The Role of Industrial and Service Robots in Manufacturing Processes

Abstract

One of the characteristics of today's world economic trends is market expansion, i. e. the need for constant modification of existing products through application of new technologies, which should ensure competitiveness in turbulent market conditions. The role of industrial and service robots is essential in such conditions of manufacturing processes. An industrial and service robot is an essential constituent element of the new manufacturing lines, which are designed on a high degree of automation with the characteristics of flexibility, where it is very difficult to observe the robot and its effect outside the whole manufacturing line. The inclusion of industrial and service robots in existing production facilities increases significantly the performance of existing equipment, ensuring its efficiency. This reduces or postpones the need for new or larger investments, since certain situations have shown that the acquisition of robots is much more economical than purchasing new machines. The application of robotic systems in manufacturing processes, whether it is a fully automated process or highly automated manufacturing line (the so-called fixed automation or a possible flexible manufacturing cell), is observed through: materials handling and supporting machines, process operations, assembly tasks, and tasks of products inspection. The paper describes the dissemination of industrial and service robots in the world in the period 2009 to 2014, through the application in specific operations in the manufacturing process.