What can you tell us about Industry 4.0? And about Industry 5.0?
As an automation company, we would definitely say that we are part of the industrial change – in fact, automation and robotics is probably what most people think of first when they imagine Industry 4.0. I believe that this “fourth industrial revolution” is not yet complete. What the fifth will look like can only be said when the fourth has progressed further. There are many future technologies that look like they could define Industry 5.0, but these are far too conceptual at the moment to really imagine what impact they could have on industry.
The only thing I can say for sure about Industry 5.0 is that bigger, smarter, faster and safer robots will play an important role.
Tell us, three strengths of collaborative robotics with a focus on the manufacturing sector
Accessibility – Cobots are usually much easier to programme than a conventional industrial robot. Modern cobots even allow users to independently program complicated tasks and processes entirely through the graphical interface.
Versatility – related to the above advantage, cobots are much easier to switch to new tasks and reprogram. This can be quite an ordeal with traditional industrial robots, but it is much easier with cobots.
Safety and collaboration – the Co in Cobot stands for Collaborative. So you might think that this should be the biggest advantage of cobots: and often it is. Cobots enable robots to work around and even with humans – but true collaborative applications (i.e. where humans and robots work together on the same process) are relatively rare. Rather, cobots are used in applications that could also be handled by industrial robots, but cobots simply take up much less space as they do not need protective fences, etc.
3 Tips for the Automation/Robotisation/Digitisation of a factory
1) Find an experienced partner (Unchained) as a start to automation and look for a use case that is as simple as possible but still profitable! This way you gain experience without taking big risks. 2.
2) Don’t let robotics be sold to you as rocket science – many solutions are already state of the art.
3) find a partner you trust and continue to work with the robot.
Which cobot manufacturer is most commonly found in the industry?
By far the most common cobot manufacturer on the market is the Danish company Universal Robots. According to industry observers’ estimates, they account for well over 50 % of cobot sales. This is mainly due to three things: the early market introduction, the very well developed and user-friendly software and the extensive ecosystem of compatible products.
For many applications, especially those requiring longer reach or heavier payloads, cobots from companies such as Doosan, Yaskawa and others are the most widely used.
Can process automation improve company sustainability?
Definitely.
Robots and automation were originally developed not only to relieve humans of dirty, boring and dangerous jobs, but also to do those jobs faster and with greater accuracy. In business processes, there are not so many dirty and dangerous jobs, but there are plenty of boring jobs that require precision, care and speed. These are tasks that are perfect for automation.
When tasks are done faster, with fewer errors and with fewer people, they are ipso facto more sustainable.
What impact has the pandemic had on industry?
The impact of the pandemic on the industry in general was manifold. On the one hand, there were obvious negative economic factors. Lower consumer spending and greater uncertainty meant that factories and manufacturers were much more reluctant to introduce new automation solutions. Especially if it was their first.
On the other hand, these new health concerns – and especially the resulting labour shortages – led many companies to explore or expand automation in factories.
So I would say that initially the pandemic had a negative impact (general market slowdown and uncertainty), but in the longer term it prompted many companies to automate faster.
Have you been affected by the current supply crisis?
Yes, but to a lesser extent than many other automation companies. Because we offer and work with more than 10 brands of robots and more than 60 brands in total, we can design the parts used in our different projects according to what is available on the market.
But there are areas where this is unfortunately not possible: for example, this year we had problems with a major camera manufacturer and there are no alternatives to their device on the market.
Have you been affected by the current supply crisis?
The supply chain crisis has been a game changer for many companies. On the one hand, it has highlighted how vulnerable these international, interconnected supply chains really are – and how quickly minor disruptions at the beginning of the chain can turn into massive delays further down the line.
This encourages 1) companies that are able to do so to take more control over their supply, and 2) to look for more local suppliers to meet their needs. However, for local suppliers to meet these needs, they need to offer competitive prices. And in Western Europe, where labour is both expensive and scarce, this means that robots fill the gap.
