Shifting away from labor-intensive manual approaches and embracing modernized optimization techniques allows businesses and individuals to pave the way for time-saving protocols and increased productivity. Without optimization in IIoT, for example, operational inefficiencies and challenges cam arise, hindering the full potential of connected devices and systems.
Industrial IoT relies on the integration of sensors, devices and data analytics to enhance processes, monitor equipment, and improve overall efficiency. Without mindful optimization, these objectives may be compromised.
Why? Well, lack of optimization can lead to increased downtime, reduced productivity and higher operational costs. Data generated by sensors and devices may not be leveraged effectively, resulting in missed opportunities for predictive maintenance, resource allocation and process improvement. Inefficient communication between devices and systems also leads to data silos.
The absence of optimization in IIoT could mean missed efficiencies and the inability to get the most out of connected technologies in industrial settings. This doesn’t even always include the cybersecurity vulnerabilities that may be exacerbated without proper optimization measures.
So, to help manufacturers quickly reduce cycle time, Realtime Robotics unveiled its Optimization-as-a-Service solution. This innovative service combines exclusive optimization software with the deep insights of robotics and application engineering to enhance overall efficiency.
For context, Realtime Robotics provides collision-free motion planning for industrial robots. Their innovative technology generates optimized motion plans and interlocks, minimizing cycle times in multi-robot cells. These solutions enhance automation by enabling robots to collaborate in unstructured workspaces, responding instantly to dynamic obstacles.
Optimization-as-a-Service stands out for its ability to assess a customer's existing digital twin, pinpoint bottlenecks, and propose improvements, all while keeping aligned with the customer's specified parameters. Realtime Robotics' engineers employ proprietary algorithms to optimize work cells within a matter of weeks, requiring only the customer's simulation CAD file for bottlenecked cells. This optimization process (which includes the generation and testing of hundreds of thousands of potential robot paths) ensures that the best motion sequences are determined based on factors such as target assignment and robot reach.
The calculated interlocks allow robots to operate in much closer proximity, contributing to increased efficiency. Once validated, the optimized results can be seamlessly transferred to the production floor, providing manufacturers, including major players in the automotive industry, with a means to consistently surpass revenue goals by maximizing the potential of existing or new automation.
A notable application of Realtime Robotics' optimization service took place at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles in Hanover, Germany. Engaging in a proof-of-concept initiative for EV manufacturing, the company sought to expedite and enhance the cycle time in a two-robot cell responsible for welding car doors for the ID.
Leveraging Optimization-as-a-Service, Realtime Robotics analyzed Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles' digital twin, identifying bottleneck areas and suggesting improvements tailored to the manufacturer's specific parameters. Importantly, this analysis occurred seamlessly without disrupting ongoing production. The recommendations provided by the solution facilitated the automotive giant in implementing enhancements, resulting in a substantial reduction in cycle time by several seconds.
“Our Optimization-as-a-Service offering delivers results when you cannot spend months squeezing more productivity out of your automation cells,” said Peter Howard, CEO of Realtime Robotics. “It has the potential to forever change how manufacturing operations are conducted, optimizing for improved speed and efficiency, without interrupting existing processes.”
Edited by
Alex Passett
