Swap is on for robotic assemblies by robots

At a wise manufacturing industrial park in Foshan, Guangdong province, a manufacturing line seems to be a scene generally seen in sci-fi motion pictures, as an orange robotic arms itself to assemble a grey semi-finished robotic by turning screws on its chassis.

With the development and changes of processes and expertise completed, the manufacturing line launched in January has change into the park”s newest cutting-edge facility. It makes use of robots to make robots and was collectively constructed by Chinese language dwelling home equipment maker Midea Group and its German robotics and automation accomplice Kuka AG.

“There may be time for us to get off work, however for the manufacturing line, there’s not,” mentioned Chen Feng, director of operations and human sources of Kuka’s China unit.

The 35-meter line, with an funding of about 20 million yuan ($2.94 million), was independently developed and manufactured by Kuka, serving to to significantly enhance the effectivity of robotic manufacturing, Chen mentioned.

Geared up with 12 working robots and 6 automated guided automobiles (AGVs), it has change into the primary robotic meeting line to make use of robotics for manufacturing in Guangdong and likewise the primary absolutely automated line in China that produces heavy-load robots.

“Labor depth has been significantly lowered and the people work as assistants on the manufacturing line,” Chen mentioned.

In contrast with conventional workforces, the one shift capability of the automated manufacturing line elevated by 50 p.c and manufacturing effectivity has elevated by greater than 30 p.c per hour, in keeping with Chen.

Midea and Kuka commenced development of the joint sensible manufacturing industrial park, positioned in Shunde district of Foshan, in early 2018, with a complete funding of 10 billion yuan. The park covers an space of roughly 800,000 sq. meters.

Development of the park’s second section will probably be completed this 12 months, in keeping with sources with Midea.

“We hope to construct a brand new replicable, absolutely computerized robotic manufacturing line to assist enhance high-quality industrial growth for the native economic system,” the director mentioned.

China’s industrial robotic market has seen a brand new peak in functions, with vigorous growth in new power automobiles, shopper electronics, biomedicine and different industries.

Orders for Kuka’s industrial robots soared in January and the supply effectivity of robots additionally elevated because of the launch of the manufacturing line, Chen mentioned.

“A rise of 30 p.c year-on-year in orders will probably be achieved within the first quarter, with extra robots getting used within the NEV and lithium battery industries.”

Moreover, ABB Group opened its mega robotics manufacturing facility in Shanghai in early December, which is predicted to additional improve the Swiss tech agency’s presence within the Chinese language market.

The $150 million, 67,000-square-meter manufacturing facility advanced contains manufacturing and analysis services, and makes use of ABB’s digital and automation applied sciences to fabricate next-generation robots, in keeping with the corporate.

With China getting into a brand new period of inexperienced and innovation-led progress, the nation’s additional reform and opening-up will entice extra world high-end producers to step up the transformation of conventional industries with their sensible options, mentioned Wang Wen, govt dean of the Chongyang Institute for Monetary Research, which is a part of the Renmin College of China.