Industrial Robot Reconfiguration for Changing Production Tasks
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Solution Overview
Problem
In industrial settings with varying production demands, robots often remain underutilized due to task mismatch and lack of adaptability, leading to high costs and inefficient resource allocation, as they are typically assigned to specific tasks and not easily reconfigured for new tasks without significant financial risk.
Innovation Solution
A management system that determines task requirements, detects robot availability, checks adaptability, and modifies the robot's technological package to enable task execution, including loading new programs and installing necessary tools, either automatically or with assistance, to reconfigure robots for new tasks based on production needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If robots are assigned to specific tasks for mass production, then manufacturing precision and productivity are improved, but adaptability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a task management system that enables robots to perform multiple different tasks by dynamically assigning tasks from a task library. Instead of being dedicated to a single task, robots can be reconfigured and reassigned to different tasks based on production needs, making the robotic system universal and adaptable while maintaining high productivity through automated task management.
2Reliability
If robots are purchased for each production step to ensure task capability, then reliability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system allows a smaller fleet of robots to handle multiple tasks by implementing a centralized task management mechanism. Robots can be dynamically assigned to different tasks based on availability and capability matching, reducing the need to purchase dedicated robots for each task while maintaining reliable task execution through proper task-robot matching and coordination.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple task capabilities into a single robotic platform through the task management system. Instead of having separate dedicated robots for each task, the system combines task management, robot coordination, and dynamic assignment into an integrated system that allows one robot to perform multiple functions, thereby reducing overall system complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If robots are purchased in advance for potential future products, then adaptability is improved, but loss of capital increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic task assignment and robot allocation that can adapt to changing production requirements in real-time. Instead of static pre-purchasing decisions, the system dynamically adjusts which robots perform which tasks based on current and anticipated production needs, allowing the company to respond flexibly to market changes without committing capital to unused robotic capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters of robots through software configuration and task assignment rather than requiring physical hardware changes. By modifying task parameters, skill sets, and operational modes through the management system, the company can adapt robots to new products and tasks without purchasing new equipment, thereby avoiding capital loss while maintaining adaptability.
Data Source
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AI summary
Management system for an installation implementing industrial robots (R1, R2, R3), said system comprising a management module (M) configured to communicate with said industrial robots via a communication network, each industrial robot comprising a processing unit (4), a communication interface (6) with the communication network (CT) and at least one effector device (8) equipped with a tool (OT), the management module (M) being configured, following a production request (REQ), to: - determine the availability of at least one industrial robot, - verify the adaptability of said industrial robot to a new task, - trigger a process of configuring said industrial robot to the new task by activating a suitable technology package so that said industrial robot is able to perform the new task to be carried out.