Man and machine: AI and robotics in industry

Robotics has long been established in production. However, demand is now increasing rapidly. In the past 5 years, more industrial robots have been used worldwide than in the 15 years before that. This development is driven not least by global megatrends that do not stop at Germany. This is forcing industry to change processes and explore new avenues in order to remain competitive in the future.

Transformation driver AI and robotics

Companies are therefore looking for ways to increase productivity and ensure or improve quality. In addition, there are increased demands for flexibility and simplicity in the operation and management of production facilities. These two factors are becoming increasingly critical to success. Robotics is giving the industry back some of its flexibility. Through the increased use of data and AI, robotics is reaching the next stage of development, in which robots can act more autonomously and mobile and improve image processing and analysis capabilities. AI makes it possible to convert data into information so that robots can act autonomously not only in production, but also in unstructured, dynamic environments.

Process speed and quality assurance play a decisive role in the automotive industry in particular. There are several thousand spot welds on the body of a car alone, all of which have to be checked individually. Robots inspect spot welds using ABB's complete Ultrasonic Spot Welding Quality Inspection package. The solution can be easily scaled, integrated into existing production lines or operated separately as a stand-alone cell. This results in potential savings in manual quality inspections. The combination of robotics and AI increases productivity in this application by a factor of 20. While one employee can check around 85,000 spot welds per year, a robot can do over 1.8 million.

Generative AI empowers robots to learn independently. Without specific programming, the robot proceeds according to the trial-and-error principle. This means that robots can also take on tasks that are too multi-layered or complex for conventional programming. The learning process can also take place virtually thanks to special software.

Finding and retaining qualified workers is a constant challenge for warehouse operators. The monotonous nature of pick-and-place or item picking applications in particular leads to reduced productivity and high staff turnover. Fulfillment centers are therefore increasingly relying on the use of robots, but the high pick rate, the large variety of items and the deformation of parcels also pose a challenge for robotics. This is where AI comes into its own. Machine vision and AI are combined in the ABB Robotic Item Picker, for example.

Equipped with a robot, vacuum grippers and special image processing software, it is able to accurately detect and pick items in unstructured environments in warehouses and fulfillment centers. Items can also be rejected if they do not correspond to the specified shape or size. Parcels can also be separated and productivity is also increased, as a robot's pick rate of 750 to 1,400 items per hour and an induction rate of 99% is far higher than that of a human.

The combination of AI and 3D image processing enables AMR to differentiate between fixed and moving objects and make intelligent decisions. © ABB

In factories, autonomous mobility is crucial for flexible automation. The secret recipe here is Visual SLAM (Visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping). The combination of AI and 3D image processing enables AMR to differentiate between fixed and moving objects, map its environment independently and make intelligent decisions on this basis. Paired with the AMR-Studio software for intuitive programming and control, the commissioning time is reduced by up to 20%. This makes it easier and faster to get started in the world of AMR. The examples illustrate how the combination of AI and robotics solves problems in industry, opens up new areas of application and makes both the production process and logistics more efficient, reliable, productive, safe and, above all, more flexible.

The next generation of manufacturing combines all of these concepts in one system. Robot cells are fully automated and networked with autonomous mobile robots that are orchestrated and communicate with each other. Instead of linear production lines, this creates flexible networks that can react to dynamic requirements. The targeted collection and analysis of the generated data is also important for future training and the further development of AI. The combination of AI and robotics in production also delivers faster, better quality and well-founded decisions for production control.

With advanced mechatronics, AI and vision systems, ABB robots are increasingly working seamlessly with humans or other robots to perform more tasks in more places. With OmniCore, the company has launched a unified control architecture that is based on a single platform and language and integrates the entire portfolio of hardware and software.

Humans and robots

But where are the humans in this future scenario? It is true that robotics, especially in combination with AI, is changing today's job profiles. However, the focus is on relieving people of heavy physical, dangerous or repetitive tasks. This frees up capacity, which in turn can be used for more varied or creative tasks such as product development. However, companies should involve employees in the transformation at an early stage. Nowadays, you don't have to be a robotics expert to be able to program a robot. Those who train their employees in the use of robots at an early stage create future-proof jobs and generate added value for the company.

Getting to grips with new technologies at an early stage helps to reduce fears and become more confident in dealing with robots. In the future, humans and robots will work side by side in numerous industries. In order for the full potential of AI and robotics to be exploited, politics, science, employee representatives and companies must pull together. Politicians in particular have a responsibility to create a legal framework that promotes innovation.

SPS, Hall 4, Stand 420/520