OREANDA-NEWS. At the international trade fair Automatica 2016, Bosch presents Connected Shopfloor Solutions, a combination of hard- and software solutions for flexible, networked manufacturing (hall A5, booth 306). These solutions are already in use today, at Bosch and elsewhere: human operators and mobile assistance systems are working hand in hand without the need for safety fences, while IT systems analyze, report on and control a wide range of production processes.
Yet people remain at the center of it all: “Given the spectrum of work processes in today's manufacturing, people are now needed more than ever as decision-makers and overseers,” explains Volker Hartmann, Deputy Vice President Business Unit Assembly Systems and Special Machinery at Bosch. “Our robots collaborate with humans and help them with tasks that are potentially unsafe, overly simple and monotonous, or ergonomically challenging. Humans and machines complement each other.”

The APAS workstation adapts to operator needs
The APAS workstation shown in Munich is consistently focused on operator needs. The first standardized workstation is equipped with a collaborative robot kinematics system (APAS safekin), which allows direct and safe man-machine collaboration. Protected by a sensor skin, the integrated robot kinematics system successfully combines the inimitable skills of the human hand with the strength, the tirelessness and precision offered by robots and delivers more efficient processes. The operator can enjoy an individually tailored, ergonomically optimized work setting: the worktable height and lighting automatically adjust to the operator. The flexible APAS workstation can be used with or without an integrated robot, and can network with further assistance systems as needed.
The robot kinematics system, dubbed APAS safekin, can also be used independently of the mobile APAS base or an APAS workstation – then preferably as a fixed installation in a dedicated production segment. The new automation component can be easily integrated into a broad range of applications, allowing projects to be rapidly implemented, and existing facilities to be readily upgraded.

Collaborative robotics on the rise
In addition to the APAS workstation, the APAS portfolio includes three mobile, collaborative assistance systems, all of which can interact with human operators without a safety fence. The APAS inspector is an automatic testing device for visual inspections, equipped with a high-resolution, high-speed camera and innovative 3D mapping technologies. Thanks to interchangeable testing modules, the station can be used for high-precision surface inspections or completeness testing.
In turn, the APAS flexpress is the candidate of choice for highly flexible, high-precision joining, one of the most common work steps in production lines. Its integrated safety features ensure that it can seamlessly support its human operator. The same is true for the APAS assistant, the first assistance system to be certified by the German Social Accident Insurance Institution (Berufsgenossenschaft). No robotics programming is needed: all the jobs are prepared, configured and managed using a graphic interface.
As an available option, the APAS speedswitch can be set to monitor an extended vicinity and vary the APAS assistant's operating speed, depending on whether or not human beings are nearby. Provided no employees are nearby, the kinematics system operates at maximum speed. If someone approaches the APAS assistant, it automatically drops to a safe speed. The result: increased productivity without the need for additional safety measures.

Software from Bosch manages production processes
Meanwhile, behind the scenes Bosch's IT Shopfloor Solutions deliver safety, flexibility and transparency throughout the production chain. For more than 15 years now, the modular and scalable software solutions have been continually refined within the company and used to manage hundreds of production facilities around the globe. Thanks to a broad range of software modules for Shopfloor Management, machinery can be networked regardless of the product or brand, product defects and the need for maintenance can be recognized early on, and production data can be analyzed in real-time. In addition, maintenance-relevant parameters can now be called up on a range of mobile devices.