Bosch Australia held an exclusive event at its headquarters in Clayton, Victoria, on 19 February to mark the Australian launch of APAS, the mobile collaborative robotic production assistant that can work hand in hand with its human colleagues.
APAS is a family of automation solutions designed for the flexible, networked, smart factories of the future. APAS robots can take over dangerous, strenuous, monotonous and dirty jobs, leaving people free to do higher-quality work. Unlike many systems available on the market, however, they can safely be used as mobile and flexible solutions, without any guarding.
Visitors to the event had the chance to see the new APAS assistant up close, and to learn about its ground-breaking features, such as its innovative new ‘Sensor Skin’ safety technology, and its highly intuitive, user-friendly operator interface. The event also included a tour of Bosch’s diode manufacturing facility, where it was possible to see the APAS assistant in action in a manufacturing environment. Bosch’s plant already boasts an impressive degree of automation, and the way that APAS had been incorporated onto the production line demonstrated the extent to which its standardised operating concept and interconnectivity allow flexible integration into an existing manufacturing setting.
“The APAS can be flexibly integrated into manufacturing processes,” says Andrew Bartlett, General Manager of Manufacturing Solutions at Bosch. “The factory of the future requires more agile machines and robots that can flexibly take over from fixed manufacturing systems along the entire production chain. At the same time, the possibility of direct interaction with humans and integrated safety systems play an important role.”
A family of solutions
At the heart of the APAS family is the ‘APAS assistant’, an automated production assistant equipped with a ‘Sensor Skin’ that enables it to avoid collisions. This makes it suitable for a wide range of applications in which it will work together with people in a guard-free workplace.
Alongside APAS assistant, the APAS family offers two further automation devices for specific tasks. ‘APAS inspector’ is a mobile optical testing system with 3D imaging, while ‘APAS base’ is a flexible automation platform for specific tasks such as parts labelling. These can operate to the full breadth of their flexibility when working together with APAS assistant.
The APAS assistant is designed to be slim and compact. It has rollers and an easy-to-operate lock, meaning it can be put to work quickly and easily at various locations within a production facility. APAS assistant’s sensitive three-finger gripper is capable of gently or firmly grasping a wide variety of parts with complex geometries. Meanwhile, integrated cameras help it not only to register its surroundings autonomously but also to recognise parts for itself and manipulate them with precision.
The APAS production assistants are designed to support technical staff with critical process steps, monotonous and messy jobs, and above all to collaborate directly with human beings. The APAS inspector, for instance, is equipped with a high-definition camera and an innovative 3D technology that enables it to inspect highly delicate surfaces or performs complete checks.
Safe collaboration
The safe interaction of humans and machines is at the heart of the APAS family. The APAS assistant is the first robot system to be certified for collaborative operations by the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV) association. It is equipped with a six-axis industrial robot arm, a sensitive three-finger gripper and a 3D camera system.
As opposed to other robot systems, the gripper arm of the APAS assistant is covered with a highly sensitive sensor skin. Even without direct contact, this skin allows the system to realise whenever a member of staff comes too close. It then immediately stops its work and waits until the employee has left the danger zone, resuming operation automatically.
For example, a manufacturing worker can place empty pallets on a table in front of the robot. The APAS assistant will then position them correctly and load them, while the worker performs other tasks, such as optimising processes at other machines. The sensors fitted to the APAS assistant’s housing will detect whether its human colleague has come too close. It will stop before it touches its human colleague, and resume its work once its colleague has left the system’s immediate operating zone.
The APAS assistants have been tried and tested in Bosch facilities throughout the world. Now they are available in Australia for external customers.
“The decline of automotive manufacturing in Australia results in a need for advanced, competitive manufacturing solutions,” said Bosch Australia President Gavin Smith. “APAS alongside a full manufacturing solution by Bosch can ensure firms are globally competitive in Australia in advanced product and process manufacturing.”