ROBOT

ECONOMICS
 Rail-Guided Vehicles

 Self-propelled vehicles that ride on a fixed-rail system
 Vehicles operate independently and are driven by electric
motors that pick up power from an electrified rail
 Fixed rail system
 Overhead monorail - suspended overhead from the ceiling
 On-floor - parallel fixed rails, tracks generally protrude up
from the floor
 Routing variations are possible: switches, turntables, and
other special track sections
Overhead Monorail

 Automated Guided
Vehicles

An Automated Guided Vehicle System
(AGVS) is a material handling system that
uses independently operated, self-
propelled vehicles guided along defined
pathways in the facility floor
Types of AGV:
Driverless trains
Pallet trucks
Unit load AGVs
 Automated Guided Vehicles:
Driverless Automated Guided
Train

 First type of AGVS to be
introduced around 1954

 Common application is Torsion joint:

moving heavy payloads rotation axis in
over long distances in parallel to both link
warehouses and axe
factories without
intermediate stops along
the route
 Automated Guided Vehicles:
AGV Pallet Truck


 Used to move
palletized loads along
predetermined routes
 Vehicle is backed into
loaded pallet by
worker; pallet is then
elevated from floor
 Worker drives pallet
truck to AGV guide
path and programs
destination
 Automated Guided Vehicles:
Unit Load Carrier

Used to move unit
loads from station to
station
Often equipped for
automatic
loading/unloading of
pallets and tote pans
using roller conveyors,
moving belts, or
mechanized lift
platforms
 AGVs Applications

1. Driverless train operations - movement of large quantities
of material over long distances
2. Storage and distribution - movement of pallet loads
between shipping/receiving docks and storage racks
3. Assembly line operations - movement of car bodies and
major subassemblies (motors) through the assembly
stations
4. Flexible manufacturing systems - movement of work parts
between machine tools
5. Miscellaneous - mail delivery and hospital supplies
 Robot Implementation
Planning

Identify Objectives (Benefits)
• Increase productivity
• Reduce labor cost
• Reduce cycle time
• Eliminate undesired jobs
• Safety reasons: protect from exposure to hazardous
conditions
• Increase product quality
 Robot Implementation
Planning

Consider Drawbacks
• The impact upon the workers
• The impact upon production schedule and
maintenance
• Questions of potential model changes or
process changes
 Robot Implementation
Planning

 Fixed automation:
Expensive
Can become obsolete early (dedicated for a single task)
Large inventories
Difficulties in commissioning and high maintenance costs
Faster and more accurate
 Flexible (robot) automation:
Reprogrammable for different tasks
Quick to commission
Easy to maintain
Cheaper to design.


 ROBOT SAFETY
 OBJECTIVES:

 BE ACQUAINTED WITH ROBOITIC SAFETY.
 UNDERSTASND SFETY STANDARD.
 RECOGNISE SAFETY RELIABILITY.
 BE FAMILIAR WITH HUMAN FACTOR ISSUES.
 BE AWARE OF SAFETY SENSORS AND MONITORING.
 REALIZE SAFEGAURDING.
 PERCEIVE THE IMPORTANT FACTORS OF TRAINING.
 APPREHEND SAFETY GUIDELINES.
 UNDERSTAND DEFINITIONS.

 SAFETY: METHOD AND TECHNIQUE USED FOR AVOIDING ACCIDENTS.

 INCLUDES THE USUAL CONSIDERATIONS OF MAN, MACHINE AND

WORKSTATIONS, ENVIRONMENT, AND THE INTERDFACE BEHAVIOUR,
BUT IT MUST ALSO CONSIDER SOFTWARE.
 ROBOTS AND CONVENTIONAL
MACHINERY



THREE MAJOR DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ROBOTS AND CONVENTIONAL MACHINERY
CAN BE IDENTIFIED THAT ARE CONCERN OF SAFETY PERSONNEL.

 SPEED OF MOVEMENT.
 PREDICTABILITY OF MOVEMENT.
 HAZARD ZONES.

 IN CONVENTIONAL MACHINERY HAZARD ZONES MAY BE DIFFICULT TO

RECOGNIZE, BUT ARE FIXED WITH TIME.

 ALSO THE MAIN DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CONVENTIONAL MACHINERY AND ROBOT

IS THAT A ROBOT CAN BE :

 PROGRAMMED TO DO DIFFERENT JOBS.

 REACT TO CHANGES IN THE PROCESS, EVEN MAKING DECISIONS FROM A LIMITED
NUMBER OF CHOICES.

 SAFETY ENGINEERING SHOULD BE APPLIED TO ROBOT SAFETY, PARTICULARLY IN THE

HUMAN FACTORS ASPECTS AND SYSTEMS SAFETY APPROACHES.

 ROBOT SAFETY MUST INCLUDE THE USUAL CONSIDERATIONS OF MAN, MACHINE AND
WORKSTATIONS, ENVIRONMENT, AND THE INTERFACE BEHAVIOR, BUT IT MUST ALSO
CONSIDER SOFTWARE
 CAUSES OF
ACCIDENTS

 ENGINEERING DEFICIENCY
 LACK OF PROPER PROCEDURES
 INADEQUATE PROGRAMMING

 EMERGENCY STOP SWITCHES MUST APPEAR ON THE

CONTROL PANEL AND ALSO BE ADDED TO THE
PENDANT USED IN THE TEACH MODE WHERE THE
OPERATOR OR PROGRAMMER MAY BE MOVING IN
THE ROBOT’S WORK ENVELOPE.

 COMPREHENSIVE INSTRUCTION AND OPERATION

PROCEDURES MUST ALSO BE INCORPORATED
THROUGH TRAINING PROGRAMS.
SAFETY STANDARDS


SAFETY IS AN IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION IN INSTALLING,
PROGRAMMING, OPERATING, AND MAINTAINING ROBOT SYSTEMS.

 SAFETY CAN ALSO BE CONSIDERED AS A JUDGMENT OF THE ACCEPTABILITY

OF DANGER, WHERE DANGER IS THE COMBINATION OF HAZARD AND RISK.

 HAZARD IS DEFINED AS INJURY PRODUCER, AND RISK IS DEFINED AS THE

PROBABILITY THAT AN INJURY WILL OCCUR.

 THE CAUSES OF EMPLOYEE INJURY IN ROBOTIC ENVIRONMENT INCLUDES:

 PARTS OF THE BODY BEING CAUGHT.
 BEING STRUCK BY A PART OR ROBOT GRIPPER.
 FALLING FROM THE EQUIPMENT OR STRUCTURE.
 SLIPPING OR TRIPPING ON WALKING OR WORKING SURFACES.
 EXPOSURE TO DANGEROUS LEVELS OF HEAT OR ELECTRICITY
 EXCESSIVE PHYSICAL STRAIN
SAFETY STANDARDS

 SAFETY STANDARDS ARE VERY IMPORTANT IN THE WORKPLACE.
ALL THE PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS HAVE DEFINED THE
FOLLOWING PRIORITIES FOR ELIMINATING HAZARDS.

 ELIMINATE THE HAZARD THROUGH THE MACHINE DESIGN

STAGE.
 APPLY SAFEGUARDING TECHNOLOGY.
 USE WARNING SIGNS AND LABELS.
 TRAIN AND INSTRUCT THE WORKER, PROGRAMMER, AND
MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL.
 PRESCRIBE PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT AND DEVICES.
 HUMAN FACTOR
ISSUES


HUMAN FACTOR(ERGONOMICS) ISSUES OR ENGINEERING IS THE STUDY OF THE
HUMAN-MACHINE INTERACTION AND IS DEFINED AS AN APPLIED SCIENCE THAT
COORDINATES THE DESIGN OF DEVICES, SYSTEMS AND PHYSICAL WORKING
CONDITIONS WITH THE CAPACITIES AND REQUIREMENTS OF THE WORKER.

 A MACHINE OR ROBOT SYSTEM DESIGNED WITH POOR ERGONOMICS WILL BE

UNCOMFORTABLE AND TIRING TO USE, MAY EVEN BE DANGEROUS.

 BESIDES THE SIZE OF A ROBOT’S WORK ENVELOPE, ITS SPEED, ITS PROXIMITY TO
HUMANS, AND INTERACTION WITH OTHER MACHINERY, MANY OTHER FACTORS
SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AND INVESTIGATED SUCH AS:

 THE LAYOUT OF CONTROL PANELS.

 TEACH-PENDANT ACCURACY.
 PERSONNEL TRAINING
 BARRIER GUARDS.
 SAFETY DEVICES.
 INTERLOCKS.
 WARNINGS

 IN ADDITION HUMAN FACTOR ISSUES SHOULD INCLUDE EVALUATION OF A ROBOT

WORKSTATIONS WHEN AN OPERATOR ENTERS THE WORKSTATIONS FOR MAINTENANCE,
PROGRAMMING, AND THE LIKE.
 SAFETY SENSORS
AND MONITORING

 SAFETY MONITORING INVOLVES THE USE OF SENSORS TO INDICATE
CONDITIONS OR EVENTS THAT ARE UNSAFE OR POTENTIALLY UNSAFE.

 THE OBJECTIVE OF SAFETY MONITORING INCLUDES NOT ONLY THE

PROTECTION OF HUMANS WHO HAPPEN TO BE IN THE CELL, BUT ALSO
THE PROTECTION OF THE EQUIPEMENT IN THE CELL.

 THE SENSORS USED IN THE SAFETY MONITORING RANGE FROM THE

SIMPLE LIMIT SWITCHES TO SOPHISTICATED VISION SYSTEM THAT ARE
ABLE TO SCAN THE WORKPLACE FOR INTRUDERS AND OTHER
DEVIATIONS FROM THE NORMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS.

 GREAT CARE MUST BE TAKEN IN WORKCELL DESIGN TO ANTICIPATE

ALL POSSIBLE MISHAPS THAT MIGHT OCCUR DURING THE OPERATION
OF THE CELL, AND TO DESIGN SAFEGAURDS TO PREVENT OR LIMIT THE
DAMAGE RESULTING FROM THESE MISHAPS.
 LEVELS OF ROBOT
SAFETY


THE NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS DEFINES THREE LEVELS OF
SAFETY SENSOR SYSTEMS IN ROBOTS.

 LEVEL 1 --- PERIMETER PENETRATION DETECTION.

 LEVEL 2 --- INTRUDER DETECTION INSIDE THE WORKCELL
 LEVEL 3 --- INTRUDER DETECTION IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY
OF THE ROBOT.

 LEVEL 1 SYSTEMS ARE INTENDED TO DETECT THAT AN INTRUDER HAS

CROSSED THE PERIMETER BOUNDARY OF THE WORKCELL WITHOUT
REGARD TO THE LOCATION OF THE ROBOT.

 LEVEL 2 SYSTEMS ARE DESIGNED TO DETECT THE PRESENCE OF AN

INTRUDER IN THE REGION BETWEEN THE WORKCELL BOUNDARY AND THE
LIMIT OF THE ROBOT WORK VOLUME.

 LEVEL 3 SYSTEMS PROVIDE INTRUDER DETECTION INSIDE THE WORK

VOLUME OF THE ROBOT.
 LEVELS OF ROBOT
SAFETY

 THERE ARE TWO COMMON MEANS OF IMPLEMENTING A ROBOT
SAFETY SENSING SYSTEM

1. PRESSURE SENSITIVE FLOOR MATS --- ARE AREA PADS

PLACED ON THE FLOOR AROUND THE WORKCELL THAT
SENSE THE WEIGHT OF SOMEONE STANDING ON THE MAT.
THESE CAN BE USED FOR EITHER LEVEL1 OR LEVEL2
SENSING SYSTEMS.

2. LIGHT CURTAIN --- CONSISTS OF LIGHT BEAMS AND

PHOTSENSITIVE DEVICES PLACED AROUND THE WORKCELL
THAT SENSE THE PRESENCE OF AN INTRUDER BY AN
INTRRUPTION OF THE LIGHT BEAM. USE OF LIGHT
CURTAINS WOULD BE MORE APPROPRIATE AS LEVEL1
SYSTEMS.
 LEVELS OF ROBOT
SAFETY

 PROXIMITY SENSORS LOCATED ON THE ROBOT ARM COULD BE UTILIZED AS
LEVEL 3 SENSORS.

 THE SAFETY MONITORIN STRATEGIES THAT MIGHT BE FOLLOWED BY THE

WORKCELL CONTROLLER WOULD INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING SCHEMES.

1. COMPLETE SHUTDOWN OF THE ROBOT UPON DETECTION OF AN INTRUDER.

2. ACTIVATION OF WARNING ALARMS.
3. REDUCTION OF THE SPEED OF THE ROBOT TO SAFE LEVEL.
4. DIRECTING THE ROBOT TO MOVE ITS ARM AWAY FROM THE INTRUDER TO
AVOID COLLISION.
5. DIRECTING THE ROBOT TO PERFORM TASKS AWAY FROM THE INTRUDER.

 NOTE: THERE IS ANOTHER SAFETY MONITORING CALLED A “FAIL-SAFE

HAZARD DETECTOR.” THE CONCEPT OF THIS DETECTOR IS BASED ON THE
RECOGNITION THAT SOME COMPONENT OF BASIC HAZARD SENSOR SYSTEM
MIGHT FAIL AND THAT THIS FAILURE MIGHT NOT BE FOUND OUT UNTIL
SOME SAFETY EMERGENCY OCCURRED. THE FAIL-SAFE HAZARD DETECTOR IS
DESIGNED TO OVERCOME THIS PROBLEM.
 SAFEGUARDING


MOST INDUSTRAIL ACCIDENTS OCCUR ARE THE RESULTS OF UNSAFE ACTS
BY THE WORKER. UCH ACTS CAN OCCUR DUE TO:

 IMPROPERLY TRAINED OPERATORS.

 CARELESS PROGRAMMERS ACTIVATING THE WRONG CONTROLS.
 COMPONENT FAILURE OR OTHER UNSAFE CONDITIONS IN THE PLANT.

 MAJOR CONCERN IN SAFETY OF ALL PERSONNEL INVOLVED WITH

INDUSTRIAL ROBOTS IS VERY IMPORTANT.

 ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL SAFETY COUNCIL(1991) THE PRINCIPAL

HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH ROBOTS ARE AS FOLLOWS:

1. BEING STRUCK BY A MOVING ROBOT WHILE INSIDE THE WORK ENVELOPE.

2. BEING TRAPPED BETWEEN A MOVING PART OF A ROBOT AND ANOTHER

MACHINE, OBJECT, OR SURFACE.

3. BEING STRUCK BY A WORKPIECE, TOOL, OR OTHER OBJECT DROPPED OR

EJJECTED BY A ROBOT.
 SAFEGUARDING

 ROBOT SAFEGUARD:

 TO ERECT A PHYSICAL BARRIER AROUND THE ENTIRE

PERIMETER OF A ROBOT’S WORK ENVELOPE.

 A GUARD CONTAINING A SENSING DEVICE THAT

AUTOMATICALLY SHUTS DOWN THE ROBOT IF ANY PERSON
OR OBJECT ENTERS ITS WORK ENVELOPE CAN BE EFFECTIVE.

 TO PUT SENSITIZED DOORS OR GATES IN THE PERIMETER

BARRIER THAT AUTOMATICALLY SHUT DOWN THE
ROBOT’S MOVEMENT WHEN THEY ARE OPENED.
 SAFEGUARDING

 EVEN THOUGH IT IS DIFFICULT TO GO TO A RISK-FREE
ENVIRONMENT BECAUSE THER IS ALWAYS THE POSSIBILITY
OF A MALFUNCTION OR THE VIOLATION OF GOOD SAFETY
PRACTICES. HOWEVER, THERE ARE WAYS TO MINIMIZE THE
POTENTIAL OF THESE ERRORS:

1. SAFETY TRAINING
2. DEPENDABLE MACHINE DESIGN
3. HIGH-RELIABILITY CONTROLS
4. PROPER LAYOUT WORK AREA.
5. SAFE POSITION AND CLEAR VISIBILITY FOR PROGRAMMING.
6. ESTABILISHING PROPER MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES.
7. ADEQUATE INSTALLATION PERFORMED IN THE PRESENCE OF
SAFETY PERSONNEL.
8. OBEYING SAFETY RULES AND REGULATIONS OF
AUTHORITATIVE ORGANIZATIONS.
 SAFETY GUIDLINES


THE UNEXPECTED ROBOT MOVEMENTS ARE THE CONCERN OF
EMPLOYEES FOR OBTAINING FURTHER GUIDELINES ON ROBOTICS
SAFETY.

 RESEARCHERS HAVE DEVELOPED MANY GUIDELINES PERTAINING TO

SAFETY ISSUES IN ROBOTS.

 FOLLOWING GUIDELINES ARE FOR SAFE USE OF ROBOTS IN A

PRODUCTION ENVIRONMENT:

1. IF THE ROBOT IS NOT MOVING, DO NOT ASSUME IT IS NOT

GOING TO MOVE.

2. IF THE ROBOT IS REPEATING PATTERN, DO NOT ASSUME IT WILL

CONTINUE.

3. ALWAYS BE AWARE OF WHERE YOU ARE IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE

POSSIBLE POSITIONS THAT THE ROBOT MAY REACH.
SAFETY GUIDLINES
4.

BE AWARE IF THERE IS POWER ACTUATORS. INDICATOR LIGHTS
WILL BE ON WHEN THERE IS POWER TO THE ACTUATORS.

5. TEACHING, PROGRAMMING, SERVICING, AND MAINTENANCE

ARE THE ONLY AUTHORIZED REASONS FOR ENTRY INTO THE
WORK ENVELOPE.

6. BEFORE ACTIVATING POWER TO THE ROBOT, EMPLOYEES

SHOULD BE AWARE OF WHAT IT IS PROGRAMMED TO DO, THAT
ALL SAFEGUARDS ARE IN PLACE, AND THAT NO FOREIGN
MATERIALS ARE PRESENT WITHING THE WORK ENVELOPE.

7. NOTIFY SUPERVISION IMMEDIATELY WHEN AN UNEXPECTED

INTERRUPTION TO THE NORMAL ROBOT WORK CYCLE OCCURS.

8. REPORT ANY MISSING OF DEFECTIVE SAFEGUARD TO

SUPERVISION IMMEDIATELY. CHECK ALL SAFEGUARDS AT THE
BEGINNING OT EACH SHIFT
 ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
FOR
ROBOTICS

 The economy is an important issue while setting up a new automated firm. An
economic analysis of the proposed engineering project must be done. On the
basis of this analysis, the management usually decides the feasibility of the
project.
 To perform the economic analysis of the proposed robot project, we require
certain basic information about the project. This information includes the
following:
1. Type of robot installation.
2. Cost of robot installation.
3. Production cycle time.
4. Savings and benefits resulting from the project.
 TYPE OF ROBOT
INSTALLATION

 There are two basic categories of robot installation:
 New application: Here we have to begin from the scratch. So we are in a need
for new facilities, and the robot installation is the only facility to satisfy that
need. In this case, the best alternative is selected after comparing various
alternatives and the selected alternative should meet the investment criteria of
the firm.
 Existing application: Here, the robot is employed as a substitute for the human
labour. In this scenario, the economic justification of the robot installation
depends on how inefficient and costly the manual method is, rather than the
absolute merits of the method.
 In either of these situations, certain basic cost information is needed in order to
perform the economic analysis.
 COST DATA REQUIRED
FOR THE ANALYSIS

 The cost data required for the economic analysis involves the following:

 Investment costs

 Operating costs

Investment costs Operating costs

 Robot purchase
 Direct labour cost
cost
 Engineering cost  Indirect labour cost
 Installation cost  Maintenance cost
 Special tooling
 Utilities cost
cost
 Miscellaneous cost  Training cost
 LIFE CYCLE OF CASH
FLOW

 Net Annual Cash flow (NACF) = Revenues – Operating
cost
 METHODS OF
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS

 The methods of economic analysis are listed
below:
 Payback (or payback period) Method
 Equivalent Uniform Annual Cost (EUAC)
Method
 Rate on Investment (ROI) Method
 PAYBACK PERIOD
METHOD


 PAYBACK PERIOD
METHOD

Where n = Payback period
IC = Investment cost
NACF = Net Annual Cash Flow

Assumptions:
 NACF is + ve. [Revenues > Operating Cost]
 All cash flows occur at the end of the year.
 All the investments are done at beginning of the year.
 NACF is calculated at the end of the year.

 Most of the companies require a payback period of not more than two to three
years.
 EUAC METHOD

 The equivalent uniform annual cost (EUAC) is the annual cost of owning an
asset over its entire life. Equivalent uniform annual cost is often used by firms
for capital budgeting decisions. Equivalent uniform annual cost is calculated as:
 This method converts all of the present, future investments and the cash flows
into their equivalent uniform cash flows over the anticipated life of the project.
This is accomplished by using various interest factors associated with
engineering economic calculations.
 When the company is to be started it must select the minimum attractive rate of
return (MARR). This is used to decide whether funding is to be made or not.
 If the sum of EUAC > 0 then the company is attractive. If the sum of EUAC < 0
then the company is non attractive.
 ROI METHOD

 This method determines the rate of returns on the proposed work based on
estimated cost and revenues.
 To calculate ROI, the benefit (or return) of an investment is divided by the
cost of the investment, and the result is expressed as a percentage or a
ratio.
 The return on investment formula:

 This rate of return is compared with company’s MARR to determine

whether the investment is justified or not.