0:00: Hey, everyone.

0:00: Welcome back.

0:01: Ready to jump into another deep dive.

0:03: Today, we’re gonna be talking about something that I think is really transforming the manufacturing landscape.

0:07: And that’s autonomous process control.

0:09: Specifically when we’re thinking about, you know, advanced robotic machine tending.

0:15: And this is all about achieving that repeatable precision that leads to better profitability, but break it down for me a little bit sure.

0:27: What does autonomous process control actually mean?

0:30: What am I looking at?

0:31: If I were to walk onto a factory floor where this is happening?

0:34: So you’re going to see robots working with your existing machines.

0:37: So you know, think CNC machines, injection molding machines was that kind of thing.

0:41: But and this is the key, they’re not just blindly following program, they’re paired with these automated inspection systems that are constantly feeding back data on what’s happening in the process.

0:55: And then the whole system is looking at that data and it’s making adjustments in real time to keep production happening at an optimal level, it’s self governing.

1:05: So walk me through then the technology that makes this possible, like what are the building blocks here?

1:11: So there are three core components first you have your robots but not just any robots.

1:16: We’re talking about robots designed for machine tending.

1:19: So they’re able to interface with your specific machines.

1:23: They could be traditional industrial robots, you know the big, the big arms.

1:27: Exactly, or they could be collaborative robots.

1:31: So which type of robot you need?

1:33: Depends on your process and your environment makes sense.

1:38: OK.

1:38: So we’ve got the robots.

1:39: What’s next?

1:40: Next?

1:40: You have your inspection technologies, vision systems are very common, especially for dimensional checks.

1:47: You might also use laser scanners, coordinate measuring machines depending on the application, all sorts of sensors that are measuring different parameters and these act as like the eyes and ears of the system.

1:59: They’re feeding all that information back to the brains of the operation.

2:03: Got it.

2:03: But the real magic happens in the software.

2:06: It’s a software that ties everything together.

2:08: It allows the robot to communicate with the different machines.

2:12: It processes the data from the inspection system and it uses algorithms to determine the optimal adjustments to make.

2:21: So we’ve got the brawn, we’ve got the senses.

2:23: What’s what makes up the brains, the brains is the specialized software and this is where things get really interesting.

2:30: We’re not talking about just basic programming here.

2:33: This is sophisticated stuff.

2:35: We’re talking about control algorithms, statistical process control.

2:39: This means the system isn’t just reacting to problems.

2:42: It’s constantly crunching data, looking for trends, predicting potential deviations and making tiny little micro adjustments to keep everything running smoothly.

2:53: So it’s preventing issues before they even arise.

2:56: That’s amazing.

2:57: So I mean, I hear a lot of, you know, hype about a lot different technologies give it to me straight.

3:02: Like what are the real world bottom line benefits that I can expect to see from implementing autonomous process control.

3:09: First of all, because the system minimizes variability, you get much more consistent quality parts are produced at tighter tolerances, defects are caught early, less waste from rework.

3:21: And then because the process is continuously being optimized, you often see increases in production yields depending on the application.

3:29: You might see a 25% increase sometimes even more.

3:33: Wow.

3:34: So we’re not just talking about like efficiency here, we’re talking about like actually driving profitability, reduce waste, higher output consistent quality that all feeds into a lower cost of quality overall.

3:46: And that translates to better profit margins and a real competitive edge in the market.

3:51: So paint a picture for me, what would this look like in, in a real world setting?

3:56: Like if I were to walk onto, you know, a factory floor, what kind of setup am I looking at?

4:00: Sure.

4:01: So let’s imagine you have AC NC Machining line making high precision parts.

4:05: So you might have a robot arm that’s equipped with specialized grippers, loading raw materials into the CNC machine and then unloading the finished parts.

4:13: And while that’s happening, you have a separate laser measurement system that’s constantly checking the dimensions of each part makes sense.

4:20: And if that system sees that a part is even a little bit out of spec it signals the software, the software then adjusts the CNC machines parameters in real time.

4:30: Oh, wow.

4:30: So you’re correcting the issue before the next part’s even started.

4:34: That’s incredible.

4:35: I mean, this sounds like honestly something straight out of the future, but this is something that manufacturers can implement now, right?

4:41: Like this is this is happening now.

4:42: OK.

4:43: That’s amazing.

4:44: The technologies are mature and like we’ve been talking about the return on investment can often be seen in less than a year.

4:52: So it’s a really compelling proposition for any manufacturer who wants to, you know, stay ahead of the curve for sure.

4:59: Well, this has been fascinating for anyone who’s listening and wants to learn more about this whole idea of using robotics and automated inspection to achieve this level of control in their factory.

5:10: There’s a fantastic article in quality magazine called using robotics and automated inspection in manufacturing to achieve autonomous process control.

5:21: Definitely check it out if this is something you’re considering.

5:23: And really what I want everyone to take away from this is think about it, which of your processes could benefit from this level of precision, this efficiency and ultimately this profitability because autonomous process control really might be the key to unlocking the full potential of your factory.

5:40: Couldn’t agree more.

5:42: All Right.

5:42: Well, thanks so much for joining us.

5:43: This has been another great deep dive until next time.

5:46: See you then.