Medium-sized companies have rarely exploited the potential offered by the use of robots. One of the reasons: Programming is comparatively complex and external experts are often required to set up a robot. Martin Naumann, Group Leader at the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA, believes that this is no longer appropriate in an age of intuitively operated smartphones and tablets.

Software reduces programming effort
Together with his colleagues, the Fraunhofer IPA researcher has developed the Drag&bot software, which reduces programming effort to a minimum. Drag&bot provides ready-made program modules that can be quickly and intuitively combined into complex robot applications via a graphical user interface. In addition, operating and input aids simplify the parameterization of the modules. "This means that expert knowledge is no longer required to reprogram robots from different manufacturers," emphasizes Naumann. Visitors to the stand at Motek can program an application with Drag&bot.

The Pitasc software solution for force-controlled assembly processes will also be on show. It makes it possible to automate processes that were previously carried out manually, such as the assembly of control cabinets, in an economically viable way. The software is innovative because once the task has been modeled, it can be transferred to new workpiece variants, other robot types and robots from other manufacturers. It is also structured like a modular system: it contains ready-to-use and reusable program modules that system integrators can put together individually and use directly when setting up a robot system. Pitasc is also integrated into Drag&bot.

Analysis via app
If a company would like to automate assembly processes to a greater extent, for example, Fraunhofer IPA offers the automation potential analysis, which provides companies with sound decision-making knowledge about all their assembly workstations and lines in production and suitable automation options. This allows "quick wins" to be systematically identified and concepts to be created and implemented on this basis.

This analysis is now being carried out for the first time with the help of an app, which Ramez Awad, also a group leader at the IPA, will be presenting at the trade fair. "This not only allows us to further accelerate the analysis, but also provides us with a database that allows us to compare a newly planned solution with one that has already been implemented, for example," explains Awad. as

Hall 7, Stand 7102