Flexible production is already a reality in a new smart factory in Norway. Different robots are used in a system that was developed and implemented by system integrator Intek Engineering. A dozen industrial robots, each located in an individual work station or cell, take over various steps in the manufacturing process. To achieve the high efficiency, safety and convenience of a modern smart factory, Intek needed to connect the cells in an intelligent way. This is why the system integrator opted for Omron's LD mobile robots and enterprise management software. Intek has been using the company's products and solutions for decades and is now opening up new possibilities for the use of Autonomous Intelligent Vehicles (AIVs).

"The manufacturer wanted a flexible production solution that would enable very high efficiency and short changeover times," says Sølvar Flatmo, CSO of Intek. "The combination of our experience in flexible production lines with technologies such as Omron's mobile LD robots is a decisive factor. This allows us to build flexible and adaptable production lines that can be reconfigured and even changed during operation. For highly efficient production, the robots have to work continuously, and fast changeovers and reduced downtimes are essential for the new line."

"One of the main reasons we chose Omron's LD robots is their ability to move parts from one cell to another in the shortest possible time. Together with Omron's Enterprise Manager, they combine high accuracy with an innovative control system that allows them to maneuver quickly, efficiently and safely. We were also able to easily integrate the robots with the Enterprise Manager, and the control system can be easily expanded for up to 100 robots. We have several customers who are looking at how they can use and benefit from this technology in their own factories."

The LD robots move at a speed of up to 1.8 meters per second. (Image: Omron)

Decisions during operation
The production line in the new factory has eight LD robots that support the production cells. These mobile robots are controlled by Omron's Enterprise Manager, which plans and coordinates their movements in the plant. It acts as a central brain, so to speak - a robot within a robot. Using a virtual map, it decides which robot goes where. Various factors, from the current position to the battery charge level, are taken into account to increase efficiency. Just like the entire system, the Enterprise Manager acts quickly and makes decisions during operation so that no time is lost.

The bottom line is that this results in high overall efficiency. The Enterprise Manager ensures that products are transported from one production stage to the next as soon as they are ready. He also makes sure that the robots are always charged. Even in hectic times, robots are briefly steered to the charging station to give their batteries a boost. At planned downtimes, all robots are then sent to their charging station. The Enterprise Manager also makes it easy to add additional robots to systems. When a new robot is added, it does not need to be programmed. The Enterprise Manager automatically integrates it into the current inventory and assigns it the appropriate tasks.

Safety first and foremost
As the industrial robots in the smart factory in Norway work at high speed, it is dangerous for staff to enter the production cells during operation. That's why each cell has a laser grid that detects if someone enters it and then automatically shuts down the system immediately. This would also happen when the LD robots enter the cells to take the products to the next processing step. To prevent an emergency shutdown, the Enterprise Manager sends a signal to the cells as soon as a robot passes the laser grid.

When the mobile robots move back and forth between the cells, they use their own sensors to detect people or objects that are in their way. They then maneuver around them independently or stop to let people pass by. In this way, the few employees needed to operate and maintain the production line can work safely with the LD robots.

"This is the largest single order for our LD mobile robots and the first project in Europe to use Enterprise Manager to enable all robots to work together," says Erik Tordhol, Country Manager Norway at Omron. "We are very proud that, together with Intek Engineering, we have been able to underline our leading position in the realization of smart factories based on the Industry 4.0 approach." as

Precision at top speed
Omron's LD robots move at a speed of up to 1.8 meters per second. Nevertheless, with their 85-centimeter-wide chassis, they can easily enter and exit the 95-centimeter-wide robot cells. Thanks to their double sensors, which they guide over special magnetic strips in the floor, the robots can align themselves with millimeter precision. It is this accuracy that makes it possible to speed up production processes.
In addition to their speed and accuracy, LD robots can be used in areas that can be dangerous for people, such as cold stores or hot rooms. They are also ideal for clean room facilities, for example in the semiconductor or pharmaceutical industries, where personnel could contaminate the process.