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Robotics Special Report: Big Data is the New Currency

New software systems for robotics collect and analyze data to increase OEE, protect against cyberattacks, and predict failures.

Kawasaki Robotics Trend Manager failure prediction software is designed to help companies avoid unexpected downtime by allowing them to predict failures and fix issues before loss of production.
Kawasaki Robotics Trend Manager failure prediction software is designed to help companies avoid unexpected downtime by allowing them to predict failures and fix issues before loss of production.

A 2019 business intelligence report, “Robotics, Innovation 2 Implementation,” from PMMI, the Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, noted, “The future of robotics in the manufacturing space will be defined by big data and the ability of AI systems to analyze and act on production information.” It adds that, “Future factories will utilize big data collection and analyzation to empower robots to make on-the-fly decisions in the middle of production, even when presented with unfamiliar scenarios.”

Gerhard Schubert GmbH is among those companies that have embraced big data by developing a solution for its modular, robotic packaging systems that it says provides meaningful analysis of the key figures and 100% protection against Internet attacks. Now integrated into every new robot-based TLM packaging system—which offers both primary and secondary packaging capabilities—is Schubert’s industrial gateway, GS.Gate. GS.Gate allows detailed evaluations of system productivity to be called up, and the results can be viewed either on the GRIPS.world customer platform or on the machine operating terminal. From this analysis, Schubert says, “potentials and possibilities can then be derived as to how the OEE [Overall Equipment Effectiveness] ratio of the line and therefore the added value can be improved.”


Read related articles from Packaging World:

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Global CPGs embrace robotics

Packagers realize ROI with robotics


Also operating in the new currency of big data is Kawasaki Robotics failure prediction software, Trend Manager, designed to help companies avoid unexpected downtime by allowing them to predict failures and fix issues before loss of production. The software, which allows users to maintain control of their information, monitors motor current and robot condition during operation and generates a failure prediction date using the data. When Trend Manager detects an abnormality, a warning alarm is sent to the user via email, saves the data, and logs it for reference.

Read Packaging World’s full 2020 Robotics Special Report: Robots Drive the Manufacturing Revolution

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