SGIMRI

"Made in China" and "German Industry 4.0" are driving the transformation and upgrade of global industrial manufacturing. The Sino-German Intelligence Manufacture Research Institute (SGIMRI), a state-supported organization which seeks to deepen the development of intelligent manufacturing, works with MiR AMRs (autonomous mobile robots) to facilitate flexible production, and create a more intelligent internal logistics process. Six MiR100 robots will operate at SGIMRI’s Demonstration Center and Training Center.

As Denmark’s fastest-growing robot manufacturer and a global market leader in mobile robotics, Mobile Industrial Robots (MiR) is an expert in helping companies fully realize potential of internal logistics efficiency. The alliance between the two sides will not only help SGIMRI build the intelligent manufacturing layout of human-machine collaboration, but also demonstrate the features of MiR AMRs as being safe, reliable, intelligent, flexible, strongly adaptable, and easy to use.

Committed to the research, development, and promotion of application of the most advanced intelligent manufacturing technology, SGIMRI posed very specific requirements on lightweight for the intralogistics solutions at the very beginning of suppliers’ selection. And MiR entered its vision.

SGIMRI has relatively high requirements for creating flexible and customized production chains, and the key lies in a flexible mobile solution. To break the rigid connection between stations, the MiR100 robots get rid of fixed tracks and thus make the deployment of production lines much more flexible. At the Demonstration and Training Centers of SGIMRI, six MiR100 robots cooperate with the CNC machining. Embedded in the industrial mobile collaborative sorting system, the MiR100 robots display processes of product loading and unloading, transfer and transportation. MiR100's user-friendly interface enables demonstration of flexible transportation in small batches and multiple times, and it makes operation and programming much easier. In practical work, the loading and unloading of machine tools is demanding for positioning accuracy of the mobile system, and the MiR100 robots can meet the mobile transportation requirements with excellent stability and agility. As a result, the layout of the entire production line is more flexible, and the processing routes can be more diversified.

Equipment used for technology demonstration and training needs to meet a rigid requirement – its weights per square meter should be under 300 kg, and it should be able to provide flexible assistance. Mr. Zhou Yi, Operation Director of SGIMRI, said: "After basic tests and a preliminary training by MiR, we decided on six MiR100 robots for demonstration and training functions at last."

Mr. Liu Xuan, leader of SGIMRI Demonstration and Training Centers, said: "The Demonstration Center and Training Center carry the function of external-facing display of intelligent manufacturing solutions and related personnel technical trainings. Due to the large number of expected visitors, as well as the needs of humans-machine collaboration at the same place, a high degree of safety become an indispensable consideration in our optimized intralogistics solutions. The safety features of the MiR robots and UR robots help provide display and training process that are safe.”

At the training center, the MiR100 robot works closely with the UR arm to smoothly complete loading and unloading tasks and material transportation at each station. The MiR and UR collaborative robot solution is highly flexible and location - and workspace - independent, improving adaptability and efficiency. The composite cooperative robot operates safely during collaboration and can work smoothly with workers in dynamic environment.

At SGIMRI’s Demonstration Center where the MiR100 robots work closely with the UR manipulators, MiR100 robot can actively predict and recognize road conditions and avoid obstacles timely through multi-sensor safety system and planning algorithms, so as to finetune its driving route in real time and smoothly complete loading and unloading work at each station and material transferring. In addition, the MiR100 robot can maintain a safe distance from passing human workers and forklifts in a dynamic environment, effectively avoiding safety risks in production and intralogistics, and protecting workers from accidental injuries.

A representative of Nonead that contributed to this cooperation, also expressed appreciation for the safety of MiR robots: "MiR robots’ safety is guaranteed by a multi-sensor system. We experienced its mobile operation on site, and it was very good. MiR robots’ high safety standard make them suitable for working with human staff."

"In order to promote the intelligent manufacturing industry in Jiangsu province and even nationwide to adapt to the growing demands for flexible production, the adaptability of the solution is also one of our key considerations. The MiR robots are highly adaptable to be efficiently embedded into the existing system, enabling our solutions to be more intelligent and interconnected," added Mr. Liu Xuan.

SGIMRI focuses on creating flexible mobile solutions and integrated multifunctional mobile systems to improve the overall flexibility in production. MiR AMRs can accurately complete loading and unloading work of machine tools and are stable enough to co-work with UR manipulators with open interfaces that enable seamless connection and communication between devices.

The intelligent manufacturing solution with MiR mobile robots will be officially put into use at SGIMRI early this year, and it will face the test of practical application. However, for every aspect of the early implementation, Mr. Miao Liang commented with the word "perfect". Regarding the prospect of MiR mobile robot solution, Mr. Zhou Yi said that superior equipment producers like MiR further enrich SGIMRI’s solutions and enable the institute to provide more advanced technology options and suitable recommendations for customers, which will surely promote the transformation and upgrading of enterprises.