Military and
Exploration robots
Assembly, Lifting loads,
Positioning, …

Loss of jobs?

Service and Poverty?

Logistics and assistance

transportation
Lawn mowing,
vacuuming Risks / Danger

malfunction
hazard
Targets: Support, comfort (prosperity)

© HS-SM/Huxholl|R3/24-04 DESIGN OF ROBOT WORKPLACES 29

 References
Marco Ceccarelli

2010

ISBN 9-048-16516-4

© HS-SM/Huxholl|R3/24-04 DESIGN OF ROBOT WORKPLACES 30

 References
Stefan Hesse

4th Edition

2016
ISBN 978-3-446-44432-4

© HS-SM/Huxholl|R3/24-04 DESIGN OF ROBOT WORKPLACES 31

 References
Wolfgang Weber

4rd Edition

2019
ISBN 978-3-446-45952-6

© HS-SM/Huxholl|R3/24-04 DESIGN OF ROBOT WORKPLACES 32

 References
Andreas Schunkert
Christoph Ryll

1st Edition

2022
ISBN 978-3-446-46273-1

© HS-SM/Huxholl|R3/24-04 DESIGN OF ROBOT WORKPLACES 33

 References
Bruno Siciliano
Oussama Khatib

2nd Edition

2016
ISBN 978-3-319-32550-7

© HS-SM/Huxholl|R3/24-04 DESIGN OF ROBOT WORKPLACES 34

 References
Stefan Hesse
Viktorio Malisa

2nd Edition

2016
ISBN 978-3-446-44365-5

© HS-SM/Huxholl|R3/24-04 DESIGN OF ROBOT WORKPLACES 35

 References
Peter Corke
Extended and updated edition
Volume 118

2017
ISBN 978-3-319-54412-0

© HS-SM/Huxholl|R3/24-04 DESIGN OF ROBOT WORKPLACES 36

 Definition: Industrial robot
 VDI Guideline 2860: Industrial robots are universally applicable motion machines with multiple axes, the
movement of which [...] is freely programmable and, if necessary, sensor-guided. They can be equipped with
grippers, tools or other production equipment.
 DIN EN ISO 8373: An automatically controlled, reprogrammable, multipurpose manipulator programmable in
three or more axes, which can be either fixed in place or mobile in use in industrial automation applications.
Actuated mechanisms that are lacking the number of programmable axes or that are fully teleoperated (no
degree of autonomy) but satisfy the definitions of industrial or service robots otherwise, are called robotic
devices.
 Wikipedia: Robots are stationary or mobile machines that perform tasks defined according to a specific program.
(Note: So also a washing machine?)
 Joseph Engelberger (developer of the first industrial robot "Unimate", 1961):
I can't say exactly what a robot is, but I know it's one when I see one.

© HS-SM/Huxholl|R3/24-04 DESIGN OF ROBOT WORKPLACES 37

 What is an Industrial Robot?

Our understanding of industrial robots in the lecture

„Design of Robot Workplaces“:

© HS-SM/Huxholl|R3/24-04 Based on: Yaskawa DESIGN OF ROBOT WORKPLACES 38

 Thank you very much for your attention.

© HS-SM/Huxholl|R3/24-04