Collaborative robots accentuating pharma industry to augment efficiency and manufacturing capability

September 3, 2021 1:18 pm

The dynamics of industrial automation, digitalisation and technology, is looking beyond horizon to the needs of Cobots, increasing production efficiency, industry 5.0 and trends that are expected to empower robotics automation growth.

Technology is changing and transforming the resources predictability using digital information. Cloud computing and automation together with artificial intelligence and robotic process automation improves production efficiency, giving fillip to Electronic Design Automation software market which is anticipated to reach USD 19.04 billion by 2028, at 9.3 percent CAGR during 2021-2028 period.

Pandemic’s setback to many of manufacturing industries created constraints in human-to-human interaction. However, 2020 and half of 2021 year, embarked upon new opportunities for smart manufacturing. Pharma has responded to this challenge by looking to us in getting their production lines automated. The sector is adapting ‘Smart Machines’ which can create flawless medicines and pharmaceutical goods.

Industry 5.0 effective automation, optimising processes

According to Subrata Karmakar, President – Robotics & Discrete Automation, ABB India Ltd., Industry 5.0 is touted to take manufacturing one step further, with fully automated and connected factories becoming the norm in the future. There will be a shift in focus from rigid automation and toward more adaptable application. Industry 5.0 solutions make the best use of human and robot capabilities at various stages of the process flow, resulting in increased efficiency. It will be possible to combine the precision, speed, productivity, and consistency of robots with the creativity and craftsmanship of humans in the future. Furthermore, Industry 5.0 will allow robotic applications to extend from mechanical automation into design and more creativity-based applications.

Anil Chaudhry, Head – Solutions & Robotics, Delta Electronics, shares his outlook, that ‘Industry 5.0’ is bringing a human touch to 4.0 and presents automation in a new collaborative light. Currently, robots are placed in safety fences and they do limited tasks. In 5.0 these cages will become a thing of the past and the functionality of robots will increase. This will happen in collaboration with the decision-making capabilities of human beings. These changes will increase the scope of work these technologies can do and further optimise production.

Transformations and benefits with 3D and robotics technologies

Karmakar highlighted, robots are now easier to install, program, and use than ever. Like humans, a robot’s adaptability grows through experience, becoming more flexible and effective. Robotic automation has enormous potential to improve productivity, efficiency, and manufacturing flexibility across the construction industry, including off-site fabrication of modular homes and building components, robotic welding and material handling on construction sites, and robot 3D printing of houses and customised structures.

New automation solutions from ABB Robotics are addressing key challenges in the construction industry, including the need for more affordable, environmentally friendly housing and reducing the construction industry’s environmental impact. We are also working with several leading universities to co-develop new automated construction technologies.

We created the 3DQI robotic 3D vision and metrology system to help manufacturers build more efficient processes, reduce costly rework, and reduce scrap. It can be installed in the production area or wherever quality analysis is required, unlike traditional metrology methods. This reduces logistical costs and lab construction costs for moving parts around the factory floor.

Chaudhry opines, 3D is not a sea change in the manufacturing process or a device, it is adaptive manufacturing. It simplifies the process of developing a product and creates faster output. 3D technology has also aided us in Robotics. He adds, “The Robots we adopt for certain applications require End Effectors to perform all the actions which are created faster through 3D technology. As far as Robotics is concerned, it is transforming and it will continue to transform. We have moved from using slower, large size heavy load products to slimmer and faster Robots with inbuilt intelligence. Robots are becoming more intelligent in performing the monotonous jobs for they are used for. As Robots become more collaborative, the overall manufacturing capability will get better. As technology grows, their use in Industry will also rise.”

Innovative practices like safety adoption for pharma manufacturing Recalling pandemic impact on industry, Chaudhry emphasises, pandemic has been a period of great learning for the Pharma sector. The past year saw demand skyrocket in the sector. At the production level, the pandemic affected a lot of their workforce. It was a tough situation to operate in. Pharma has responded to this challenge by looking to us in getting their production lines automated. They are identifying locations where complete automation is possible and helping us facilitate this change. The sector is adapting Smart Machines which can create flawless medicines and pharmaceutical goods. Robots are also a part of this picture. Further, he says, “Pharma manufacturers are using 3D Technology to reduce workload which can produce medicines with higher concentration and hence, cut down on production.”

Maintaining that robots are changing the world around us for the better – from food to healthcare, and education to transport, Subrata remarks, we are currently witnessing a growing demand for automation, in large as well as small and medium sized companies, in segments including healthcare, consumer goods, logistics and retail, which currently have a low level of robotic automation.

The advent of collaborative technologies means that robots are also increasingly well-equipped to be deployed at laboratories and medical facilities, as they don’t require safety fences to operate safely and efficiently alongside people. Collaborative robots or Cobots enable people to safely work together for maximum flexibility and efficiency, sharing the same work spaces and even cooperating on the same tasks, without jeopardising speed and safety.

Karmakar adds to mention, “ABB robots are accelerating Covid-19 testing in Singapore. ABB’s high-precision robots have been deployed in the Rapid Automated Volume Enhancer, a new automated laboratory automation system (RAVE). The collaborative robots are helping a Swedish laboratory team by taking over tedious manual tasks, improving working conditions and efficiency.”

Automation and capability additions in the automation industry

Karmakar elaborates upon that mechanical automation processes will now be capable of high mix/low volume production in shorter cycles due to the increased flexibility that Industry 5.0 solutions provide with the best use of human and robot capabilities at various levels of the process flow. Automated and Artificial Intelligence enabled processes have empowered the creation of a connected data eco-system. With the added capabilities of Machine Learning, these systems can identify complex patterns, accumulate experience, and use them to continuously improve and self-optimise over time.

The smart production lines are continuously updated to improvise the production process. He says further that currently, some of the ABB factories can track and display operational performance parameters across the entire manufacturing chain in real time. The factory also has digital lifecycle management with interconnected automation components, machines as well as data on products and processes.

Chaudhry is of the view that as we move forward, robotisation, digitisation and artificial intelligence are going to work hand-in- hand and we are on top of that. The number of robots may increase but they will be backed by digitisation to help gather information about what is happening. As soon as the information is gathered the next step will be to make this automation an inbuilt self-decision which we call Artificial Intelligence. The advantage of this high-level process optimisation for industry is that this quality will be at par with the international market. Along with the right quality, this will also create products at the right cost.

Digitalisation and technological advancement vs. Business prospects

Talking about trends, Karmakar says, companies are looking for a connected digital manufacturing ecosystem, which offers insights to help improve efficiency and reliability through the entire production cycle – from engineering and commissioning to operating and maintenance. Competing in today’s manufacturing world means meeting consumer expectations and promptly delivering tailored products.

With this increasing demand, he talks about ABB Robotics, which is helping our customers embrace this transformation, making them more competitive and able to adapt to change. “RobotStudio® is a simulation and offline programming software that offers a complete digital replica of physical assets or systems to see what’s going on in the production line.”

Way Forward

ABB also has the most diverse Cobot portfolio in the world, building on our leading automation expertise. Our Cobots can perform a broad range of tasks in a vast spectrum of industries and businesses of all sizes, helping robot users accelerate collaboration. With an increasing interest for collaborative robots that provide manufacturers with the flexibility to manage the shift to low-volume/high-mix production, collaborative robots add agility to change between products and help introduce new products faster. Adding to the discussion, Chaudhry says, one of the biggest demands we get is – to make the machines capable of connecting to the database. This is the middle platform where we start connecting the available machine or equipment with our top process of manufacturing which is known as the SAP system. The middle layer which we call the Manufacturing Execution System (MES) is a missing layer right now between Shop floor equipment and the top layer of integration. This is why we know installing new equipment which is compliant with Industry 4.0 is critical. Many industries are yet to begin data management on the cloud. This is the time to infuse more automation in industrial activity- since gradual unlock alikes full unlock.