Robot suppliers have a range of new solutions for carmakers looking to build in production flexibility, reports Simon Duval Smith
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The automotive industry is generally credited with having pioneered the large scale use of robots. Long production runs of identical cars were the ideal field of application for these untiring and reliable workers. Today’s market is increasingly putting automobile manufacturers under pressure to offer customers more choice, while at the same time reducing finished vehicle prices. To fulfill these apparently contradictory requests, a single line must be able to produce a mix of different models, while ‘learning’ to make new models without the need for a total equipment re-design and preferably without stopping production. Automation suppliers have responded to these demands by making robot cells smaller, more adaptable and easier to install. The new generation of cells can produce so cheaply that they are able to compete with manual labour in low-cost countries, providing manufacturers with an alternative to outsourcing and ultimately raising finished vehicle quality.
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