Connecting Industrial Robotics with IIoT in Your Factory

The industrial internet of things (IIoT) presents enormous productivity potential for manufacturers, but the true benefits can be difficult to realize. Industrial robotics inherently promote connectivity and are proving to be a great starting point for broader IIoT initiatives.

Industrial robots are increasingly integrated with the IIoT in manufacturing facilities across the world. Some of the world's largest manufacturers have already seen big profits, but most manufacturers are just starting to implement robotic connectivity in their facilities.

Industrial Robotic Connectivity is a Quickly Maturing Technology

General Motors (GM), perpetually a leader in automation technology, was one of the first to invest heavily in robotic connectivity and have established a framework for success.

GM has over 7,500 connected robots in their facilities with the goal of collecting real-time data on robotic performance. Currently, this helps productivity by avoiding unnecessary downtime. They're able to see when a robot needs maintenance and proactively address performance issues before the entire assembly line shuts down. In the future, though, they plan to adjust robotic accuracy and repeatability in real time to improve product quality.

While GM is a leader in robotic connectivity, the technology is becoming widely available across the industrial sector.

The State of Robotic Connectivity in Today's Factories

A recent panel of experts weighed in on today's robotic connectivity technology in an RIA webinar. One of the main conclusions reached was that most businesses leveraging industrial robotics technology are now highly interested in mining more data from these robots.

Typically, robots feature an Ethernet or wifi connection. Most manufacturers want their robots to connect to the cloud with no PLC in the middle for easier data collection and mining. When robot data is brought into the cloud, it can more cleanly be brought into plant production networks or local ERP systems for process analysis.

In general, we're in the early stages of connected robot technology, but the desire for greater connectivity exists. For many facilities, it simply comes down to making the investment at the right time.

Collaborative Robots and Cybersecurity Concerns

Collaborative robots, or "cobots", are designed to work safely alongside humans in a number of ways from the laboratory to the warehouse floor to the production line. Robot makers go to great lengths to ensure the

se robotic systems are safe to work alongside humans.

Recent research has shown, however, that some collaborative robots have been proven to have cybersecurity flaws, undermining the entire point of a collaborative robot and putting human workers at risk.

Cybersecurity needs to be taken very seriously when it comes to collaborative robots. Why is it so serious? Is this different than cybersecurity in industrial robots?

The Collaborative Robot Cybersecurity Problem

With industrial robots, poor cybersecurity poses a major problem to the parts being produced. They could be produced just a millimeter or two off from the required specifications, causing part failure down the line. They could also be forced to stretch beyond their capabilities and break, or another of other things.

If someone hacks into a robot, they basically have full control. This presents many dangers with industrial robots, as it does with collaborative robots. But the two dangers are slightly different, since collaborative robots are meant to work alongside people. It’s human laborers that are at most risk when a collaborative robot is compromised.

The Cybersecurity Solution for Collaborative Robots

Much of this responsibility lies with the manufacturer of the robot, so it’s wise to keep an eye on which manufacturers are taking cybersecurity seriously. Outside of them, the robot system integrators also have a major responsibility to ensure safe operating conditions.

For example, the system integrators should limit the force and power of collaborative robot clamps, just to prepare for a worst-case scenario. They can also limit momentum and tool orientation to further improve safety.

A system integrator plays an important part in the safety of collaborative robots. While a robot manufacturer has to provide the foundation for a secure robot, a system integrator can still improve safety in other important ways.

Cybersecurity for collaborative robots has recently emerged as a vital part of collaborative robot deployment. Vulnerabilities in cybersecurity undermine the entire purpose of collaborative robots and put people in harm’s way.

Collaborative Robot Safety Trends

Safety is an important consideration for manufacturers, not only from the standpoint of protecting workers but also for protecting the bottom line. Safety incidents involving robots are expensive – an upfront investment in safety equipment will almost always pay off in the end.

Collaborative robots are intended to share workspaces with human workers and are built to be a much safer partner than an industrial robot. However, it’s a common misconception that collaborative robots are safe right out of the box, and there are still safety hazards present.

Industry standards and robotic equipment are both evolving to accommodate greater and greater levels of safety in the workplace.

Collaborative Robot Safety Trends

The rate of technological innovation in the robotics industry has sometimes outpaced the rate of safety standards development. As far as collaborative robots go, there is still much work to be done defining safety protocols as this technology emerges, which is why RIA has been working with the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), as well as the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), to keep up with the changing robotics landscape.

ANSI/RIA R15.06 and ISO 10218 have both defined safety protocols surrounding the use of collaborative robots, but there’s still more to be defined. A recent safety standard, ISO/TS 15066, addresses standard safety procedures when installing a collaborative robot system.

Collaborative Robots are Evolving for Safety

Over the years, collaborative robots have evolved to keep up with safety standards as they’re introduced, but also to improve upon the value of their product. For example, power and force limiting has become a popular method of introducing safety in collaborative robot workspaces. In this scenario, a collaborative robot is prevented from exerting full power and force, so that in the event of contact with a human worker, the risk of injury is significantly reduced.

Many collaborative robots also now deploy a sophisticated system of sensors to slow down operations when a human worker approaches and stop working all together if a human gets too close. Collaborative robots are also becoming easier to program – another safety benefit – as incorrect programming could lead to dangerous interactions with human workers or other equipment.

Safety is being built directly into the collaborative robots themselves. Whether it’s limiting their potential power or deploying sensors to halt operations when a dangerous situation arises, collaborative robots are evolving to become safer and safer.

Safety is an important consideration for all manufacturers. Keeping an eye on important collaborative robot safety trends can help determine if these robots are a good fit in your manufacturing facility.