Automation

Currently the implementation of digital technologies in response to important competition requirements is promoted in many places. Consequently, the working environment of employees in operative logistics is going to change significantly. This article provides an overview of the possible uses of future-oriented technologies in different logistics processes as well as the thereby changing subtasks and competence requirements of operative employees in the working world 4.0.

The third industrial revolution culminated in the Computer Integrated Manufacturing but limited computing power and the dystopia of a deserted factory prevented its success. Industry 4.0, however, stands for the integration of people, technology and organization. Based on the networking of products, tools and means of production become all relevant information available. The combination with cloud computing and big data enables the analysis and utilization of such information.

To develop solutions tailored to the challenges of logistics, it is necessary to realize the current state of the market as well as market trends. For this reason, BIBA has been conducting the RoboScan study series since 2007. It determines the status quo of applying robotics to logistics and instantly works out one specific area in greater detail. RoboScan’14 is now concerned with “man-machine interaction”. Some results of the study are presented in this article.

The networking between companies in a supply chain becomes tighter. This applies for manufacturing plants and the supply with manufacturing equipment as well. Hence, the complexity of the flow of information, in particular for tool management, increases. Currently the exchange of information is mostly paper-based and tool data is not available continuously along the supply chain. By using a digital and cloud-based tool management system, breaks in the flow of information along the supply chain for machining tools can be overcome. Herewith tool data can be called and updated ongoing and location-independent. Furthermore, after clearly identifying a tool, required tool data can automatically be transferred into the control system of the machine.

Information technology is one of the key enabling technologies of future manufacturing. In the two basic business processes manufacturing is located at the intersection point. However, for manufacturing and its value adding purpose, information technology has to be considered as a tool. In this paper the author describes an approach to the components of a new information model inside the future factory.

Industrial and automation systems from the corporate IT perspective for a long time have been deserted islands because, these were mainly isolated systems. While this is largely still the case, through the increasing use of IT standards industry systems with its stand-alone solutions are more and more involved in the internal office networks, or even connected to the Internet. Especially the transition to the so called “Industry 4.0” vision bears new requirements and challenges for industry systems - particularly in the area of security. For more interconnectedness also means greater security needs. Industry 4.0 (smart factory, factory of the future) means that machinery and equipment gain the ability to adapt their behavior through self-tuning and reconfiguration to changing conditions. The goal is highly optimized processes that produce high quality products tailored to individual customer needs. In such manufacturing processes of the future, for example, a large number of ...

Automation is an interdisciplinary technology which has a significant impact on the industry in Germany. Especially in micro-production as a niche market, there are numerous applications that require highly automated production technologies. The biggest challenge is the control of size effects. Size effects occur in the production of micro components because the ratio of volume to surface forces shifts and adhesion appears. Furthermore, micro forming has batches with high volume, which require high flexible and ideally universal automated handling systems for efficient multi-stage manufacturing processes. This paper deals with the adhesion forces and their reduction by minimizing the contact surface. In addition, requirements and approaches to automated allocation of micro-components are discussed.

Particularly the logistics branch is subject to constant change - the competitive pressure is steadily increasing. The prevailing challenge for research and development in the area of logistics is to detect and satisfy potentials of improvement regarding long-sighted and long-lasting aspects. The concept of the Logistic Factory of the Future includes needs and major fields of action for the development of innovative product solutions. The area Automation as part of the Logistic Factory of the Future and the implementation using the example of the Parcel Robot are presented in this paper.

The manufacturing and production industry will only survive in a more and more globalized word if they react fast and flexible to new market and customer demands. In order to achieve the required flexibility, technically support for reconfiguration both on the machine (physical) and on the control technical (logical) level is necessary. From the technological point of view a shift from central control and rigidly coupled production systems to distributed, modular and cooperating automation components is essential. An important role of such proposed productions systems plays the automation and control concept.

Assembly of micro mechatronical systems in small to medium volumes is missing economical solutions for automation. Due to a great variety of processes characterized by high requirements and complexity automation is realized only in specialized manufacturing lines for mass production. As a result an automated micro-assembly is usually capital intensive. Considering a mechatronical actuator as an example an approach is described which enables an initial assembly in small volumes at a small space. Due to the modular design a reduction of investment cost and the demand on economic entry in micro-assembly is accomplished.