Product category:
Data acquisition software and systems
News Release from: Applied Computing and Engineering | Subject: Robot cycle time prediction
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 12 September 2005
Simulation sets robot standard cycle
time accuracy
A new approach to predicting the accuracy and cycle times for production line robot performance achieved an accuracy of 3% of predicted cycle-times, so increasing robot efficiency.
Simulation software specialist Applied Computing and Engineering (AC and E) has developed a new approach to predicting the accuracy and cycle times for automotive production line robot performance Using de facto industry standard Realistic Robot Simulation (RRS) and AC and E's CimStation Robotics, the company has achieved an accuracy of at least 3% of predicted cycle-times, allowing manufacturers to increase robot efficiency and performance of the production line
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 11 Jan 2002 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
Simulation software to cut production lead times
In a bid to reduce production lead times by as much as a third for its new Primera Sedan car, Nissan in Sunderland is to use CimStation Robotics and Inspection offline programming software.
Put engineers in the picture for CFD analyses
Leading computational fluid dynamics post-processor visualisation software offers a powerful scripting capability, allowing greater customisation for analysing complex surface flows.
In automotive manufacture an important factor in the success of producing any new model is the cycle-time for the production line.
AC and E, the author of CimStation Robotics simulation software, has developed an interface to RRS providing a standard interface between the robot manufacturer's motion control and the simulation vendor's simulation system.
Taking into account the special features of a robot, including real factors such as joint performance and wear; AC and E is able to achieve accuracy far exceeding the industry norm of 5%.
Further reading
CNC simulation software cuts programming times
CNC simulation software reduces prove out time for any NC machine tool program, by improving verification through visualising in real-time the whole machining operation - including workholding.
Powerful 3D simulation optimises automation
A powerful 3D simulation software tool has proven to be an important tool in optimising the efficiency of automotive robotic lines through off-line teach and process evaluation.
CimStation Robotics [CSR], currently in use with several automotive companies and their key Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers, is used for simulation and offline-programming of a wide variety of robot types.
CSR can handle and link in sequence multiple robots and accurately predict reach, and cycle-times.
* ABB achieves 1.2% of predicted cycle times - one of the largest producers of robots, ABB, has used CSR with their RCS (ABB's implementation of RRS) at their robot manufacturing facility in Vasteras, Sweden, to see how close CSR could predict the actual observed cycle-times of a real robot under controlled conditions.
The results, however, were impressive, and showed CSR using RRS was within 1.2% of the actual values.
CSR performed the best of the simulation systems under test.
"As several large automotive manufacturers and their immediate suppliers try to select appropriate software for their all-important robot simulations, there is a constant requirement to correlate the accuracy of the predictions, obtained from the simulation, against the actual observed performance of the robots".
"Engineers now have the opportunity to achieve a far higher correlation between simulation and actual cycle times by using CSR," says Stewart Allinson, managing director, AC and E.
* About CimStation Robotics - CSR has several other features making it popular for simulation and offline programming.
For example, CSR's fast, intuitive interface makes it easy for robot engineers to learn and operate.
It runs quickly on PC, and can handle multiple robots linked in their simulation, exactly as they would be in the real workcell.
For quick calculations, as a simulation is developed, CSR's path planner is able to predict cycle-times within 10% of the subsequent actual reported times.
• Applied Computing and Engineering: contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Manufacturingtalk email newsletter
• Manufacturingtalk Home Page
Search the Pro-Talk network of sites
