Industrial robotics is the key to achieving innovation, savings and maximum production line efficiency.
Among all automated lines, robotic islands represent the state of the art in industrial automation. In fact, robotic islands are sets of machines-organized within an automated work cell-that include automatically controlled manipulator robots.
Industrial robots what they are and how they are
Industrial robots that can be integrated within a robotic island can be of 4 different types, depending on the tasks and goals of production, but also on the space available and the type of machinery already on the line.
- Anthropomorphic robots move in 6 axes, can make 360-degree rotations and provide maximum flexibility. They are ideal for handling complex objects, both light and heavy.
- Spider Robots, are robotic arms that move in 3 axes. They cannot rotate, but they achieve high speeds. Given their compact size, they are ideal for handling objects of minimal weight, especially short-range pick & place.
- SCARA (selective compliance articulated robot arm) robots move in 4 axes. They are fast and have a small footprint, but the range of movements allowed is rather limited.
- The cobots or collaborative robots. Unlike other industrial robots, they can safely interact with their surroundings and the operators with whom they share tasks and do not require physical or laser barriers.
Robotic islands: The advantages
Robotic islands, cover numerous industrial applications. From aeronautics to faucets, from leather goods to pharmaceuticals, not forgetting automotive, jewelry and the e-waste branch.
What best characterizes these systems is their extreme flexibility.
Industrial robots are easily reprogrammable and repurposed. Once a production is discontinued, the technology is simply repurposed on new lines.
They do not need staff because they can be totally autonomous for numerous shifts. The operator, is no longer forced into dangerous, wearing or alienating tasks and can devote himself to supervisory duties.
Robotic islands also increase both productivity and the quality of finished products. The precision with which these machines work is unattainable by human labor.
They perform better and in less time because they optimize cycle times.
Il tempo è denaro
The greater the speed, the greater the output and the greater the economic gain as well.
Production is more reliable and repeatable and, most importantly, knows no downtime. A human work shift reaches a maximum of 8 hours. The machine shift, on the other hand, is on 24 hours over 7 days with an autonomy of numerous hours. Compared to the worker, it also produces almost twice as many parts.
The growth in average annual productivity also corresponds to a decrease in production costs.
The average payback, in the case of robotic islands, is less than one year.
The return on investment, therefore, is extremely rapid, and the fruits of the initial expenditure are already reaped after a short time.
A robotic island, then:
- It is applicable to a great many industries, thanks in part to the different types of industrial robots
- It is flexible, reconvertible and reprogrammable. The investment lasts over time
- Lowers production costs
- Increases productivity, almost twice as many parts made in the same amount of time
- Increases quality because products are always perfect
- Ensures repeatability: the robot always works the same way
- It does not require constant staff presence, as it has a runtime of up to 96 hours
- Optimizes cycle times
The benefit is not only in terms of time, but it is by time that the economic gain is quantified. And robotic islands actually succeed in making the production line more efficient and profitable.
