After successfully piloting collaborative robots (cobots) that perform automotive finishing tasks on Ford Fiestas in its Cologne, Germany plant, Ford Motor Company is now looking to rollout the “digital engineers” to other facilities.
In a first for Ford, a few months ago the American multinational automaker introduced the UR10, the largest robot in robot manufacturer Universal Robot’s collaborative series.
Built to perform large tasks that need great amounts of precision and reliability, the UR10 collaborates with employees in any industry to perform repetitive tasks, including packaging, palletising, assembling and painting.
Ford deployed six robots to do finishing touches on its Ford Fiesta models, one of the most important parts of auto manufacturing. The cobots are choreographed to finely sand the entire surface of the vehicle body in only 35 seconds and polish high-end audio equipment.
Parts of the car that aren't painted – such as the undercarriage – are sealed with a protective coating as part of the finishing process.
Dennis Kuhn, senior manufacturing engineer, Paint Shop at Ford Europe, says the initiative does not replace employees, but allows operators to use their time on more complex tasks and avoid suffering the strains associated with performing repetitive tasks.
“During the production process, each Fiesta is submerged in a special bath to provide more than 10 years of corrosion protection,” explains Kuhn.
“Afterwards, small flecks can remain on the surface, unseen to the naked eye. The cobots can feel when more force needs to be applied, and they can more easily get to hard-to-reach places, like the centre of the vehicle roof. They then step in to smooth away these inconsistencies and vacuum any dust left behind.”
Robotics is one of the world’s fastest growing fields, with the potential to revolutionise business and society. The robotics market was valued at $31.78 billion in 2018 and is expected to register a CAGR of 25% between 2019 and 2024, according to a report by Mordor Intelligence.
Cobots typically have a rounder shape without any pinch points and internalised wires and motors. These robots have long arms and can be programmed to navigate and localise themselves autonomously.
The UR10 features a 3D-printed soft flexible layer between the robotic arm and the sandpaper, which enables the cobot to work with the same precision and dexterity as a human hand.
For loudspeakers and audio equipment production with mostly flat surfaces, only one cobot is required.
Introducing the technology on a moving production line for a multi-contoured vehicle required a new approach, and the UR10 are yielding successful results, adds the company.
Ford says it is reviewing further rollout of the cobots at the company’s facilities in Valencia, Spain, and Craiova, Romania.
The company has already introduced other cobots which have been programmed to assist production line workers with complex assembly procedures, such as fitting shock absorbers to cars and spark plugs to engines; and also introduced a self-driving robot called “Survival”.
“It took several weeks to install the cobots and programme them to move in harmony to smooth the unique contours of a Ford Fiesta, a task made all the more difficult because the vehicle never stops moving,” explains Detlev Dahl, CEO of Dahl Automation.
But with the moves mastered, they never miss a beat, he adds.
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