Robotics

Industrial robotics makes it possible to automate certain tasks in your production line to boost flexibility and productivity.

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Industrial robots at a glance

Industrial robotics makes it possible to automate certain tasks in your production line to boost flexibility and productivity.

 

This robot is supplied without additional equipment. It cannot do anything on its own.  The arms must be fitted with the tools (camera, welding torch, machining brush, etc.) to perform the required industrial operations and the robot must be programmed.

 

The job of an integrator such as Actemium consists of delivering a turnkey system: designing, engineering, building and integrating the remaining equipment required to ensure that the robot performs according to your expectations and in compliance with regulations.

 

By automating your production, the industrial robot enables you to increase your productivity and improve the quality of your products.

 

A robot is more flexible than a special machine and enables you to modify your production lines to accommodate any changes.

 

WHY ROBOTISE?

Produce more while reducing costs

Once the operator has programmed the robot, it can operate unattended 24/7, supporting more flexible production management and increasing your competitiveness.

Increase the flexibility of your production lines

Unlike special machines built to perform a specific task and very difficult to modify, a robot can be adapted to different operations. It can be adapted to changes in product, production speed or constraints by simply reprogramming the robot and fitting it with different peripheral equipment. A robot is a long-term investment and its service life far exceeds the life of the product.

Improve process and product quality

The robot operates the same way every time, repetitively, it is efficient, performant, and quality ensured for greater reliability. The scrap rate is reduced and product quality improved, the process is stable and controlled. The robot is a standard element with performance, precision and stability.

Reduce the amount of hard or unpleasant work and improve workplace health and safety

The robot replaces human operators on workstations which represents a risk to their health and cause occupational illness and MSD. It automates hard, unpleasant, dangerous or repetitive tasks: heavy load handling, noisy environment, emissions, burn risks, etc.

ACTIVITY SECTORS USING ROBOTS

Traditional sectors:

  • Automobile
  • Capital goods

New sectors:

  • Aeronautical
  • Food processing
  • Space / Defence
  • Medical
  • Pharmaceuticals/Cosmetics
  • Logistics
  • Building
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JOINING
  • welding, bonding, riveting, crimping and induction; associated vision, followed by operation
  • fibre laying
  • automated assembly
CASTING, FORGING
  • Feed, handling, extraction, etc.
MACHINING
  • Finishing, grinding, deburring, cleaning, trimming, drilling, etc.
HANDLING
  • Bulk transfer, automated unpacking, production line loading
  • Feed to machining centres, tooling warehouses
  • Batch/inventory preparation (counting, weighing, vision), picking
  • Glass handling
PAINT APPLICATION AND SPRAYING
  • Liquid, semi-liquid and powder application
MEASUREMENT AND INSPECTION
  • Stereovision, photogrammetry, HD vision, measuring
  • Non-destructive testing, quality control
LOGISTICS
  • Warehouses and storage platforms; in-line sorting and loading
  • Messaging (unloading, palletising, etc.)
SPECIFIC OPERATIONS
  • Cleaning in operating areas
  • Clean room operations, particle weighing (micrometric)
  • Contact-free manipulation, motorised camera

The 8 functions of robotics

A wide range of operations can potentially be robotised, with the decision to do so depending on the cost of the system. The eight most widespread applications of industrial robotics are listed below.

 

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Who benefits from industrial robotics?

Industrial robotics is not designed only for large groups with very large production capacities. The French SME network, under-equipped compared to such countries as Germany, Italy and Spain, has major scope for robot-driven growth and expansion. The obstacles often mentioned are high cost and excessively complex implementation.

A LONG-TERM INVESTMENT

Robotisation helps expand the business activity, boost productivity and improve product quality. The production line can operate over a longer period of time, which reduces production costs and amortises the robot tool. The cost of a robot has also come down sharply, with the ROI for complex installations now down to under two years. In addition, a robot project is often good for the company’s image, giving it particular momentum and innovative impetus with customers, suppliers and employees.

 

A SOLUTION SUITED TO SMALL PRODUCTION RUNS

A robot that has been reconfigured and fitted with different peripheral equipment can be assigned to different tasks. Its flexibility makes it well suited to small production runs.

EASIER PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT

The robot is a standard tool manufactured in large quantities. Its characteristics are fully known. Unlike a special machine, it is easy to maintain and spare parts are readily available.

SKILLS DEVELOPED IN-HOUSE

An SME does not always have the in-house personnel resources required to manage the robot. The integrator supports the SME throughout the robotisation process and trains operators to manage the robot cell autonomously.

THE EXAMPLE OF SUD AÉRO

Actemium rolled out a robot solution at a plant belonging to Sud Aéro, an SME that manufactures and assembles aeronautical structural parts. Rather than relocating, the SME decided to robotise in order to reduce production costs and increase profitability. It achieved these goals, reducing costs by 30%, and plans to hire about 20 additional employees.

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What is industrial robotics ?

Industrial robotics makes it possible to automate certain tasks by integrating a robot in your production line.

 

A robot is supplied without additional equipment. By itself, it is not able to perform the required tasks. The job of an integrator such as Actemium is to specify, design, engineer, build and integrate the remaining equipment required to enable it to operate.

 

The robot arm is fitted with a tool enabling it to carry out industrial operations. The robot also has peripheral equipment (conveyors, positioning tools, detection systems, etc.) and ancillary equipment (electricity supply cabinets, robot cell supervision system, human-machine interface, etc.). The full set of this equipment makes up a robot cell.

 

The robot can also be integrated in a production chain or on a broader scale in a shop or plant designed for robotic operations.

What can the installation of a robot in my production shop do for me?

By automating a number of operations in your production line, industrial robotics enables you to:

  • Improve your production capacity;
  • Become more competitive by reducing your production costs;
  • Ensure constant product quality and production process reliability;
  • Reduce the incidence of MSD and the amount of hard and unpleasant work.
What does a robot cost?

In 80% of cases, a robot has a relatively affordable cost of about €20,000 – €80,000. By itself, it cannot produce anything. It must be integrated into an industrial application to achieve its full value added. In cases in which robotisation brings a self-evident benefit, the ROI is several months. In other cases, ROI can be up to two years, depending on the industrial sector and the complexity of the application.

I am the head of an SME. Robotisation is not for me.

On the contrary: robots are suited to small production runs, in which they improve the production process and increase productivity; they are easy to maintain and enable you to keep jobs in the region. A robot has a wide range of advantages for an SME.

Are there different types of industrial robots?

Yes, of course. There is a whole range of robots: large and small, more or less powerful, more or less rapid, with more or fewer axes, with different work areas. Examples are the Cartesian coordinate robot often employed in palletisation, the polar robot used for handling and the SCARA robot used, among other things, for complex assembly.

Robotics is an excessively complex subject. I do not have the in-house personnel to manage a robot.

One of Actemium’s strengths is its network of business units. Whatever your location, an Actemium business unit is located near you to provide support during your projects. In addition, Actemium supports you from start to finish and trains your employees to operate the robot.

 

Can a robot replace an operator in all tasks?

The robot assists the operator by performing repetitive, low value added or dangerous tasks. The operator is always in control. There is no point in robotising some tasks, for reasons of cost and because nothing can replace human beings in performing such tasks. No robot is as precise as the human eye or human touch, for example. The factory of the future is geared to an approach that again places human beings at the heart of the factory and enables operators to re-take control of the production tools and equipment. Cobotics is perfectly geared to this move. Robotising does not destroy jobs. Instead, it increases productivity and competitiveness, enabling companies to avoid relocating and making the work more interesting for operators.

 

I already have a special machine, why replace it with a robot?

The special machine is designed to meet a very specific need or cope with a very specific situation at a given point in time. If the product, production parameters or organisation changes, the machine is so specialised and specific to a given application that it can be adapted only with great difficulty. When change occurs, the special machine becomes obsolete. The robot, in contrast, is flexible. It only needs to be reconfigured to adapt to new requirements.

 

In addition, a robot is very reliable. To produce a standard product in a production run of thousands of units, its characteristics in terms of fatigue, wear and reliability are fully known, unlike those of a special, i.e. unique, machine designed for a specific purpose, whose characteristics (wear rate, etc.) are specific to itself and are only discovered as time goes on.

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Contact us

Are you interested in our industrial robot solutions and services?

 

Actemium integrates all different types of robots in industrial manufacturing processes and other general handling activities.

 

Actemium has installed and commissioned more than 1,000 robots and is a leader in the French robotics market. Actemium builds on its technical knowledge and its engineering, integration and project management capabilities to meet the specific needs of all business sectors.

 

For more information, please contact us:

 

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