Customers are increasingly demanding individualized products. Companies that can produce individual products economically and competitively in small quantities thus gain a competitive advantage. But what is the appropriate manufacturing process for this? One important solution is value stream kinematics.
Kinematics means the movement, for example of a robotic arm, in terms of location, time, velocity and acceleration. With value stream kinematics, several kinematics, such as industrial robots, are placed in a modular grid. With the help of value stream kinematics, an economical production of individualized industrial and consumer goods is possible.
Standard kinematics based on vertical articulated arm robots are intended to map corresponding production flows. The robot takes on additional tasks such as assembly, machining processes, cutting, and joining processes, etc. The production layout is supplemented by a grid of zero-point clamping systems.
In order for standard kinematics to be able to solve extended tasks, they have to be optimized compared to conventional vertical articulated arm robots. This applies to the flexibility of movement.
By using standard kinematics, production can be flexibly rearranged as required. Additional systems do not have to be purchased.
The value stream kinematics can radically change today’s production landscape. For example, it can make large production halls superfluous and prevent long supply chains or production downtimes due to supply bottlenecks. The structure and rearrangement of the production system can be planned virtually thanks to software support for the hardware.
The requirements for the production process are determined using a CAD model of the end product. Thus, the number, arrangement, and positioning of the kinematics as well as the necessary couplings and end effectors can be determined in the last process. The optimal production process is validated by simulating all individual processes and the whole production system. This leads to time and cost-optimized production planning.
Figure 2: Virtual production planning – from the 3D model to the production concept