AUTOMATION V/S ROBOTICS

Posted by SMD Gearbox on September 28th, 2022

Automation or Robotics; Help your Business with the right Technology.

Automation

Automation is nothing but a process to minimize the human interference with the use of Technology. Being specific in our field it is the use of technology for manufacturing and control of machineries. It is used to reduce cost and increase productivity with increasing quality and precision. Robotics, CNC Machines, are the best examples of Industrial automation and are used for various processes such as packaging, material handling, Quality inspection, Manufacturing, Assembly lines etc. Because of Automation there has been a dramatic increase in the output & Uniformity and consistency in repetitive tasks.

The four types of Industrial Automation are –

Soft Automation – It is used with the help of the computers when the result changes continuously. It involves entering new codes into the machines.

Hard Automation – It is used when there is a continuous flow of operations like mass production or conveyor belts and is generally fixed and cannot be changed over a period of Time.

Programmed Automation – It  requires a set of programs that can be set with electronic controls best used on high quantity production lines for large batch production.

Integrated Automation – It integrates the machines , process and data to work together for a single controlled system.

Robotics

Robotics is a process which involves design, construction and operation with the use of Robots. Robotics develop machines that can substitute human errors and can be used for various purposes.  Many robots are built to do jobs that are hazardous to people as they are controlled by computer programming code. They are used in various industries such as automobile to perform simple repetitive task many aspects of robotics involve artificial intelligence; robots may be equipped with the equivalent of human senses such as vision, touch, and the ability to sense temperature.

Few Types of Robots –

Automated Guided Vehicle’s – The AGV type of Robots are used to deliver a material in the factory or warehouse from one place to another.

Robotic Arm – These Robots are used to work for the functions of Robotic Arm especially for welding, material handling, machine tending, and packaging.

Cobots – They are used to eliminate manual, dangerous, or strenuous tasks from day-to-day workflows. Cobots are designed to function alongside or directly with humans.

Hybrid Robots – It is a combination of different robots used to create hybrid solutions that are capable of more complex task.

The Difference Between Automation and Robotics.

The terms Automation and Robotics are used interchangeably but they have a slight difference. Robotics is a part of Automation; Automation is a use of technology to complete human tasks in manufacturing where as robotics is a process of using robots to carry out an operation. As a result Automation is a much vast concept and robotics is a part of Automation. As per the changing needs of manufacturing the factories or manufacturing process has to deliver more output with the effective use of Technology and with high precision. Hence Robotic process technology is now being used in the Industries to mimic human actions without human interventions.

SMD Planetary Gearbox

Automation and Robotics always work hand in hand and are used to improve output and efficiency but sometimes there is a problem in using both of these applications in a single task when there is a need to connect different systems with a right software. If we study in detail on this topic we can find out that all the Robotic operations are not Automation as some robots for example work autonomously and they does not take part in any of the automation part. Robot process automation are robots with AI and machine learning capabilities and do a task the same way a human would.

What Should you choose between Robotics and Automation?

If you are working for a fast growing firm you must think what would work better for you, Automation or Robotics?

Before taking any decision you must consider various aspects in your company like the operations in a company is virtual or physical, are there any drawbacks in the organisation that have direct affect on Productivity and precision, are there any repetitive or monotonous task performed by the individuals.

SMD Offers more than a decade of experience in Robotics and Automation, We provide manufacturers high technology Gearbox suitable for there Automation and Robotic applications. SMD also provides solution for AGV Wheel and Robot Joint for your robotic applications. Both Automation and Robotics Industry requires low weight, compact and high precision gearboxes to make their machines perform better. SMD Planetary gearbox and Harmonic Gearbox are the most widely used series in the Automation and Robotics Industry because of its long service life, Low Backlash and high efficiency feature.