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附 錄
譯文 小吃抓取機(jī)器的設(shè)計(jì)
Cleveland： 2001年10月; James F Manji;
補(bǔ)充：包裝設(shè)計(jì)
起始頁(yè): S14-S22 ISSN: 00249114
主題詞: 制造業(yè) 包裝 工業(yè) 自動(dòng)化 機(jī)器人 食品 包裝 制藥
業(yè) 醫(yī)療設(shè)備
分級(jí)代碼: 8600:不在別處分類的制造工業(yè)
8650:電力的和電子學(xué)工業(yè)
8610:食品處理工業(yè)
8640:化學(xué)工業(yè)
9190:美國(guó)
地理名字：美國(guó)
美國(guó)
概要:
食品的種類、醫(yī)療品、醫(yī)療設(shè)備、家庭產(chǎn)品和現(xiàn)在通過(guò)機(jī)器人設(shè)備進(jìn)行包裝的家用物品。和能在包裝過(guò)程中達(dá)到衛(wèi)生設(shè)備的保證要求的機(jī)器人一起工作的方法的理由。從人體工程學(xué)問(wèn)題比如重復(fù)的移動(dòng)/壓力問(wèn)題看，當(dāng)操作能成為傷害操作員的原因時(shí)，機(jī)器人也正變得能夠發(fā)出呼叫。在有眾多的操作選項(xiàng)的產(chǎn)品生產(chǎn)的方法中，制造商逐漸地看到了作為避免混亂的機(jī)器人裝配的優(yōu)點(diǎn)。
全部文本:
Penton媒介公司版權(quán)所有2001年10月
[眉注]
機(jī)器人學(xué)
[眉注]
食品和藥品制造商對(duì)于機(jī)器人協(xié)助組織產(chǎn)品生產(chǎn)方面正打一場(chǎng)大賭博。
Amere三年了。那就是要不了多久，Pepperidge農(nóng)場(chǎng)，一個(gè)眾所周知的sinfully餅干、小吃和其它食品的制造商，期望它會(huì)替代獲得獎(jiǎng)金的機(jī)器人生產(chǎn)線來(lái)支付它本身。ABB公司的敏捷彎曲抓取機(jī)器人試圖從速率為150/min的傳送機(jī)抓取餅干，并且輕輕地將它們放置在五塊餅干高的紙杯子里。Adept技術(shù)公司的視覺(jué)系統(tǒng)協(xié)助完成了此任務(wù)。機(jī)器人工業(yè)和自動(dòng)圖象聯(lián)盟認(rèn)為這樣的結(jié)果很好，以致在最近它獲得了由用戶認(rèn)可的食品制造商的獎(jiǎng)勵(lì)。
很容易明白的是，為什么Pepperidge農(nóng)場(chǎng)，Campbell Soup公司的一個(gè)子公司，在自動(dòng)操作技術(shù)領(lǐng)域投入了這么大的投資。這家公司相信，工人有足夠的時(shí)間安裝這些脆弱的紙杯子并且足夠快，但手工操作的方法質(zhì)量是難以保證的。跡象表明，越來(lái)越多的公司正應(yīng)用機(jī)器人來(lái)處理類似的問(wèn)題?！八麄?cè)陲灨砂b中使用機(jī)器人的經(jīng)驗(yàn)在那些有前瞻性的公司在幾個(gè)月后將應(yīng)用機(jī)器人學(xué)的做法是典型的”， RIA的主席Kevin Ostby在獎(jiǎng)勵(lì)大會(huì)上預(yù)測(cè)說(shuō)。
某幾種食品、藥品、醫(yī)療設(shè)備、家用產(chǎn)品、和家庭物品現(xiàn)在正運(yùn)用機(jī)器人設(shè)備進(jìn)行包裝。和機(jī)器人一起工作的理由須包括在包裝過(guò)程中達(dá)到衛(wèi)生設(shè)備的保證要求，根據(jù)Rick Tallian,一位機(jī)器人制造商ABB公司負(fù)責(zé)包裝為制造業(yè)和消費(fèi)者工業(yè)系統(tǒng)的管理者，這家公司位于新柏林的威斯街。
Fanuc生產(chǎn)的機(jī)器人M-410i機(jī)器人能抓起隨意大小的盒子，并且將他們放置在托板上，完成得迅速而穩(wěn)定。隨機(jī)順序的用托板裝運(yùn)的動(dòng)作定位了分布和順序執(zhí)行中心,在這其中產(chǎn)品被分別抓取并用手工裝運(yùn)到托板上。新穎的個(gè)人計(jì)算機(jī)軟件稱隨機(jī)順序托板裝載工具能決定一種高密度和高穩(wěn)定性的有效率的托板模式。
Lynx是一臺(tái)從包裝設(shè)備Waukegan.III公司的銷售商買來(lái)的具有高速度的機(jī)器，它能包裝糖果,冰淇淋,和烤制的食品(小吃的外包裝)并且放入盤子和硬紙盒。這個(gè)可看到的托架控制著機(jī)器的長(zhǎng)度，它包含那個(gè)抓取和散開(kāi)產(chǎn)品來(lái)適應(yīng)托板結(jié)束操縱。
“從人體工程學(xué)問(wèn)題比如重復(fù)移動(dòng)/壓力的問(wèn)題看，當(dāng)操作成為傷害人工操作者的因素時(shí),機(jī)器人也正變得能夠發(fā)出呼叫。” Tallian想當(dāng)然的解釋到,機(jī)器人將被安排到合適的位置，在那里用不能彎曲的工具或固定的自動(dòng)機(jī)器不能很好的工作。有時(shí)機(jī)器人能更好寬容在產(chǎn)品大小上的變化，能處置精致的產(chǎn)品，這些產(chǎn)品如果遭受傳統(tǒng)的推拉及整理手段很容易破碎。生產(chǎn)線數(shù)目眾多的變化是使機(jī)器人的運(yùn)用成為候選,因?yàn)槟切┦呛驮诎b中的變化一起的。并且當(dāng)許多廠商由于對(duì)未來(lái)產(chǎn)品的配置很難預(yù)測(cè)，他們期望應(yīng)用機(jī)器人來(lái)改變這種狀況。Tallian說(shuō)，這在生活消費(fèi)品的生產(chǎn)上是相當(dāng)正確的，在那里產(chǎn)品銷售推動(dòng)著產(chǎn)品和包裝。
混合管理的制造商們逐漸地看到機(jī)器人裝配的方法在有眾多操作的產(chǎn)品生產(chǎn)中是一條避免混亂的路子，“如果在汽車的發(fā)動(dòng)機(jī)上有兩個(gè)略微不同的部分,用錯(cuò)誤的部分將導(dǎo)致整條汽車的裝配線關(guān)閉”，GSMA系統(tǒng)公司的主席Maakk W. Senti解釋說(shuō)，這家公司位于棕櫚灣?！霸谥扑幑I(yè),一個(gè)裝備視覺(jué)系統(tǒng)的機(jī)器人包裝系統(tǒng)能防止嚴(yán)重的錯(cuò)誤，這錯(cuò)誤將導(dǎo)致規(guī)定處方藥品的錯(cuò)誤劑量。”
位于俄亥俄州西部卡羅頓的Motoman公司的機(jī)器人系統(tǒng)的經(jīng)理Adds Jack Justice說(shuō)， “對(duì)于特定設(shè)計(jì)的方案，制造可靠的，能被快速替換的工業(yè)機(jī)器人，意味著失敗之間時(shí)間 (平均實(shí)效間隔時(shí)間)超過(guò)了50,000小時(shí)。處理特殊物理約束的能力則是另外的一個(gè)因素?！币粋€(gè)多坐標(biāo)的機(jī)器人能把產(chǎn)品插入到容器，即使當(dāng)包裝位于地板的角上。并且在制造中處置產(chǎn)品的相同機(jī)器人具有相同的控制，也能將它放入包裝中，并且用托板把它裝運(yùn)到碼頭,”Justice說(shuō)。
最近在機(jī)器人技術(shù)的進(jìn)步已簡(jiǎn)化了包裝和硬紙盒程序的應(yīng)用過(guò)程。例如，F(xiàn)anuc的機(jī)器人專家N.A.已開(kāi)發(fā)出了為托板裝運(yùn)的特定應(yīng)用程序的軟件。Fanuc的裝運(yùn)和組裝工程師Matt Job在Farmington Hill, Mich.上解釋說(shuō)：“機(jī)器視覺(jué)上的主要進(jìn)步使我們能集成機(jī)器人和包裝系統(tǒng)而沒(méi)有整理或產(chǎn)品對(duì)齊的設(shè)備，除去這些外圍設(shè)備能讓我們節(jié)省整個(gè)系統(tǒng)的成本 。”
計(jì)算機(jī)運(yùn)算能力逐步增長(zhǎng)使得其有能力為機(jī)器人的控制負(fù)責(zé).ABB公司的Rick Tallinn說(shuō)，“低成本的計(jì)算能力已導(dǎo)致更好的為機(jī)器人和視覺(jué)指導(dǎo)的視覺(jué)系統(tǒng)。我們的IRB340柔性抓取機(jī)器人就是其中的一個(gè)例子。它的挑選—放置的操作達(dá)到300次/分。我們還正開(kāi)發(fā)不同的為機(jī)器人導(dǎo)航和檢查的集成的視覺(jué)系統(tǒng)解決方案?！?
Fanuc機(jī)器人和S-430iWS-430iL在危險(xiǎn)的環(huán)境使得機(jī)器在高溫環(huán)境中的操作要有選擇，在那里材料例如谷粒灰塵或樹(shù)脂等都是潛在的危險(xiǎn)。碎木板廠商和化肥包裝商被看成是其最大受益人 。
更先進(jìn)的電子技術(shù)也使得一個(gè)控制器能同時(shí)控制三個(gè)機(jī)器人，這種裝置在一個(gè)并聯(lián)機(jī)器人單元中簡(jiǎn)化了避免碰撞的操作?！睓C(jī)器人的模擬軟件讓用戶把過(guò)程模塊化，優(yōu)化配置，并且核對(duì)循環(huán)次數(shù)以減少這些應(yīng)用程序中的危險(xiǎn)”，機(jī)器人制造商Adept技術(shù)公司的副總裁Joe Campbell解釋說(shuō)。
從糖果條到5加侖的滾筒，機(jī)器人包裝系統(tǒng)的優(yōu)勢(shì)是勞動(dòng)力的節(jié)約。單憑經(jīng)驗(yàn)是機(jī)器人代替一人為每50容器包裝，取決于它們的重量、大小和包裝的質(zhì)量。這是根據(jù)William H .Goodman, Waukegan Goodman包裝設(shè)備公司的主席，所說(shuō)的。
Goodman解釋說(shuō)，”我們已發(fā)現(xiàn)這機(jī)器人的高級(jí)裝載方法是運(yùn)輸集裝箱包裝的替代，我們也看到了它的加載或卸載包裝到箱子、盤、硬紙盒等等集成的解決方法?！?
一個(gè)例子是,Goodman指出了這種情況，即這公司假設(shè)從5加侖液體小袋到20袋/分的容器在和二人替換/轉(zhuǎn)換。在另一個(gè)廠房，機(jī)器人組裝站立著正以100袋/分鐘的速度代替三個(gè)人輪班工作。另一臺(tái)Goodman的包裝機(jī)正以500袋/分鐘的速度包裝糖果來(lái)代替5個(gè)人的工作。
這公司每年制造大約75套集成的系統(tǒng)并且有超過(guò)750個(gè)包裝系統(tǒng)在運(yùn)轉(zhuǎn)中的。它專攻機(jī)器人的包裝機(jī)器，在那里一個(gè)典型的任務(wù)是豎立或形成裝運(yùn)容器、包裝、然后密封。
Goodman包裝設(shè)備公司, Waukegan的通用包裝方法是收獲產(chǎn)品，如果需要通過(guò)三軸旋轉(zhuǎn)它使其在照片上可見(jiàn)。從這種機(jī)器的引入已經(jīng)有超過(guò)50臺(tái)的包裝機(jī)器已經(jīng)安裝。大多數(shù)的應(yīng)用和食品有關(guān)，許多在糖果工業(yè)中運(yùn)用，用它為不同產(chǎn)品和包裝模式提供快轉(zhuǎn)換.Goodman的人說(shuō)這種機(jī)器加上了顯示器的應(yīng)用已經(jīng)相當(dāng)?shù)爻晒Α?
初期成本的減少并不僅僅是為安裝Goodman公司的設(shè)備的動(dòng)機(jī)。包裝機(jī)器人是提高空間利用率的有效方法，它能利用同樣的空間上生產(chǎn)出更多的產(chǎn)品?！耙粋€(gè)消費(fèi)者僅僅能使適應(yīng)四人的區(qū)域能夠組裝400包/分”，Goodman解釋說(shuō)。“包裝機(jī)器人能代替這些人做同樣的工作并能達(dá)到600包/分”。
其他賣主明白機(jī)器人的包裝系統(tǒng)安裝是為了快速回應(yīng)市場(chǎng)條件?！庇捎诋a(chǎn)品生產(chǎn)周期的縮短，自動(dòng)操作必須能很快的調(diào)換，”Adept技術(shù)的Campbell說(shuō)?！笨删幊痰陌b機(jī)器人是很明顯的一大優(yōu)勢(shì)。另外，大多數(shù)的自動(dòng)裝配線處置多種產(chǎn)品或產(chǎn)品配置。增加的目錄、注冊(cè)的商標(biāo)和定點(diǎn)銷售包裝，所有這些有助于需要柔性機(jī)器人生產(chǎn)線。”
最后，機(jī)器人包裝系統(tǒng)在當(dāng)實(shí)行的速度是重要的被開(kāi)始廣泛的運(yùn)用?！耙呀?jīng)被適當(dāng)?shù)刂付ǖ?，精確地計(jì)算過(guò)的，并且很好地脫機(jī)測(cè)試過(guò)的系統(tǒng)時(shí)常能運(yùn)行在一周或更少，”Goodman說(shuō)?！熬哂袀魉蜋C(jī)帶和其他設(shè)備系統(tǒng)的集成程度能計(jì)算啟動(dòng)時(shí)間。一旦他們?cè)谶\(yùn)行，當(dāng)很好保養(yǎng)時(shí)，機(jī)器能工作24/7的98%的時(shí)間或更好。仍然，我不得不提醒消費(fèi)者每隔一段時(shí)間會(huì)偶爾出現(xiàn)故障，這時(shí)就需要維護(hù)?！?
沒(méi)有人知道我已見(jiàn)過(guò)建立機(jī)器人系統(tǒng)的積算器的這種故障，他們重復(fù)地看到許多相同的錯(cuò)誤由公司明確規(guī)定的自動(dòng)包裝操作機(jī)產(chǎn)生。其中的最大問(wèn)題是：給系統(tǒng)積算器一個(gè)程序或部分流程圖那還不是完成了。當(dāng)生產(chǎn)流程方面的處理作為象原始部落的知識(shí)一樣存在而沒(méi)被整理時(shí)，這種情況時(shí)常發(fā)生。在應(yīng)用這些謬論前，結(jié)果是許多車輪的滑轉(zhuǎn)等這樣的問(wèn)題。(另外的情況是那些ISO 9000的公司卻沒(méi)有這樣的困難。)
盡管它可能有一個(gè)明顯的錯(cuò)誤，一些廠商根本就不能給積算器系統(tǒng)一個(gè)說(shuō)明書(shū)。這些公司也傾向于有不現(xiàn)實(shí)的安裝時(shí)間的期待，并且為自動(dòng)化操作的要求作預(yù)算。
這種以剝奪人權(quán)來(lái)避免這些困難做法，比如說(shuō)積算器，正要被到停止包含到設(shè)計(jì)的程序中去重要的是找到一種積算器，它能被類似即將出現(xiàn)的那種一樣的應(yīng)用。例如，一些積算器，有專用在各種各樣的硬紙盒生產(chǎn)線的專門技術(shù)。
[作者筆記](méi)
特約編輯詹姆士F. Manji在版權(quán)所有者許可下轉(zhuǎn)載.。 未經(jīng)許可禁止進(jìn)一步的轉(zhuǎn)載或發(fā)布。
英文原文 Design of snack Grabing-Machine
Cleveland; Oct 2001; James F Manji;
Supplement:?
Packaging Design
Start Page:?
S14-S22
ISSN:?
00249114
Subject Terms:?
Manufacturing
Packaging industry
Automation
Robots
Trends
Food packaging
Pharmaceutical industry
Medical equipment
Classification Codes:?
8600: Manufacturing industries not elsewhere classified
8650: Electrical & electronics industries
8610: Food processing industry
8640: Chemical industry
9190: United States
Geographic Names:?
United States
US
Abstract:
A variety of foods, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, home products, and household goods now tumble into packages via robotic devices. Reasons for going with the robotic approach include a requirement for a guaranteed level of sanitation during packaging. Robots are also getting the call when the operation can cause injury to a human operator from ergonomic issues such as repetitive motion/stress issues. Manufacturers increasingly view robotic assembly as a way to avoid mix-ups in products produced with numerous options.
Full Text:
Copyright Penton Media, Inc. Oct 2001
[Headnote]
ROBOTICS
[Headnote]
Food and drug makers are putting big bets on robots to help organize production. Amere three years. That's how long Pepperidge Farm, the well-known maker of sinfully good cookies, snacks, and other foods, expects it will take for an award-winning robotic line to pay for itself.
Nimble FlexPicker robots from ABB Inc. snatch cookies from a conveyor at the rate of 150/min and gently place them five high into paper cups. Vision systems from Adept Technology aid in the task. The Robotic Industries and Automated Imaging Association thought so highly of the results that it recently honored the food maker with a User Recognition Award.
It's easy to see why the Pepperidge Farm unit of Campbell Soup Co. made a sizable investment in automation technology. The company confides that workers had a tough time loading the flimsy paper cups fast enough, and quality was wanting with manual methods. Indications are that more and more firms are using robots to address similar problems. "Their experience using robots in cookie packaging is typical of the kinds of things that forward-looking companies will be using robotics for in the months ahead," predicted RIA President Kevin Ostby at the Award ceremony.
A variety of foods, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, home products, and household goods now tumble into packages via robotic devices. Reasons for going with the robotic approach include a requirement for a guaranteed level of sanitation during packaging, according to Rick Tallian, a packaging systems manager for Manufacturing and Consumer Industries at robot maker ABB Inc., New Berlin, Wis.
The Fanuc Robotics M-410i robot can pick up random box sizes and place them on pallets to build an efficient and stable load. The random-order palletizing application targets distribution and order fulfillment centers, where products are individually picked and manually palletized. Innovative PC software called Random Order PalletTool can determine an efficient pallet pattern with high density and high stability.
The Lynx is a high-speed machine from Goodman Packaging Equipment Co., Waukegan, Ill., which packs candy, ice cream, and baked goods (overwrapped snacks) into trays and cartons. The carriage visible running the length of the machine contains end effectors that pickup and spread out product to fit into trays.
Robots are also getting the call when "the operation can cause injury to a human operator from ergonomic issues such as repetitive motion/stress issues," explains Tallian
Of course, robots are still going into niches where hard tooled or fixed automation doesn't work well. Robotics can sometimes better tolerate variations in product size and can handle delicate products that may crumble if subjected to traditional pushing, guiding, and collating techniques. Product lines having numerous variations continue to be candidates for a robotic approach, as are those with variations in their packaging. And many manufacturers use robotics when they expect future product configurations to change in ways that could be hard to predict. This is particularly true in consumer goods, says Tallian, where product marketing drives the product and the packaging.
Managing mix-ups
Manufacturers increasingly view robotic assembly as a way to avoid mix-ups in products produced with numerous options. "If there are two slightly different parts for a car's engine, using the wrong one could cause an entire automotive assembly line to shut down," explains Mark W. Senti, president of GSMA Systems Inc., Palm Bay, Fla. "In the pharmaceutical industry, a robotic-packaging system equipped with vision can prevent serious blunders that might otherwise lead to the wrong dosage of prescription drugs."
Adds Jack Justice, robotic systems manager at Motoman Inc., West Carrollton, Ohio, "Mean time between failures (MTBF) exceeding 50,000 hr make industrial robots reliable, efficient alternatives to custom-designed solutions." The ability to handle oddball physical constraints is another plus. "A multiaxis robot can insert product into containers even when the packaging sits at an angle to the floor. And the same robot controls that handle product during manufacturing can also place it into packages and palletize it at the shipping docks," says Justice.
Recent advances in robotic technology have simplified the process of implementing packaging and cartoning applications. Fanuc Robotics N.A., for example, has developed software designed specifically to program palletizing applications. "Major advances in machine vision let us integrate robots with packaging systems without collating or product aligning devices," explains Matt Job, palletizing and packing engineer for Fanuc in Farmington Hills, Mich. "Eliminating these peripheral devices lets us cut the cost of the overall systems."
Steady increases in computer power are responsible for more able robotic controls. Says ABB's Rick Tallinn, "Low-cost computing power has led to better servocontrol for robotics and vision guidance. An example is in our IRB340 FlexPicker robot. It hits 300 cycles/min for pick-and-place operations. We are also developing various solutions with integrated vision for robot guidance and inspection."
A hazardous environment option on the Fanuc Robotics S-430iW and S-430iL lets the machine operate in elevated temperatures where materials such as grain dust or resins pose potential dangers. Particleboard manufacturers and fertilizer packagers are expected to be among the biggest beneficiaries.
Better electronics are also letting one controller handle up to three robots, a configuration that simplifies collision avoidance in a multiple-robot cell. "Robotic simulation software lets users model the process, optimize the layout, and verify cycle times to reduce risk in these applications," explains Joe Campbell, a vice president for robot maker Adept Technology Inc., San Jose.
From candy bars to 5-gallon drums
One advantage of a robotic-packaging system is labor savings. A rule of thumb is that a robot replaces one person for about every 50 containers packed, depending on the weight, size, and package qualities. This according to William H. Goodman, president of Goodman Packaging Equipment Co., Waukegan, Ill.
"We've found this to be the case in top-load robotic placement of packages into shipping containers," explains Goodman. "We also see it in integrated solutions to load or unload packages into cases, trays, cartons, totes, and so forth."
As an example, Goodman points to one case where the firm's equipment plops 5-gallon liquid pouches into containers at 20 bags/min and replaces two people/shift. At another plant, a robot packing stand-up pouches into cases at 100 pouches/min replaces three people/shift. And a different Goodman machine packing candy bars into trays at 500/min replaces five people.
The company makes about 75 integrated systems annually and has over 750 packaging systems in operation. It specializes in roboticpackaging machinery where a typical task is to erect or form the shipping container, pack, and then seal it.
The Universal case packer from Goodman Packaging Equipment Co., Waukegan, Ill., brings in product and rotates it as needed via the three spindles visible in the photo. Over 50 Universal packers have been installed since the machine's introduction. Most applications have been food related, with many in the candy industry to provide fast changeover for different product and pack patterns. Goodman says the machine has been particularly successful with display-box applications.
Head-count reductions aren't the only motivation for installing Goodman's equipment. Robotic packers can be a space-efficient way of getting more production from the same amount of floor space. "One customer could only fit four people into an area that was capable of packing 400 packages/min," explains Goodman. "The robotic packer replaced these people in the same footprint and packed up to 600 packages/min."
Other vendors see robotic-packaging systems installed for the sake of quick response to market conditions. "As product life cycles shrink, automation must be redeployed quickly," says Adept Technology's Campbell. "The programmable nature of roboticpackaging automation is a clear advantage. In addition, most and automated assembly lines handle multiple products or product configurations. Promotional contents, private labeling, and point-of-sale packaging all contribute to a need for flexible robotic lines."
Finally, robotic-packaging systems are going in when speed of implementation is important. "Systems that have been properly specified, accurately engineered, and well tested offline can often be up and running within one week or less," says Goodman. "The degree of system integration with conveyors and other equipment can dictate start-up time. Once they are running, the machines work 24/7 98% of the time or better when well maintained. Still, I have to remind customers once in awhile that machines occasionally fail and require maintenance."
Nobody knows the troubles I've seen
Integrators who set up robotic systems say they repeatedly see many of the same mistakes made by firms specifying packaging automation. One of the biggest problems: Giving systems integrators a process or part flow scheme that isn't complete. This often happens when aspects of the production process exist as tribal knowledge and are not documented. The result is a lot of wheel spinning before implementers noodle out the truth. (One other observation is that ISO 9000 companies tend not to have such difficulties.)
Though it may seem an obvious mistake, some manufacturers fail to give integrators a system specification at all. These firms also tend to have unrealistic expectations of installation time and budgeting for automation requirements.
The proscription for avoiding such difficulties, say integrators, is to stay involved during the design process. Also important is to find an integrator that's done applications resembling the one at hand. Some integrators, for example, have expertise in specific kinds of cartoning lines.
[Author note]
James F. Manji Contributing Editor