Abstract
The article deals with possibilities of using of a two-handed collaborative robot in automated production. The introductory part of this paper is about robot manufacturers’ proposed ways of use of collaborative robots and a consideration of correctness of this stance. In this matter, an alternative point of view is proposed and tested, where a collaborative robot does not cooperate with a worker but replaces him/her completely. The main part of the study focuses on a specific installation of the YuMi collaborative robot into an already existing production line of a leading Czech supplier in the automotive industry. This real application is verified in simulations with an alternative solution consisting of two traditional industrial robots ABB IRB 120 instead. These data are evaluated and the advantages of deploying the collaborative robot and the industrial robots in the specific assembly application are compared. Economic return and productivity in high production cycle applications are considered. The article then describes the difficulties caused by the low load capacity of the YuMi collaborative robot and an alternative approach using the FEM methodology and topology optimization in the robot grip jaws design.
Highlights
In 2008, a Danish company Universal Robots had launched the first collaborative robot that has a worldwide sales success and changed the established rules of the market [1]
Collaborative robotics has many advantages, but it has some limitations too making it in most manufacturing processes so disadvantageous that it cannot stand in comparison with traditional industrial robotics
In the specific case described below, the choice of YuMi cobot is more appropriate in all aspects than the other considered options with traditional industrial robots
Summary
In 2008, a Danish company Universal Robots had launched the first collaborative robot (cobot) that has a worldwide sales success and changed the established rules of the market [1]. Fanuc has created the strongest cobot so far Their CR-35iA has a load capacity of 35 kg [4]. Collaborative robotics has many advantages, but it has some limitations too making it in most manufacturing processes so disadvantageous that it cannot stand in comparison with traditional industrial robotics. These limitations result from the safety functions and operation of these manipulators, which do not have to be installed behind the protective fence, optical barriers, zone scanners and are generally considered to be safe (which applies only to the manipulator, not to its tool and surrounding technology). The question how to use cobots in practice arises [9,10,11,12,13]
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