Kinetiq Teaching is a hardware and software solution to quickly and intuitively program an industrial robot by demonstration without requiring in-depth programming knowledge.

This technology – first applied to welding applications with Yaskawa robots – will enable welders and other operators to easily program industrial robots.

CONTEXT

The available skilled employee shortage is a major problem for industrial manufacturing. According to the American Welding Society, 40% of manufacturing companies declined new contracts due to insufficient availability of skilled workers and 90% of all manufacturing companies lack robotic installations due to a lack of flexibility. (Source: National Institute of Standards and Technology)

For a long time manufacturing companies have faced major issues when they tried to use automation to be more efficient, productive and profitable.
1.They had to have in-house programming expertise to program robots, which represented a large expense for many manufacturers.
2.They needed to have skilled in-house employee(s) to fine-tune applications requiring specific knowledge of a given process, such as machining or welding.
3.They also needed a large volume of parts and a highly repetitive task to make all this profitable.

But the facts were that:
1.Recruitment and retention of skilled workers in robotics and for specific applications was difficult.
2.The vast majority of manufacturing companies are producing parts in high-mix, low-volume lots which makes the profitability of an automated solution hard to realize.

But today with Kinetiq Teaching, large and small companies can capture the benefits of automating production. This new technology combines the precision and reliability of industrial robots with the intuitive programming of new collaborative robots.

BENEFITS

Kinetiq Teaching has been designed to leverage the knowledge of skilled employees and operators by enabling them to:
*move the robot with their hands,
*intuitively program robot sequences and movement by using a dedicated – user friendly – teach pendant interface,
*adjust the process specific parameters and play back of the trajectory programmed.

All without requiring in-depth knowledge of programming.

This represents a great opportunity for companies to:
*allow a skilled employee (or any operator) to intuitively program a robot or several robots,
*save 20% – 50% on robot programming time,
*make a quick return on investment for high-mix, low-volume applications.

FIRST APPLICATION: ROBOTIC WELDING

Robotic Welding represents mature, high-tech applications for some large manufacturers.

However this type of intensive application is often not generally accessible for the SME: Labor shortages in manufacturing and costs related to programming (programming time plus the cost of the in-house expert) are main hurdles.

With Kinetiq Teaching, end users can now:
*program a welding path by hand-guiding the robot in all 6 Degrees-Of-Freedom,
*record trajectories with the intuitive teach pendant interface,
*playback the path recorded, and adjust it as needed.

Through this new technology, it is no longer necessary to master complex robot programming languages to program a robot welder.

Kinetiq Teaching is now available on Yaskawa robots, the market leader in robotic arc welding.

Kinetiq Teaching opens the door to effective and profitable robotic welding automation for SME manufacturers.

Download this spec sheet to learn more about
Robotiq Kinetiq Teaching.