Human-robot collaboration is revolutionising industrial production
Published on : Monday 30-11--0001
Are robots a boon or a threat to human beings, especially when it comes to jobs?
?It is our belief that human workers will always be needed. Their tasks will change, not least because their needs have changed. For example, workstations will become more ergonomic and operator control of the technology used there will become simpler. Automation will provide the opportunity to preserve the health of employees and deploy valuable skilled personnel in the best possible way. In previous developments there were also fears about mass redundancies and negative effects on society.
Is the robots-taking-jobs argument exaggerated, as there are still jobs waiting to be filled?
?In the future, monotonous, strenuous and hazardous tasks can be performed by machines, thereby easing the load on human workers. Moreover, many new jobs will be created, e.g., in the fields of technology and IT. We envisage the human worker being the centre point of the Smart Factory. He will be supported in his work by robots.
?As a result of advancements in digitisation, the topic of continuing education will play a significant role in the future. Training and continuing education will be promoted to a greater extent and curricula will have to be revised regularly to ensure that they keep up with practical requirements. This applies equally to low-skilled personnel and qualified specialists.
Therefore, automation will help to create an exciting and challenging working life for any given employee, as robots take over dull and onerous tasks. This represents a significant physical and psychological relief for employees. It will be extremely challenging to ensure that knowledge and ability are consistent with the latest technological standards. KUKA is already highly active in this respect and through the KUKA Academy offers every employee comprehensive opportunities for further education.
While robots are adapting fast to new roles, are their human counterparts slow in doing so?
Robots can only perform particular activities; they cannot carry out an entire qualified occupation. Properties such as human intelligence, creativity and emotions are things which robots will not be able to offer within the foreseeable future. KUKA’s goal is to have people and robots collaborating, with the machine taking over the monotonous or physically strenuous work from the human being. At KUKA, this is already the case with the lightweight robot LBR iiwa.
Compared to the advanced economies, robot penetration in India is still low. Will there be a dramatic change in the near future?
Yes, you are correct, the robot penetration in India is still low compared to more advanced economies and there are ample reasons for the same. Till the time these issues are addressed, we are not going to see any dramatic changes in the near future. Some of the key issues include for example the lack of good infrastructure (Transport, Energy, Communication). The industry also needs to address key issues internally like raw material quality, backend processes, quality emphasis and skilling their workforce so that robotic automation can be implemented.
Finally, will man and robot co-exist in harmony?
KUKA’s goal is to have people and robots collaborating. Human-robot Collaboration (HRC) is revolutionising industrial production and manufacturing in the factory of the future and bringing decisive advantages, including: maximum flexibility in production, relief of employees by performing ergonomically unfavourable work steps that could not previously be automated, reduced risk of injuries and infections, high-quality performance of reproducible processes, as well as increased productivity and improved system complexity thanks to integrated sensors.
In HRC, the robot assists the human operator, meaning that the machine does not replace the human, but complements his capabilities and relieves him of hazardous tasks. In the factory of the future, there is no separation between automated and manual workstations. Humans and robots collaborate optimally – without separation and without safety fencing.
Pradeep Shoran is General Manager Sales and Marketing for KUKA India Pvt Ltd. He has been working with KUKA for 12 years and has a developed deep knowledge about both robots and automation technology as well as about the Indian market in this time.