Rethink Robotics: Collaborative Robots Continue to Raise Automation Accessibility

Advances in digital technology have been reducing the cost of computing and promoting accessibility to factory automation for all manufacturers -- not just the biggest ones. The beneficiaries of the movement have been midsize and even small manufacturers, able to invest in affordable productivity-enhancing equipment.

This democratization of automation is evident in robotics, where collaborative platforms that are easily programmable, safe for use next to workers on the production floor, and capable of performing multiple tasks are juicing the "factory of the future."

"We are in a digital revolution, where computing power is cheap," said Carl Palme, applications product manager at Rethink Robotics. Palme sees more and more manufacturers transitioning from caged robots, separated from workers, to the versatile, low-cost, collaborative robots that Rethink Robotics and some other robotics suppliers provide.

Rethink Robotics will discuss the movement toward the factories of the future not only at Eastec 2015, in West Springfield, Mass., May 12-14, but also at Design News' Atlantic Design & Manufacturing event in New York City, June 9-11.

Rethink Robotics now has two robots, with Sawyer following the much-covered Baxter. Both Baxter and Sawyer are suitable for operations of all sizes, intended for simple, repetitive tasks -- which, according to Palme, comprise 90% of manufacturing. The $29,000 Sawyer is good at machine tending -- placing objects in a CNC milling machine, for example, or inserting and extracting samples in test devices. Baxter's specialties include packing, unloading, and pick-and-place.

While the $35,000 Baxter weighs 160 lb, Sawyer is just 42 lb, though a wheeled pedestal adds 150 lb. Baxter has two arms, 7 degrees of movement, and 40 inches of reach, while Sawyer has one arm with 7 degrees of freedom and a 39.3-inch reach. Each handles a payload of 8.8 lb. Both models plug into 110V sockets and draw only 6A of electricity.

Software and computing advances have enabled the mechatronics in these robots. Intera is intuitive software that the company updates every three to four months. Line workers are able to program the software by teaching the robots movements for a task; no programming expertise is necessary.

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Series elastic actuators (SEA) use springs for force control. Sensors in the robot arm measure spring deflection during motion and adjust the motor to compensate. SEA can also self-program the robots. When it senses a rise in force caused by, say, the contours of a box during loading, it releases a part.

The Robot Positioning System recognizes locations so when a unit is moved, it automatically sets up for the job it was taught in a particular area of a plant.

The robots are compatible for networking as part of connected plant floors where machinery are interconnected and data driven. With this connectivity, Palme said manufacturers are seeing more consistent performance and fewer quality problems.

He added that ROI on these robots is measured in months rather than years, with them able to free up production personnel for higher-level and greater-value work.

Pat Toensmeier has more than 30 years of experience writing for business-to-business publications. His main areas of coverage have been defense, design, manufacturing, technology and chemicals, especially plastics and composites. He has reported extensively on developments in these areas from the U.S. and Europe, and covered industry events as well in Brazil and Asia. Toensmeier has held various positions at major publishers such as the McGraw-Hill Companies and Hearst Corporation. A graduate of the University of Missouri, he is a contributing editor for several print and online publications. Toensmeier is based in suburban New Haven, Conn.

Atlantic Design & Manufacturing, the largest advanced design and manufacturing trade show serving the Northeastern US, delivers thousands of senior level design and manufacturing professionals who are looking for new ideas, innovations, and solutions. A Design News event, Atlantic Design & Manufacturing will take place in New York, June 9-11, 2015. It’s your chance to meet qualified suppliers, get hands-on with the latest technologies, and expand your network. Learn more here.