Digital reality solutions developer Hexagon AB unveiled its all-new programming and control software for industrial robots, the HxGN Robotic Automation. The technology will enable organizations to program industrial robots for fully-automated quality inspections without requiring specific expertise. Manufacturers have the option to retrofit existing production lines with autonomous optical inspection cells or use the platform to equip greenfield factories. Hexagon is expecting the new control software to speed up time-to-market production processes by eliminating bottlenecks while leveraging the data provided directly from the production line in real-time.
Metrology and robotics professionals typically devote significant time and attention to devise optimal inspection routines. The HxGN Robotic Automation will enable manufacturers to perform this through a single step. This will allow manufacturers to quickly inspect new products as soon as the production is scheduled to begin. Programming may also be developed offline without needing to be in proximity of the production line thanks to a digital twin.
This also means that manufacturers may repurpose or use metrology cells with minimal production downtime, ensuring that the production process remains agile. The program’s flexibility also provides users opportunities to develop new cell-based manufacturing models for customized products without compromising on volume production. The HxGN Robotic Automation was created using open design principles, allowing it to interface with both new and existing industrial robots. This provides organizations with maximum flexibility for various applications.
The program is capable of working with diverse supply lines from small to extra-large part sizes, as well as simple single fixed robot cells and complex cells with multiple sensors and robots on rails and tables. In addition to that, the platform captures real-time measurement data which can be used to optimize the production process as it occurs. By enabling “self-correcting manufacturing,” the quality assurance process can become more efficient and yield better results.
Metrology data may be used to improve design simulations as well, allowing manufacturers to easily predict the manufacturing performance of products even at the design stage. According to Hexagon, this can eventually result in the creation of increasingly autonomous self-correcting production lines with future machine learning systems better understanding how to optimize designs, parts and production processes. By allowing for more intelligent, automated systems, employees can also be provided more time to focus on other tasks such as data analysis.
“Automating inspection is vital to enable OEMs to consolidate quality across increasingly diverse, complex products and processes,” shared Stephen Graham, President of Metrology and Production Software at Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence Division. “Truly smart manufacturing needs swift, accurate and accessible measurement data, but many robotic inspection systems are costly, complex, closed systems that are incompatible with manufacturer’s chosen tools and inaccessible to non-specialists.”
One manufacturer already benefiting from the software is Czech Republic-based Škoda Auto.
“We've had robotic inspection cells for some time, but in the past, we always had two systems for programming—on for the robot arm, and the second for the measuring points,” said Martin Jehlička, chief of the measurement center at Škoda Auto. “It was difficult to have one specialist for both.”
“Each new [vehicle] model has 70 to 80 new parts, so there's not a lot of time to test with real parts,” Jehlička continued. “Now, with offline programming, we can measure the part first and make sure it's working and answer questions from production about dimensions.”
“We have reduced the time required to program robotic inspection from several days to just four hours using the new software, so we can be ready and waiting to inspect a new vehicle as soon as we want to begin production,” revealed Jehlička. “Automation and Hexagon’s high-speed, laser-scanning systems have already halved the inspection time for parts and sub-assemblies.”
“We make one car per minute, so we have to be 100 percent sure that all systems are OK,” he said. “Installing these automated inspection cells on the production line is fundamental to our Industry 4.0 strategy of making data available and actionable so quality trends can be identified quickly, or in some cases automatically corrected.”
HxGN Robotic Automation supports Hexagon laser trackers, Leica T-Scan and AS1 scanners and directly interfaces with FANUC and KUKA robots while built-in postprocessors enable the robot controller to work with a wide range of third-party robots. Future versions will support the HxGN SLS Structured Light Scanner and third-party sensors.
For more information, visit Hexagon’s website.