What if work is no longer work? If monotonous tasks become entertaining? If hard labor becomes a voice command? How far vision and reality have already come together will be shown at automatica 2025. There, exhibitors from around the world will demonstrate how robots, cobots, and humanoids interact with people, support them, and generate new, exciting work content.
Cobots are increasingly penetrating new areas of work. They assist in rehabilitation therapies, take over monotonous tasks in administration, or work in large kitchens. For example, Fanuc will showcase a cooking station at automatica where a cobot assembles rolls and a six-axis industrial robot prepares meals. Yaskawa is also demonstrating smart gastronomy solutions that could alleviate the shortage of personnel.
Low-cost Automation at Bender+Wirth: A Successful Model for SMEs
A concrete example of practical and cost-effective automation is provided by the company Bender+Wirth. The medium-sized company was looking for a solution for the assembly of CoBs (Chip-on-Board components), but classic system integrators exceeded the budget. Thanks to a self-designed robot cell with Scara robots from Epson, the automation could be implemented independently. Managing Director Martin Bender emphasizes:
"The easy integration and programming were crucial - our employee was able to set up the system independently after training at Epson." An example that shows how even smaller companies with limited resources can benefit from the use of modern robotics.
Digital Risk Assessment for Safe Cobots
At the same time, a new patented system from Fraunhofer IFF facilitates the legally required risk assessment when using cobots. "We are presenting a patented system at automatica that significantly simplifies this risk assessment," says Dr.-Ing. Roland Behrens, Head of Human-Centered Work Systems at Fraunhofer IFF in Magdeburg. "This particularly benefits smaller and medium-sized enterprises that need more automation but do not have the financial means to hire a classic system integrator. With this solution, users can conduct a risk assessment independently without prior knowledge."
This development could further boost the use of cobots, as many companies are focusing on acquiring robots due to the shortage of skilled workers. And because cobots are becoming increasingly affordable and programming or parameterization is becoming easier, robotic workplaces are now also worthwhile for small companies. How affordable the entry into robotics can be is demonstrated by igus at automatica.
In Cologne, cobots are available from around 5,000 euros, and how they can be used is shown by the company in its own production. Alexander Mühlens, Head of the Low-Cost Automation Division: "For example, we use robots in injection molding to remove the sprues. The robot costs around 10,000 euros, and the return on investment is already achieved after six months." This makes cobots an efficient solution even for medium-sized companies, especially since no robot experts are needed for commissioning.
AI Qualifies Robots for New Areas of Application
The simpler and more intuitive the handling of collaborative robots becomes, the more application possibilities arise. No wonder manufacturers are doing everything they can to qualify their cobots for as broad a range of tasks as possible through the use of artificial intelligence. Recently, Universal Robots introduced the UR AI Accelerator, a solution that allows developers to equip their robotic solutions with the latest AI technology.
Delta Electronics is also going in a similar direction. The company is showcasing at automatica with the innovative Cognibot Kit how the cobots of the D-Bot series can be equipped with advanced cognitive capabilities, including voice control, 3D machine vision systems, artificial intelligence, and more. Through improved performance, Delta significantly expands the application possibilities of cobots in various manufacturing environments. Michael Mayer-Rosa, Global Head of Intelligent Robot Systems (IRS) at Delta, states: "The Cognibot Kit makes cognitive robotics accessible for companies of all sizes. This is particularly advantageous for countries like Germany, where medium-sized companies are widespread and facing labor shortages. The easy integration into existing environments was a central focus, enabling smaller companies to utilize the efficiency and flexibility of automation in production, logistics, and service with a cost-effective solution."
Practical and Simple Solutions at Automatical
Practical and simple solutions like these are what SMEs in Europe need in the fight against the shortage of skilled workers and can also find at automatica. The good news is: In the near future, the barriers to entry for automation will continue to decrease. Manufacturers of robots and systems are working intensively on voice control models, which should make programming a breeze even for laypeople. Automatical will showcase how far developments in this sector have already progressed.
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