Many companies are concerned with the extent to which they can automate their assembly tasks. A new app from Fraunhofer IPA now helps with this. It guides the user to analyze their own assembly processes in detail, evaluates the answers and provides information on the potential for automation.

In the app, the IPA experts have digitally processed their knowledge, which they previously provided in a personally conducted automation potential analysis (APA). They are presenting the new version 2.0 of the APA app at Motek and are looking for the first users and testers. They can try out the app with a simple license agreement.

"With our APA app, anyone can become an expert in the evaluation of assembly processes," explains Alexander Neb, who works as a research assistant at Fraunhofer IPA and co-developed the app. The app is not intended to be limited to assembly. An application with human-robot cooperation (HRC) can often be useful instead of full automation. This is why the IPA researchers want to integrate this topic into the app. It could also provide support for inspection and maintenance in the future. Inquiries from interested companies are welcome for these further developments.

Another IPA exhibit at Motek is the Pitasc software solution for programming force-controlled assembly processes. It makes it possible to automate processes that were previously carried out manually in an economically viable way. "Previously, it was necessary to largely reprogram a robot system for each application. With our software, once tasks have been modeled, they can be quickly transferred to new product variants, products and even robots from other manufacturers," says Frank Nägele, group manager at Fraunhofer IPA. The software contains many ready-to-use and reusable program modules that can be individually compiled and used directly when setting up a robot system. Pitasc is ready for use in pilot applications, which the IPA researchers would like to implement together with companies.

At Motek, the software will also be integrated into a robot system that can be quickly assembled from hardware modules. The modules, for example a robot arm, tools or devices, are simply and precisely placed on perforated grid tables. The modules also include the program components required to carry out an assembly task and the necessary information such as tool positions and geometries. This allows the user to set up or convert a robot cell with little programming effort. This demonstrator is a result of the EU project "RAMPup". The aim of the project was to integrate hardware and software into automation modules that allow a robot cell to be set up and converted quickly for specific applications and variants. as

Hall 7, Stand 7128