Using Cloud Robotics to Simplify Robotic Machine Tending

Cloud robotics applications are emerging to ease the management of robots in manufacturing.

This technology is evolving to execute the potential of cloud computing to industrial automation management, especially in robotic machine tending.

What’s Cloud Robotics?

The terms automation systems and cloud robotics are used to describe any automation or robot system that depends on code or data from a network to reinforce its operation. That is; where not all computation, sensing, and memory is incorporated in one standalone system.

· Bi-directional Movement of Data

One of the cloud robotics characteristics is that; data moves bi-directionally between a local system and a remote user through the internet. This functionality allows users to operate gadgets remotely, receive instant error alerts, and restore the system without being physically present.

Decisions executed by a cloud robotic machine tending system can be improved by the ingrained processing power in the cloud. The cloud offers unlimited data storage ability which eventually allows the locally operating parts on the robot to be less costly.

· Data Sharing

Another fundamental cloud robotics feature is that; networked systems can easily share data along with process knowledge and program updates. With the emergence of artificial intelligence to operate the data collectively, the overall system can benefit from common enhancements.

In this context, self-driving cars can fit in among cloud-oriented systems. Autonomous vehicles, on the other hand, can utilize and share a collection of data on; live traffic updates, road conditions, and weather reports.

This will enable them to identify safe routes on public roads. With this architecture, the vehicle system can continue operating locally even when network access is interrupted.

Promoting Security and Safety

Safety is fundamental in any cloud robotic machine tending application. Characteristics such as the handling of emergency stops and real-time motion control require some processing.

Sharing data such as 3D shape, production, images, and other massive data lot is critical for a cloud-oriented architecture. In the warehousing and manufacturing sectors, any cloud robotics solution should be designed to allow the delegation of low-level functions of real-time control to the robot controller.

Middle-level processing tasks such as progression can be designated to local organizational systems. High-level functions such as statistical process control, error handling, and reporting can be thrust to the cloud for unification across the production plant.

Network Security

Network security is fundamental when it comes to cloud robotic machine tending systems. Any design should prevent and control unwanted access of the data traversing through the internet, to prevent malicious activities with the robotic system.

The transformation of network security in the IT arena in the past 10 years has brought about standards. Today, there are standards and protocols to offer security on the manufacturing space which matches the one found in the corporate space.

Artificial Intelligence Offers Processing Horsepower

Currently, machine learning algorithms need the processing power of the cloud to process large data produced by various mobile sensors in robots effectively. Software is developing artificial intelligence is starting to nearly learn and reason as humans would.

Artificial intelligence will continue being an integral part of cloud robotics and design as the industry evolves. It’s worth noting that many departments are today lobbying for simple organizational controls in their machines such as artificial intelligence. Running complex algorithms on the robot controller processors can be a daunting task today.

Industrial Internet of Things(IIoT) and Convergence

Various market and technological trends are facilitating the circulation of cloud robotics. These include; IIoT which is developing rapidly with the emerging network access standards to every sensor, camera, controller, and intelligence gadget on the manufacturing industry.

IIot aims at developing protocols to allow connection of gadgets to the network, facilitate security, and share data with other networked gadgets. Production managers have anticipated the actualization of an entirely connected manufacturing plant for some time now. IIoT seeks to actualize the implementation of gadget to gadget communication while industry 4.0 handles high-level procedures on the manufacturing floor.

Finally

Emerging technologies in the robotics sector seek to ease the execution of tasks when it comes to robotic machine tending. Both small and medium-sized businesses can enhance their processes and boost productivity by adopting advanced technologies.