| When you are in the process of automating production | | | | milling, jigless fixturing, and friction stir welding. Other |
| with robotics, it is important to realize that the | | | | tasks like loading heavy objects on pallets, transporting, |
| characteristics of work cells should be considered in a | | | | deburring, dispensing, and water jet cutting are done by |
| different way. It would be a good idea to think "outside | | | | people, but sometimes not very well. Robotics can |
| of the box", if you will. The previous work | | | | take on these tasks very readily to eliminate the |
| methodologies on the production line may no longer be | | | | increased expense of heavy dedicated equipment to |
| valid when robotics are in place. With the previous | | | | do these chores. |
| work cells the work station was a fixed position on the | | | | Consider the flexible manufacturing operation that is |
| line with very specific tooling. Robotics opens the door | | | | designed to produce several different types of circuit |
| to the idea of a mobile work cell in that it can be | | | | boards. This type of production line can have several |
| moved to a new position on the line or to another line, | | | | robotic work stations that work together to produce all |
| if required. The tooling is very flexible, limited only to the | | | | the different circuit boards on one manufacturing line. A |
| requirements of the currently running application. The | | | | circuit board would be placed on the moving line by a |
| traditional work station on the production line does not | | | | robot. Each circuit board has a bar code on it that will |
| have a great deal of latitude in its work process in the | | | | tell the production process what its part number is. As |
| area of speed and other capabilities. The robotics | | | | the part moves down the belt toward the first robotic |
| work station has a large variation of both these | | | | work station, a bar code reader will read the part |
| characteristics. The speed of the operation of a | | | | number from the bar code label that is on the circuit |
| robotic is dependent on the application that is running | | | | board. Just before the board gets to the work station |
| the device. | | | | it passes through a beam of a light sensor. This |
| The automated work cell can apply its abilities any | | | | indicator causes the cell controller to request the part |
| where it is required. The traditional production line work | | | | number of this circuit board from the bar code reader. |
| station is single-task oriented without variation at all, | | | | The bar code reader sends the part number to the cell |
| while the robot can perform a multitude of tasks. | | | | controller. For each type circuit board that can be |
| Usually the changeover of a traditional station is done | | | | processed on the line there is a program in the cell |
| once a year or very infrequently. The robotic is | | | | controller. Once the cell controller has received the part |
| changed very often based on the requirements of the | | | | number from the bar code reader, it will start the |
| application it required to run. The focus of the traditional | | | | appropriate program to process the circuit board that |
| work station is for the production or work on a single | | | | has just arrived at he given work station. As the circuit |
| family of parts, it is very limited. There are no such | | | | board continues down the production line to other |
| restrictions on the robotic workstation, the variation is | | | | work stations, the cell controller will send instructions to |
| very wide, just dependent on the application. The | | | | each work station in a similar fashion. The instructions, |
| traditional workstation has to go through an arduous | | | | of course, are particular just the work station that has |
| set up or "training" in order to become productive with | | | | received the moving circuit board. |
| the other stations in the production line. Robotics are | | | | This is a simple illustration of how robotics can supply |
| programmed with instructions that are created away | | | | the flexibility that is needed in a production environment. |
| from the factory area, making this device much more | | | | Programs are stored in the memory of the cell |
| efficient to set them up. | | | | controller for each type of circuit board. There can be |
| There are certain manufacturing tasks that are usually | | | | further variation in the work that is done on any given |
| done by specialized machines that solely dedicated to | | | | board. You can see how flexible robotic manufacturing |
| that task alone. These include routing, drilling, rough | | | | creates a widely variable production operation. |