Automation – Page 287
-
ArticleIntelligent automation
How automation is being developed for a wider range of production configurationsAutomation has lent itself to the pattern of high production volumes and product uniformity which is particularly required by OEM vehicle assemblers. That pattern, however, has not remained static. While global production volumes remain high, automation now has to ...
-
Article- 智能自动化
AMS关于如何针对更广泛的应用范围发展自动化的报告 自动化已经适应了高产量和产品一致性的模式，这正是原始设备制造商汽车装配所需要的。然而，这种模式并非一成不变。尽管全球产量维持高位，自动化现在必须具有足够灵活性，以应对迅速变化的产品配置（在供应商层面比原始设备制造商层面更加突出的要求）。 这恰好是总部位于德国的机器人供应商库卡（Kuka）的全球一级总监罗兰·施皮斯（Roland Spiess）的观点。目前，自动化制造设备主要供应商的汽车市场的本质是汽车装配厂的要求与其物流供应链中下一步的要求之间存在的一个明显分歧。施皮斯指出，原始设备制造商仍然为焊接或喷漆等范围有限的非常具体的应用订购大量标准机器人。相比之下，即使一级供应商部门的特点也是要求满足横跨整个部门、甚至个别公司内部的更加多样化的应用任务的需求。 正如施皮斯所指出，供应商将不仅仅制造各种尺寸的零部件，还将处理各种材料，因此，需要机器人处理更加多样化的任务，比如从成型机装卸塑料件以及清理金属部件边缘的毛刺。希望供应商提供包含结构要素、电子器件和高品质漆面在内的完整子系统的趋势日益增强，表明对自动化制造系统中的灵活性需求将相当大。 但是，施皮斯说，不会不惜任何代价来满足灵活性的需求。相反，会在他们购买的系统的关键要素方面”通过标准化实现灵活性“。针对机器人，他继续说，这些要素更可能专注于“软件”方面，如控制器和编程接口，而不是电机和齿轮等纯粹的物理“硬件”。然而，“能源效率、更高产出和经济地使用占地面积”将是拉动需求的不变因素。 通过灵活性实现集成对于专门制造汽车行业用塑料件的德国Karl Krumpholz Plastics而言，占地面积肯定是一个因素。该公司采用注塑成型工艺，并在这个工序和后续作业中寻求最大程度的自动化。自2013年3月以来，Karl Krumpholz采用一台2,300吨注塑成型机和一个库卡KR 120 R3900超级架装机器人组合，生产德国商用车塑料保险杠系统用的多种部件。这种配置满足了公司对灵活性和伸展范围的需求，并且无需将这个机器人安装在成型机上方小平台上的专用表面上。 为了生产保险杠托架的中央零部件，机器人最初使用夹具从供给站拾取衬套，然后，在本机器中实际生产该部件的同时，将它们移动到等待位置。后者打开，机器人将衬套插入喷嘴侧的模具中，然后将夹具旋转90°，拾取弹出的零件。机器人补充修整完零件后，将其放入冷却装置，保持正确对准状态，防止收缩。 整个过程看起来似乎很寻常，但是，正如库卡和Karl Krumpholz所指出，只有采用6轴机器人才能实现这个集成的方法，较早的线性龙门架替代产品根本不具备充分的灵活性。因此，本机器人不仅涉及所有机器内作业，还用于生产零件所需的所有后续机器外步骤。 这种能力并非偶然。施皮斯确定，当库卡在2012年推出Quantec系列时，已考虑到塑料成型行业的需求。这个单一机器人系列的有效载荷范围是90-300公斤，伸展范围为2,500-3,900毫米。此外，与以前的机器相比，重量减少了高达330公斤，还实际修订了其几何形状，2号轴的位置再次向前推进了400毫米，并且降低，有助于方便进行成型机上方架装所需的向下加工工艺。 其结果是将灵活性和标准化精确结合，施皮斯说这正是目前市场的需求。“针对不断增长的复杂性和持续提高的部件要求，采用6轴机器人是自动化的技术结果，”他说，“铰接臂机器人可以非常精确地重复编程步骤。即使经过数千周期，质量仍然保持不变，机器人除装卸外，还能够执行切割、火焰加工、铣削或各种处理等后续步骤。”就其本身而言，Karl Krumpholz“证实了”该方法的有效性。该公司确认，正在考虑利用架装机器人的其他项目，其中包括汽车行业的车体底框梁。 采取协作方式虽然在汽车生产中采用高度自动化制造系统已经非常成熟，采用相关技术（特别是机器人）的另一种方式才刚刚开始进入人们的视野。这就是在“协作”过程中使用机器人，机器人与操作人员一起工作，两者之间没有物理安全屏障。美国麻省理工学院（MIT）航空航天系助理教授朱莉·沙阿（Julie Shah）说，这是一种相当完全“改变我们心目中工厂面貌”的创新。 沙阿是这个领域的一名专家，带领麻省理工学院的计算机科学和人工智能实验室内一个称为“交互式机器人技术小组（IRG）”的团队。她说，该小组正在努力开发支持规划和控制有关人、机器人或其他“自动系统”运行的算法。 沙阿还曾经与宝马合作，使用丹麦供应商Universal Robots的机器人帮助位于南卡罗来纳州斯帕坦堡的汽车制造商实施该方法。宝马承认这是其世界各地任何工厂中实施的第一个这样的例子，斯帕坦堡的工作涉及四个机器人，对X3车型的门组件施加密封材料（旨在提供防止水侵入的保护以及隔音措施）。将带一个粘接剂珠的箔插入，然后由操作人员轻轻按压。以前的操作人员使用一个简单的手动滚轮施加额外压力来完成这个过程，而目前由机器人通过滚轮头完成这项作业。据宝马称，当纯手工进行这项作业时，既消耗体力又对精度要求极高，对操作人员而言，是一项非常艰巨的工作。 制定安全标准对于沙阿而言，斯帕坦堡的装置只代表她视为在制造业环境中应用自动化技术的革命性开发过程中的第一步。她至少指出两个目前主要开发标准。 一个是编制安全标准和技术规范，能够以这种方式使用现有类型的工业机器人。她确认，国际标准组织（ISO）和美国国家标准与技术研究院都在从事相关工作。 需要改进的另外一个方面是在实际应用中消除机器人和人之间的物理安全屏障。沙阿指出，除了影响操作人员的人体工程学方面的考虑，一个主要潜在优点就是建造更紧凑生产线的能力，节省占地面积和相关的物流设施；在最基本的层面上，可以缩短传送带或AGV的行驶路线。 就汽车行业而言，沙阿也确认，手动程序仍然占主导地位的最终装配作业是可能应用这种方法的一个明显的领域。她说，这种作业的全自动化，即使可行，也有很长的路要走，但是，一些人与机器人协作程序已经“可以而且应该”实施。然而，沙阿承认，要实现协同工作，必须克服人工作方式和机器人运作方式之间的明显不匹配。她指出，人本质上是灵活的，能够应对眼前的意外要求。他们“并不必按照严格预定计划行事”。相比之下，机器人则为“预编程，按照固定的时间表执行可重复的任务”。 出于这个原因，沙阿在麻省理工学院的工作重点是“动态预定计划算法”领域，使机器人针对其周围正在实际发生的实时信息、根据其编程预定计划非常快速地做出更改。使机器人能够检测它们的环境是合适的传感器技术的简单事情，但是，真正的目的是使它们能够以人可能做出的那种灵活方式做出响应，再次减速和加速，而不仅仅是停止和启动。 和谐工作沙阿和她的团队一直在开发他们称为“交叉培训”的方式，使机器人和人能够相互有效而高效地合作的和谐方式。她解释说，一个关键要素涉及开发一种可用于使机器人能够预测人们如何行动并据此（而非仅仅遵循直线路径）自我操纵的“人类行为统计模型”。这种方法从根本上与以传统方式编程的机器人不同，沙阿称之为“哑培训”，在与外部影响完全隔离的情况下执行任务。 并非只需“培训”机器人。将与它们一起工作的人也需获得在特定情况下机器人如何动作的“心智模式”，以便他们能够适当地修改自己的行为。沙阿说，只有这样，机器人和人才能像两个人一样合作。她补充说，IRG正在与机器人供应商ABB合作执行这项工作，将这个概念推向前进。 同时，在麻省理工学院的一些有趣工作涉及到一个机器人，它能够按照地面水平路径自我独立操纵，从而以不间断的方式工作。“这是一个可自由移动的机器人，不是在轨道上，”沙阿确认并解释说，它可以根据需要在地面板上或在运动的路径上部分地自我驱动。 其他的工作主要集中在开发多机器人单元的功能，以便能够重新安排自己在生产中随后出现的意外间歇，如突然停机后的维修过程。沙阿和她的一些研究生已经发表了一篇论文，概述能够在这样的情况中快速重新安排的那种类型的算法。事实上，已经实际开发出了适当的算法，目前从事的工作是找到在工业中实际实施的机会。 但是，沙阿强调，正如斯帕坦堡的例子已经证实，现在可以实现有效的机器人和人的协同工作。它比较新颖，使得关于它如何有效方面的确切数据相对较少，但是，她会说，实验室测试已经非常强烈地表明，正确的实施可能降低高达80%的相关人员“空闲时间”。沙阿解释说，正确类型的实施可能是这样的，人执行“增值”工作，而机器则执行更寻常但必要的配套作业。 ...
-
ArticleCar production in UK remains stable
UK – Figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show that output in January was just 0.3% below the industry’s 2013 performance, with 128,620 units produced.Mike Hawes, CEO of the SMMT, described the production as “a solid start to 2014” and added that domestic output is expected ...
-
ArticleBMW to build MINI Hatch at VDL Nedcar
The Netherlands – Production in Born will begin in summer 2014, following on from the manufacturing launch at Oxford last November of the Mini Hatch. According to Harald Krüger, BMW board member Production, the Mini brand is experiencing “substantial growth” which necessitates additional, external capacity.“Splitting production of the new Mini ...
-
ArticleGM celebrates 60 years of Texas production
US – The company’s Arlington plant, which was founded in 1954, switched from car to truck assembly in 1997 and is now the only facility which builds the full-size Chevrolet Tahoe, Chevrolet Suburban, GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade.The SUVs currently manufactured are all new, redesigned for the 2015 model year.Since ...
-
ArticleHeavyweight investments
Recent developments at Volvo and Daimler show that staying ahead in truck manufacture requires the input of significant resourcesTrucks are the lifeblood of commerce; for example, the latest figures from the United States show that 19 billion tonnes of freight were carried in a single year – equating to 4.4trillion ...
-
ArticleDaimler celebrates half-century at Tramagal
Portugal – The facility has produced over 200,000 vehicles during this time and, according to the manufacturer, has become the European “backbone” of the FUSO Canter, the best-seller in the Daimler Trucks product range. Wolfgang Bernhard, board member with responsibility for Daimler Trucks and Daimler Buses, praised Tramagal as “an ...
-
ArticleBDNT picks ABB for DENZA chargers
China – The power and automation technology company will supply fast chargers for batteries powering the electric DENZA vehicle from Shenzhen BYD Daimler New Technology (BDNT), the subsidiary between Daimler and BYD. The fast chargers are wall-mounted at a user’s home, although DENZA can also be charged via a conventional ...
-
ArticleToyota to test hybrid wireless charging
Japan – The verification process will take place in Aichi, starting in late February, and will assess the OEM’s newly developed battery charging system for electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrids. According to Toyota, the system can charge a vehicle which is parked over a coil on the ground, making ...
-
ArticleOakville to build new Ford Edge
Canada – Following a C$700m investment “to make it one of the most competitive and advanced global manufacturing facilities in Canada”, announced last September, Ford says the Toronto plant will export the utility vehicle to more than 60 countries.Joe Hinrichs, Ford president of the Americas, commented: “Oakville is vital to ...
-
ArticleGM celebrates millionth vehicle at Rayong
Thailand – Production of the milestone vehicle, a Chevrolet Trailblazer, was celebrated during a visit to the facility by the company’s new CEO, Mary Barra, and president Dan Ammann.Amman described Rayong as “a key component of our consumer-centric and market-driven strategy for growing our production line-up and Chevrolet brand in ...
-
ArticleBosch, GS Yuasa and Mitsubishi to boost EV batteries
Germany – The new Lithium Energy and Power joint venture, headquartered in Stuttgart and with a 70-strong workforce, will begin operations in 2014 with the aim of developing the next generation of lithium-ion battery technology.“In setting up this joint venture, we want to achieve nothing less than a giant leap ...
-
Article
BorgWarner appoints Sato to the board
US – Vicki Sato has served as professor of management practice, Harvard Business School, and professor of the practice in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at Harvard University since 2006.Sato was previously president of Vertex Pharmaceuticals and is currently a director of Bristol-Myers Squibb, Perkin Elmer and Galapagos.www.borgwarner.com
-
ArticleBus-making moves in the right direction
Buses are a sustainable form of public transport, but only if they are manufactured in similar fashionLike all sectors of the automotive industry, the drive is on to increase sustainability within the coach and bus sector. One such programme is under way at Thomas Built Buses, the manufacturer of the ...
-
ArticleBig challenges off the road
The volumes may be lower and the unit size larger, but the logistical and manpower issues involved in off-highway manufacturing are similar to the automotive industryThe manufacture of huge off-road vehicles follows many of the same processes found in automotive production. Most of these models are made using flow line ...
-
ArticleTata and Westport launch natural gas engine
India – The new spark-ignited (SI) natural gas 3.8-litre turbocharged engine features Westport’s WP580 engine management system (EMS).According to Westport, the EMS features engine control strategies which offer reduced fuel consumption and emissions, increased load carrying capabilities with launch torque, and integrated vehicle functionality. The system is also designed to ...
-
ArticleToyota: The titan marches on
While production is set to decrease in Japan, the OEM is expanding its worldwide footprintOn December 5, 2013, Toyota passed a notable production landmark when the total number of vehicles made in Japan since the company’s inception passed 150 million, 78 years and five months since the first model, a ...
-
ArticleValenciennes to make Toyota Yaris in 3 shifts
France – The move has been made to accommodate an increased production plan for 2014 of 220,000 units, following particularly successful sales of the Yaris Hybrid. The 15% boost in output will require an expansion of the workforce by 500 temporary personnel to a total of 4,000. Toyota Motor Manufacturing ...
-
Article
GM ploughs €250m into engines at Tychy
Poland – The OEM has allocated a new generation of mid-size diesel engines to its facility in the Katowice Special Economic Zone, with production set to begin in 2017. Annual capacity will be 200,000 units.The investment is the largest in the history of the Tychy plant and will enable the ...
-
ArticleCoping with coatings
The latest solutions for steel include metal-cored welding wires, zinc-magnesium-aluminium alloys and a nanoceramic methodA car body goes through the GardoFlex galvanising bath at Kia Motors SlovakiaThe automotive industry has found steel such a useful material that it seems almost churlish to mention its habit of bonding with oxygen and ...