"We are convinced that industrial grippers will change radically in the years to come", CEO Henrik A. Schunk highlighted, adding: "Smart grippers will interact with users and their surroundings; they will continuously record surroundings and process data and develop the respective gripping strategy independently in complex surroundings – faster and more flexible than humans could ever do."
The smart Schunk gripping systems will increasingly be in a position to record process data, systematically evaluate it in real time and pass it onto the plant control system, cloud solutions or directly to other components. So, a Schunk gripper will have barely detected the component before the company’s clamping force block individually adapts its parameters accordingly. On a dashboard, operators can monitor all process steps, evaluate definable time frames and query condition data of affected components.
An OEM partnership with Siemens PLM Software will allow designers to immediately make the transition into the world of simulation of handling solutions. Schunk has put together a starter kit made up of the Mechatronics Concept Designer from Siemens PLM software, a component library of digital twins and corresponding support. Furthermore, Schunk supports the design process with new 3D configurators, intelligent CAD models and design and selection tools.
The Schunk 3D printing service for gripping systems and clamping technology components is giving designers additional flexibility by being able to additively produce individually designed adapter plates, devices, protective covers or function-integrated components made of polyamide, aluminium or stainless steel in high quality and precise machine design quality.
The company also hosted a panel discussion on Industry 4.0, with exports from Igus, KUKA and SAP.
Frank Blasé, CEO Igus, said robotics and artificial intelligence offer the opportunity to eliminate boring jobs in the future. He said that he assumes that automated work is about to explode, adding, with group agreement, that while before it was a case of replacing jobs with robots, the collaboration with robots and their function as assistants are primarily in focus today. But it was also said that cultural differences, for instance between Europe and Asia, must certainly be identified and queried.
Dr Bernd Liepert, chief innovation officer Kuka, Anja Schneider, global vice president, head of strategy & customer innovation SAP Deutschland, and Henrik A. Schunk discussed current challenges on the road to the digital factory. From this it became clear that the increasingly close interplay between humans and robots requires standards and regulations, when it comes to the designing of workstations, be redefined.
Liepert's said that, despite artificial intelligence and digitalisation, sight should not be lost of classic topics such as mechatronics and lightweight construction in relation to service robots.
With respect to data and data security, SAP’s Schneider indicated that the recording of as much data as possible would not bring any results on its own. It is much more a case of intelligently filtering the data, in order to be able to derive approaches from the results. But it is imperative that all data remains within the company and that it is clarified where the possible entry points for data misuse are, she added.
Schunk said that the simplicity of the systems and the simple integration of the components eliminate fears and contribute to the fact that robots are increasingly being perceived as assistants. In his opinion, modern technologies offer the chance for a new productivity boost. The accumulation of data is never an end in itself: “It's not about the collection of data per se, but the aim of generating better business for the customer along the value creation chain.”
