Program your robots easier
Remaining competitive and resilient is becoming increasingly more important as markets fluctuate. Factories must step up to the plate to tackle accelerating costs and a dwindling labor market through digital transformation. Already, many organizations have opted to ameliorate their industrial robots through implementing simulation and AI.
While many factories have been reaping the benefits of their new-found automation capabilities, some companies get tripped up reaching their goals in the first place. Implementing modern, advanced equipment often requires the expertise of people knowledgeable in specific coding languages. When coupled with general labor shortages in the industrial manufacturing space, finding the right people becomes another obstacle to digitalization.
Here at Siemens, we have made efforts to democratize robot programming. During an episode of our Digital Transformation podcast series, Siemens experts Rahul Garg, Vice President for industrial machinery vertical software strategy at Siemens Digital Industries software, and Jens Meckel, head of business line advanced automation and robotics, discussed solutions Siemens uses to make robot programming accessible to more workers.
The unifying interface
Most shop floors that attempt to modernize end up purchasing robots from different vendors to suit their specific needs. And many times, this modern equipment that boast more advanced operations compared to older, simpler machines also require specialists to get the robots up and running.
Fortunately, leading robot vendors came together to create that a standard robot command interface and that makes it possible to use PLC engineering for programming. This interface lowers the barrier of using robots in a factory’s automation system, which ensures that the robots are optimized for production and that the company will receive a return on its investment.
With the standardized programming language, it is possible to program the robot from within the automation engineering tier portal by simply dragging libraries into the standard programming, enabling shop floor workers to easily move the robot. Simple PLC low-code programming comes in handy when servicing the robot especially.
Now, any service personal knowledgeable with PLC engineering tools can service the robot within its tooling environment. Factories no longer have to rely on each specific robot vendor for servicing but can now receive service from multiple different robot vendors. Incorporating robots into a standard automation environment can now be done by whichever vendor suits the factory’s needs.
The benefits of unity
This standardized robot programming language is similar to a circuit diagram; so simple that any engineer with the know-how can pick it up. Here at Siemens, we believe that low code programming truly democratizes robot implementation.
More people having access to programming robots facilitates the implementation of other automation-enabling solutions powered by AI. With easy access to robot programming also comes easy access to their skills. Skills such as object picking become easier to train with programs such as Pick AI. Typically, picking objects using traditional robot programming is very hard and it is often impossible to pick an unknown object. Using Pick AI, engineers can identify pick points for the robot’s suction gripper without the need for training.
AI can also improve machine precision. With robot programming democratized, engineers can deploy solutions such as Siemens Run My Robot. Leveraging AI algorithms, Run My Robot uses CNC controllers to drive robots with high precision, suitable for tasks requiring millimeter-level accuracy.
Towards the industrial metaverse
Democratizing robot programming allows brownfields to adopt robots suitable to their needs from multiple vendors. Engineers can also take better advantage of AI powered solutions that make robots more flexible and adaptable. And simulation can add to these capabilities as well.
Virtual representations of machines through the digital twin enable the further simplification of robot programming and training. In the industrial metaverse—a virtual space that expands on the physical world which fosters efficiency, productivity, sustainability, and connectivity—manufacturers can change parameters and test solutions before bringing them to the real world, cutting both risk and costs. This will help your factory keep ahead of a constantly shifting landscape while addressing accelerating demands for high quality products.
To get a more in depth look at the ways the manufacturing industry is innovating within the advanced robotics space with the digital twin and AI, listen to what our experts have to say on our podcast.
Siemens Digital Industries Software helps organizations of all sizes digitally transform using software, hardware and services from the Siemens Xcelerator business platform. Siemens’ software and the comprehensive digital twin enable companies to optimize their design, engineering and manufacturing processes to turn today’s ideas into the sustainable products of the future. From chips to entire systems, from product to process, across all industries. Siemens Digital Industries Software – Accelerating transformation.
