Kawasaki Robotics //treeforeurope.com/ Wed, 18 Mar 2026 19:55:54 +0000 en-US hourly 1 //www.altis-dxp.com/?v=6.8.4 //treeforeurope.com/tachyon/2022/02/cropped-site-icon.png?fit=32%2C32 Kawasaki Robotics //treeforeurope.com/ 32 32 Kawasaki Robotics //treeforeurope.com/blog/from-scada-to-robotics-how-scadaware-builds-automation-that-actually-delivers-roi/ Wed, 18 Mar 2026 19:54:31 +0000 urn:uuid:f8c6001f-0311-4b9a-a148-356448f93993 Built on SCADA, Grown Through Curiosity SCADAware鈥檚 roots go back to a time when industrial monitoring systems ran on mini-mainframes, and personal computers were just beginning to enter factories. Founder and President Rick Caldwell saw an opportunity early.

鈥淚 was an early adopter of SCADA systems in the 80s. When personal computers came along, I realized we could do the same work better on a PC.鈥?/p>

That mindset shaped SCADAware鈥檚 DNA: take emerging technology, apply it practically, and never lose sight of the customer鈥檚 operation. Over time, that philosophy expanded beyond software. SCADAware added controls, panels, data systems and eventually robotics while maintaining the same core approach: understand the process first, then engineer the solution.

Why Robotics Was the Natural Next Step

By 2017, Caldwell noticed a pattern during plan visits.

鈥淐ustomers weren鈥檛 saying they didn鈥檛 have work. They were saying they couldn鈥檛 find people.鈥?/p>

Labor shortages, ergonomic risks, and throughput demand made robotics less of a 鈥渘ice-to-have鈥?and more of a necessity. In 2019, SCADAware launched its first robotic system and never looked back. Today, robotics represents a major and growing portion of the business, particularly in manufacturing, food & beverage, and heavy material handling applications. But SCADAware鈥檚 goal was never to replace people.

鈥淚t鈥檚 about finding better jobs for workers. Let robots do the dangerous, repetitive work and let people do higher-value tasks.鈥?/p>

A Real-World Palletizing Problem (and a Bigger Opportunity)

That philosophy was on full display in a recent palletizing project. The customer initially asked for a simple solution: replace an aging robot that had reached the end of its life. But when SCADAware engineers walked the floor, they saw something deeper.

鈥淭he robot was doing too much,鈥?recalls Doug McGuire, Segment Lead & Sales Engineer. 鈥淚t was grabbing pallets, handling slip sheets and losing about 75 seconds between pallets. That time adds up fast.鈥?/p>

Instead of swapping one robot for another, SCADAware stepped back and asked a bigger question: What if the entire cell worked smarter?

Engineering for Throughput, Not Just Motion

The answer wasn鈥檛 just a new robot it was a redesigned system. By combining a Kawasaki palletizing robot, a continuous load pallet dispenser, and automated slipsheet handling, SCADAware removed non-value-added tasks from the robot and eliminated production stoppages. The result?
  • Cycle time reduced from 825 seconds to 770 seconds per pallet
  • Idle time between pallets cut from 75 seconds to 20 seconds
  • 7% increase in annual throughput
  • ~2,700 additional pallets per year
  • ~$1.5M in incremental annual revenue
And that鈥檚 before factoring in safety improvements, reduced downtime, and better data visibility.
鈥淲hen we showed them the ROI, they didn鈥檛 hesitate鈥攅ven though it was the more expensive option upfront,鈥?McGuire explains.

Why SCADAware Chose Kawasaki Robotics

For SCADAware, vendor relationships aren鈥檛 transactional, they鈥檙e strategic. When selecting a robot partner, the team evaluated availability, performance, support, and people.
鈥淲e chose Kawasaki because the robots were available, competitively priced, and backed by a smart, responsive team,鈥?says Caldwell.
That partnership with Kawasaki Robotics has continued to grow since 2019, built on mutual trust and technical collaboration. Even engineers new to Kawasaki were able to ramp up quickly adding only days, not weeks, to development timelines.

Data Without the Noise

One of SCADAware鈥檚 biggest differentiators comes from its software heritage: knowing which data actually matters. Instead of overwhelming customers with dashboards, SCADAware focuses on actionable metrics like:
  • Cell availability
  • Downtime reasons
  • Production counts
  • Overall equipment effectiveness (OEE)
That clarity helps customers understand not just what is happening, but why.

鈥淵ou don鈥檛 want all the data,鈥?Caldwell explains. 鈥淵ou want the right data.鈥?/p>

The SCADAware Difference: Partnership Over Projects

Across every interview, one theme stands out: SCADAware doesn鈥檛 see customers as transactions. They sit at the table. They whiteboard together. They design with the future in mind. It鈥檚 a model built on honesty, integrity, and long-term thinking, and it鈥檚 why customers keep coming back.
A lot of our success comes from deep partnerships, says Scott Dappen, VP of Engineering. When customers say we solved a problem others couldn鈥檛, that鈥檚 what matters.

Looking Ahead

From SCADA systems to robotics, and now toward AI and next-generation automation, SCADAware continues to evolve without losing sight of what matters most.
Technology will keep changing, Caldwell says. But if you focus on the customer, the process, and doing the right thing, you鈥檒l be ready for whatever comes next.
]]> Kawasaki Robotics //treeforeurope.com/blog/evolution-of-kawasakis-humanoid-robot-challenge/ Fri, 13 Feb 2026 13:00:00 +0000 urn:uuid:4786cfe6-edfb-49b1-861b-f8fdb50e9c18 At Kawasaki Robotics, our global purpose is clear: unlocking human ingenuity to create robotics that enrich the future.

For decades, that purpose has guided us to design industrial robots that work with people鈥攏ot just around them.

One of the most ambitious expressions of that vision is the humanoid robot: a machine that walks on two legs, works with two arms, and has the versatility to perform tasks traditionally done by humans.

This blog traces the evolution of Kawasaki鈥檚 humanoid robot development, from its earliest prototypes to the latest advancements.

馃憠 Important note for our North American readers: All humanoid robot development discussed here is led by Kawasaki Heavy Industries in Tokyo, Japan. Kawasaki Robotics USA is not developing humanoid robots in North America.

Why Kawasaki Pursues Humanoid Robots

Kawasaki built Japan鈥檚 first industrial robot, and for more than 50 years we鈥檝e been a leader in factory automation. That experience laid the foundation for expanding into human-centric robotics鈥攕ystems designed to operate outside traditional industrial robot cells. Examples include:
  • duAro, our dual-arm collaborative robot designed to work safely alongside people
  • Successor, a remote-cooperation system that simplifies robot teaching and operation
Humanoid robots represent the ultimate extension of these efforts. Because they walk on two legs and work with two arms, humanoids offer unmatched flexibility and the potential to perform work in environments built for humans.
The Evolution of the Kaleido Series

2015: The First Humanoid Prototype

Kawasaki began humanoid robot development around 2015. For a company rooted in industrial robotics, bipedal walking introduced an entirely new level of complexity.

Learning from the Human Body鈥擶ithout Copying It
Early development focused on how to mechanically reproduce the human form using motors and joint mechanisms. However, the deeper the team studied human anatomy, the clearer it became: the human body is extraordinarily complex and flexible.

That realization led to a key shift in philosophy.
Rather than directly copying human motion, the team identified essential functional principles and recreated them using mechanical structures and motors. This breakthrough made stable bipedal walking possible.

Weight and Structural Challenges
Industrial robots are typically heavier than their payloads鈥攁 100 kg payload robot may weigh over 600 kg. Humanoid robots face the opposite challenge: they must lift loads greater than their own body weight, making extreme weight reduction critical. Early prototypes revealed several issues:

Insufficient leg rigidity, particularly in the knee joints, caused instability during walking.
Kaleido1鍙锋
Up through the third prototype, the robot used Kawasaki鈥檚 E-controller, originally designed for industrial robots. It was large, slow for humanoid control cycles, and required four separate units鈥攖aking up excessive space.
Falling posed a major risk. To address this, the team conducted repeated controlled fall tests, developing break-fall motions to protect the robot from damage.

2017: First Public Debut at iREX

Kawasaki unveiled its humanoid robot Kaleido at the International Robot Exhibition (iREX 2017) in Tokyo.

Demonstrated capabilities included:Standing up from the floor
Pull-up motions using both arms
Kaleido specifications at the time:Height: 175 cm
Weight: 85 kg
Power: External tethered supply
iREX 2017
Behind the scenes:
In the days leading up to the show, the robot continued to experience issues鈥攔ight up until the evening before opening day. The team seriously considered scaling back the demonstration.

A final round of adjustments paid off, and Kaleido successfully completed a full demonstration on opening day.
Kaleido

Even after transitioning to the more compact F-controller, the control system still weighed around 30 kg, far too heavy to be fully integrated into a humanoid body鈥攈ighlighting the need for further innovation.

2019: Untethered Operation and Lightweight Design

By 2019, Kawasaki achieved a major milestone: fully untethered bipedal walking powered by an onboard battery. At this stage:
  • Height: 178 cm
  • Weight: 85 kg
  • External controllers were replaced with compact, high-performance amplifiers and motor drivers
  • All electrical components were integrated into the robot鈥檚 body
This allowed Kaleido to operate completely stand-alone.

Aggressive Weight Reduction

To achieve this without increasing overall weight, the team focused on:
  • Magnesium alloy structural components, lighter than aluminum
  • Replacing metal exterior panels with 3D-printed resin parts
  • Producing components in-house to dramatically accelerate prototyping
Countless incremental weight-saving refinements followed. Some components became too fragile and had to be reinforced again, making progress highly iterative. Predicting failure points was difficult, requiring repeated cycles of testing and redesign.
Kaleido銇姏銈汇兂銈甸枊鐧? class=

Advanced Walking Control and Custom Force Sensors

With hardware maturing, the focus shifted to walking control. Humanoid robots typically use 6-axis force/torque sensors at the ankles, but commercial sensors were:
  • Accurate, but heavy
  • Expensive
  • Vulnerable to shock damage
For humanoid walking, including steps, stomps, and jumps鈥擪awasaki needed sensors that were lighter and more durable. As a result, the team developed custom 6-axis force/torque sensors optimized specifically for humanoid locomotion.

2021: Introducing 鈥淔riends鈥?/strong>

While Kaleido emphasized power and robustness, the Friends humanoid series took a different approach鈥攆ocusing on a slimmer, more approachable design suited for tighter spaces and potential future roles in daily life and caregiving.

A More Human-Friendly Design

Friends feature soft, curved lines designed to blend naturally into homes and care facilities. A display-based face allows the robot to express emotions through animated eyes, creating a more relatable presence. The name 鈥淔riends鈥?reflects the project鈥檚 vision: a robot that can genuinely feel like a companion.

Conversational and Gesture-Based Interaction

In collaboration with Osaka University鈥檚 Nagai Laboratory, Kawasaki developed conversational and gesture-based interaction capabilities. Using AI, Friends respond verbally to questions while synchronizing gestures with speech.
銉掋儱銉笺優銉庛偆銉夈儹銉溿儍銉團riends
At a public event at Japan鈥檚 National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, Friends interacted with children in the audience鈥攄rawing laughter and excitement despite conversational limitations.

2023: Achieving More Stable Walking

By 2023, Kawasaki introduced real-time footstep adjustment, enabling the robot to correct its landing position when balance is disturbed. This advancement significantly reduced fall risk and improved walking robustness.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Humanoid Robots

Robots are increasingly expected to assist with work that is dangerous, dirty, or physically demanding. However, traditional robots excel mainly at repetitive, pre-taught tasks鈥攎aking unpredictable environments a challenge.

Humanoid robots open new possibilities.

When combined with remote operation, humanoids could perform hazardous tasks at disaster sites or dangerous facilities while human operators remain safe鈥攑otentially controlling robots from anywhere in the world. This capability is especially valuable for disaster response, where unstable terrain and secondary hazards make human entry extremely risky.

A Final Note for Our North American Audience

All humanoid robot research described here is conducted by Kawasaki Heavy Industries in Japan. Kawasaki Robotics USA focuses on industrial robotics and automation solutions for North American manufacturers and is not developing humanoid robots in this region.

]]> Kawasaki Robotics //treeforeurope.com/blog/where-kawasaki-robots-are-made/ Wed, 13 Aug 2025 16:49:56 +0000 urn:uuid:1bfebb42-465c-4a5a-8250-c6439f19b769 When considering an industrial robot purchase, where it’s built is only one part of the story 鈥?how it’s built, tested, and supported is what truly impacts your production line.
Kawasaki Robotics is proud to operate as part of Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) 鈥?a global engineering and technology leader with over +120 years of manufacturing experience in industries ranging from aerospace and rolling stock to shipbuilding and precision machinery. Kawasaki Robotics has over 50 years of robotics innovation with hundreds of thousands of robots installed worldwide.

Global Manufacturing, Local Support

Yes, Kawasaki robots are manufactured at our state-of-the-art facilities in Japan 鈥?the same factories that have produced some of the most reliable industrial machines on earth for decades.

Here’s why that’s an advantage:

  • Precision Manufacturing Standards: Every Kawasaki robot is built in facilities that meet or exceed ISO quality and safety standards, ensuring the same level of performance whether it’s installed in Detroit or D眉sseldorf.
  • Proven Reliability: Decades of R&D and production expertise ensure that every component 鈥?from motors to gearboxes 鈥?is engineered for long-term up time in demanding environments.
  • Global Consistency: Your Kawasaki robot in the U.S. is the exact same spec trusted by automotive OEMs, aerospace manufacturers, and electronics giants worldwide.

Made for the U.S. Market – Supported in the U.S.

While production happens in Japan, Kawasaki Robotics’ North American headquarters in Wixom, Michigan, is a full-service hub for:
  • Engineering & Application Design – from simulations and cycle-time testing to proof-of-concept, feasibility testing, and R&D, it all happens in our U.S. office.
  • Local Inventory & Production: We maintain a comprehensive stock of robot models at our Wixom facility, along with a wide range of spare parts. Each robot undergoes preparation by our local production team to meet customer specifications, ensuring timely delivery and meeting product expectations.
  • Spare Parts & Service Coordination – rapid fulfillment and on-site service thanks to several U.S.-based Kawasaki Robotics service offices.
  • Local Technical Support – real people, real engineers, in your time zone.
  • Training & Certification – 聽in-person, hands-on instruction for operators, programmers, and maintenance teams.

Why Integration is a Strength, Not a Barrier

Some blogs have portrayed robot OEMs’ use of integrators as “complicated.” In reality, this is exactly how you get a customized, production-ready automation cell:
  • Tailored to Your Application: Every production line is different 鈥?our certified integrators ensure your robot is adapted to your exact workflow, safety requirements, and throughput goals.
  • Scalable: The same integration approach works for a single robot cell or a 100-robot factory line.
  • Supported Long-Term: Our integrators and Kawasaki engineers鈥?partner for the full life of the system 鈥?from design to upgrades decades later.
Speed vs. Longevity – What’s Really Cheaper?
While some competitors market “plug-and-play” robots with quick initial setup, the reality is that the total cost of ownership favors proven platforms like Kawasaki Robotics:
  • Lifespan: Kawasaki Robotics robots are designed for 10鈥?0 years of continuous service when maintained correctly.
  • Payload & Reach Range: From small 3 kg arms to 1,500 kg payload titans 鈥?no “one-size-fits-all” limitations.
  • Industry Compliance: Certified for use in automotive, aerospace, medical device manufacturing, food & beverage, and other regulated sectors.
The Bottom Line for U.S. Buyers
Whether you’re automating a single machine tending station or a full vehicle assembly line, Kawasaki Robotics delivers:
  • Proven performance from decades of manufacturing expertise
  • Localized engineering, training, service and support in the U.S.
  • A network of certified integration partners who ensure your automation solution is a perfect fit for your operation
  • Global parts availability and service coverage
Kawasaki robots aren’t “cookie-cutter” machines 鈥?they’re precision-built production tools designed to keep your operation running efficiently for years, not just months.

Related Resources:

  • Robot Product Page

KAWASAKI ROBOTICS FAQ

1. Are Kawasaki Robotics robots made in the USA?
No 鈥?Kawasaki Robotics robots are precision-manufactured in Japan and supported locally in the U.S. through our Wixom, Michigan headquarters, multiple service locations, and certified integrator network.
2. Where is Kawasaki Robotics鈥?U.S. headquarters??
In Wixom, Michigan 鈥?featuring application labs, engineering support, service and training facilities, and customer demonstration areas.
3. Why does Kawasaki manufacture in Japan?
To maintain exacting quality control, long-term reliability, and consistency across global installations.
4. How do Kawasaki’s U.S. integrators work?
Certified integrators design, build, and support automation cells tailored to each customer鈥檚 needs, ensuring safety compliance and optimized performance.
5. How do Kawasaki robots compare to smaller plug-and-play cobots?
Well, Kawasaki Robotics offers both plug-and-play collaborative robots and industrial robots. Kawasaki鈥檚 lineup of industrial arms features higher payload capacities, broader reach ranges, and longer service life 鈥?ideal for heavy-duty, multi-shift production.
]]> Kawasaki Robotics //treeforeurope.com/blog/human-ingenuity-kippei-matsudas-journey-from-nfl-ai-competition-winner-to-ai-solution-developer-at-kawasaki-robotics/ Fri, 28 Feb 2025 01:16:41 +0000 urn:uuid:a4330a99-c5e8-4393-8be6-bbf8a8da3f2d

Kippei Matsuda: Robot Technology Development Department, System Technology Development Center, Technology Development Division. Dr. (Engineering)

Describe the NFL challenge, the solution, and what made it exciting?

The competition aimed to identify player collisions, with more than 1,000 data scientists worldwide competing to build an accurate solution using NFL game footage and sensor information. American Football is known to be one of the toughest, physically demanding sports in the world involving high-impact contact, and although players wear protective gear, injuries are prevalent. Head collisions, in particular, often result in serious injuries or disabilities, and it’s been challenging to find ways to reduce the impact of collisions along with effective treatment after an injury occurs. If we could accurately identify which players suffered head impacts during a match, we could effectively administer treatment and advance the research into the effects of helmets and how to mitigate the impact. Doing this type of research manually would be extremely time-consuming, so the NFL held this competition to use AI technology to solve this problem.

The key to winning this competition was the successful integration of two distinct data types, video and sensor information. We utilized video images to identify player collisions and estimated player positions using sensors attached to the players. The development of an AI system that meticulously analyzed and predicted even the smallest changes in player position and posture, such as crouching or falling, set us apart. This innovation significantly improved our accuracy compared to other participants. As a result, our processing speed was 83 times faster than manual operation, and tasks that took 3-4 days could now be completed in just 2 hours, which was greatly appreciated.

Kippei Matsuda
In general, AI image analysis involves detecting objects in images, but in this competition, we had to consider the three-dimensional (3D) positions of the players on the field on the screen, which was an exciting challenge that we had never done before. It is difficult to analyze data because you have to look at it over and over again, but the NFL video was so powerful that I enjoyed watching it over and over again. Thanks to this, by the end of the competition, I was able to imagine the players’ movements just by looking at the titles of the videos.

What made you participate in the NFL challenge & what were the results?

It all started with me thinking it could be part of my studies. Theoretical aspects can be learned from books and other sources, but knowing how to use actual data and run a simulation is difficult. As a developer, touching and analyzing data and repeating trial and error is essential. I was attracted by the competition as it provided materials that led to practical learning.

“Participating in the competition allowed me to put AI development into practice”

Kippei Matsuda
Honestly, I never felt the competition itself was hard; what was difficult was finding time for my studies and family, as I worked on this project during my personal time. When I was playing with my children at the park, I would suddenly think, “Maybe I could do that part this way,” and it would bother me. It was hard to relax. I was on the train when I found out I won, and I was shaking. Since the start of this project, I did not think I could win, but when I did, I was thrilled. I have no complaints about winning and was happy to share the news with everyone around me. I could hardly get any work done that day!

How do you work with AI vision today at Kawasaki Robotics?

I am currently involved in developing products that utilize AI vision specifically for robotics. AI analyzes images captured by cameras and processes them in various ways; for example, in our depalletization solution, it processes images of the product that need to be unloaded. Depalletizing solutions are used to improve unloading efficiency at distribution centers and factories. The Depalletizing Solution is equipped with 3D AI vision and is capable of highly sophisticated analysis of the cargo it handles.
Kawasaki Robotics depalletizing solution is equipped with 3D AI vision and is capable of highly sophisticated analysis of the cargo it handles. By specializing in unloading, we have achieved high performance at a low cost.Kippei Matsuda
Manual unloading is very costly and time-consuming, and conventional robotic solutions are not flexible enough to handle the work. In this respect, our depalletizing solution has succeeded in increasing the accuracy and speed of automated unloading operations compared to conventional solutions.
For example, with conventional robotic systems solutions, all package sizes and shapes must be registered before being picked. If packages of unregistered shapes make it into the workflow, they cannot be processed. Our depalletizing solution however requires only the smallest and largest sizes to be registered, and all packages can be processed. In conventional robotic systems the robot needs to know the correct size and shape of the product being handled. A camera is required in order to recognize and confirm the product size and shape. If it’s confirmed as correct the robot arm will pick the product, to teach the system this is a time-consuming process.
Our depalletizing solution requires no prior product registration other than the minimum and maximum dimensions, significantly reducing teaching time.Kippei Matsuda
The main reason why Kawasaki Robotics’ depalletization solution has been successful is that we pair low-cost camera hardware with our robust AI software to process complex product images without a bunch of ad-ons. We achieved a high-performing and easy-to-use solution by focusing on developing a depalletizing system, and by narrowing down the functions, we achieved better cost performance than other companies’ products, making it easier for companies to introduce the product.
Mr. Himekawa, leader of the product development (belongs to General-Purpose System Section 2, General-Purpose System Department, Robot Division)

How will depalletizing and AI solutions continue to develop?

I believe that the efficiency of depalletizing solutions will increase as more and more data is collected and AI learning progresses. For example, one of the difficulties in developing a depalletizing solution was the strings and tapes on the surface of packages. When AI sees them, it may mistake the strings for the boundaries of the cardboard. It may then decide that the box is smaller than it actually is and take it by mistake. However, if the system is used at various sites in the future and data is collected, it will be able to learn multiple variations of packages. Then, even if a box has strings, tape, or stickers, the robot can unload it appropriately based on its past experience without being misled. Collecting a lot of good-quality data for the robot will be necessary. I also think that AI, called the infrastructure model, will be key. One example is ChatGPT, which has been attracting much attention in recent years. Since the underlying model is trained based on a large amount of data, it has a very high recognition capability, a kind of common sense. Fundamental models can handle a variety of information, including text, images, and sound, and have the potential to dramatically expand the use of robots, not only in logistics. In the future, I would like to expand the use of AI by making good use of data and the basic model.

Click here for Depalletizing Solution product page(Japanese)

]]> Kawasaki Robotics //treeforeurope.com/blog/5-surprising-costs-of-not-automating-a-manufacturing-facility/ Mon, 02 Dec 2024 13:39:57 +0000 urn:uuid:8eda038e-a661-46c6-8121-cdd5a9136936 By Bon Carter, Regional Sales Manager at Kawasaki Robotics

鈥淗ow much does it cost?鈥?/em> is a question everyone asks before making a purchase, no matter how small. For manufacturing companies looking to spend on new capital equipment, that question is given so much attention it overpowers all other factors.

But beyond that initial question is an opposing one that forward-thinking companies consider as well: 鈥淗ow much will it cost us if we don鈥檛 make this purchase?鈥?/em>

Industrial automation systems come with a price, just like all other capital equipment. But the effects of choosing not to automate can be just as impactful as the effects of an upfront purchase price.

1st Cost of Not Automating: Cycle Times, Product Quality, Wasted Materials

Humans are often faster at performing a task than cobots and industrial robots, but they also get tired, distracted, or even injured on the job. Industrial automation systems are a real-life version of The Tortoise and the Hare. All it wants to do is its job. No food, rest or breaks of any kind are necessary.

That consistency pays big dividends over time, leading to improved cycle times, stronger product quality and fewer wasted materials. Those who decide not to automate are missing out on these attractive benefits.

2nd Cost of Not Automating: Labor (or the Lack Thereof)

It鈥檚 no secret at this point: it鈥檚 hard for pretty much every sector to find skilled workers to fill open positions, and it鈥檚 certainly true in manufacturing. Many facilities have plenty of work to be done, but the workers they need are either inexperienced or not there in the first place. What鈥檚 more, the tasks might be dull, dirty, or even dangerous鈥攖hree traits that are not suitable for humans. Industrial automation is one of the best solutions we have for this labor problem. Existing staff is empowered to perform higher-value tasks, which are (ideally) safer, more ergonomic, and much more satisfying. And on that note:

3rd Cost of Not Automating: Workplace Injuries and Workers鈥?Compensation

168网开奖查询记录结果:Studies have shown the significant costs involved with workplace injuries and fatalities, and the verdict is official: on-the-job injuries place a massive toll on organizations鈥攏ot just financially, but operationally as well. The average workers鈥?compensation claim is a little over $40,000 per incident, and that number does not consider factors like increased premiums and lost time.

Facilities all over the globe are filled with human workers who perform tasks that pose an injury risk. But with industrial automation, robots can take on riskier tasks with ease, making workers safer鈥攁nd saving manufacturing companies significant money and time. ID Logistics, an international contract logistics company, has a goal to reduce the frequency and severity of workplace accidents by 40% before 2027. To help make this happen, the company deployed almost 500 robots in 2023 across nine countries. Alongside the ergonomic and job satisfaction benefits, ID Logistics has become even more attractive to the best talent in the industry.

4th Cost of Not Automating: Lack of ROI Realization

Take a look at this ROI calculator from automate.org. It has variable fields you can adjust to see what you can expect to gain by automating, but it also has default values in place.

In their example, two robots were installed to operate two shifts per day, five days a week. They estimate that the cost of this two-robot system would be $250,000 total. This new system would save $45,000 in annual labor costs per operator, bringing a 27% productivity gain. Using these numbers, it would take just 16 months to fully recoup the purchase price. If you choose not to automate, over a 15-year period, you would miss the labor savings of $2.8 million and productivity savings of $750,000. Those savings are even higher when you factor wasted materials, improved product quality, happier and more productive staff.

5th Cost of Not Automating: Missed Opportunities for State & Federal Funds

Many states reward automation-minded companies with cash reimbursements for equipment and training. A couple of examples:
  • In Kentucky, Grant-in-Aid (GIA) gives cash back for occupational and skills upgrade training at businesses in the state. The Skills Training Investment Credit (STIC) offers state income tax credits for Kentucky companies to offset the costs for approved training programs.
  • The Bureau of Workers鈥?Compensation (BWC) in Ohio recently awarded a $40,000 Safety Intervention Grant for the purchase of one custom-designed mechanized assembly line integrated with robotic welding arms to reduce the risk of injury to fingers, hands, wrist, arms, shoulders, neck, back and legs.
Check with your state to find out if any breaks, credits, or grants are given to companies who automate processes!

What Is Your Cost of Not Automating?

If you need a partner to help you crunch the numbers, 168网开奖查询记录结果:talk to Kawasaki Robotics. Our people are known for being as flexible and supportive as our robots are. Reach out anytime to get the conversation started.

]]> Kawasaki Robotics //treeforeurope.com/blog/integration-insights-for-welding-applications/ Sat, 23 Nov 2024 21:00:00 +0000 urn:uuid:fd307015-98c6-4584-b3b3-a3f9cfbdd191 By Brandon Day, Senior Engineer Robotic Metal Fabrication

Robot integration in many welding applications makes sense, given that welding is not conducive to pleasant working conditions for humans. Not only is it a hot and dirty process, but it also emits unhealthy chemicals such as hexavalent chromium when welding stainless steels and other chromium-containing material. Although these health concerns might seem like enough reason to implement a robot, there are other considerations.

To ensure that robot automation is beneficial for an application, Kawasaki Robotics North America recommends evaluating these four questions for the best return on investment:

1. What is the part size?

Small parts that fit inside the welding cell are ideal for robot welding, but larger sized parts are possible.

2. How large is the volume size?

Best case scenario for robot welding is high volume (thousands of parts per day, hundreds of thousands per year). Also, consider whether the application includes volumes high enough to create the return that is necessary to pay off the machine in a respectable amount of time.

3. Are tolerances tight enough?

Tight tolerances on parts are necessary to provide accurate repeatability. The robot welds on the exact same spot every time; therefore, too much tolerance will cause the weld to miss often.
Kawasaki robot spot welding sedan

4. Is manpower an issue?

A worker shortage might demand robot integration in a welding application.

Although robots offer accuracy, repeatability and labor and cost savings, human welders are still a necessity. Their knowledge of the art 鈥?including the ins and outs such as torch angles, gasses, metrology, metallurgy 鈥?is required to properly program robots for these applications. Because every major manufacturer has its own welding specifications, it is key for every facility
that performs welding to have a specialist on staff who can interpret these different specs.

Robot Programming Made Easy

When robots are added to an application, instead of doing the welding themselves, welders can learn the job of programming the robots. Progressing into this higher skillset leads to not only a higher paying position where a welder is running multiple robot cells, but also a healthier work environment.

Kawasaki Robotics North America makes it easy for anyone with basic welding knowledge, including engineers, technicians and programmers, to learn robot welding programming quickly and thoroughly. The robot provider offers a three-and-a-half-day 168网开奖查询记录结果:training course, 鈥淎rc Operations and Programming,鈥?at its training center in Wixom, Michigan.

The class is designed for basic robot and 168网开奖查询记录结果:arc welding operations, programming and safety training. It includes topics such as operating controls, selecting proper menus for programming, positioning the robot by use of pendant control, and program creation procedures and modification techniques. Upon course completion, students will know how to run the robot system in both manual and automatic modes, create a block step program using weld conditions, teach a path using weld and non-weld steps, and modify programs.

]]> Kawasaki Robotics //treeforeurope.com/blog/5-ways-to-prevent-robotic-automation-downtime/ Thu, 19 Sep 2024 14:00:00 +0000 urn:uuid:65e8c2a2-1a25-47a8-9631-da64757252fb By Mike Dawson, Service and Operations Manager

Smart manufacturers run highly productive operations by focusing on efficiency and increasing uptime. For their robotic automation departments, successfully doing this means implementing strategies to educate robot operators as much as possible on topics such as inspection, parts and service, preventive maintenance, programming and more. By following these five simple suggestions from Kawasaki Robotics, minimizing robotic automation downtime is attainable for any size facility.

1. Understand the maintenance manual

It sounds obvious, but having a maintenancemanual on hand is helpful on several levels. Not only does it provide a quick glance at the maintenance, parts and service for a product line in order to educate operators, but it helps them make decisions about choosing proper maintenance procedures. For example, it calls out the specific preventive maintenance timing, grease replacement information, belt tension, vibration checks and other maintenance items. Maintenance manuals are available for free via download on the Kawasaki Robotics website, or one can be ordered through our 24-hour hotline.

2. Utilize tools to predict maintenance cycles

Scheduling regular preventive maintenance saves time and operating costs by avoiding more time-consuming and expensive repairs that occur as a result of fixing broken equipment instead of focusing on prevention. Kawasaki Robotics offers three PM options for customers:
  • Scheduling on a 5,000-hour cycle. This PM cycle commonly equates to an annual or biannual service, depending on the robot usage. It is the most economical and easiest option.
  • Grease analysis. This method consists of testing a grease sample from robot joints on equipment that measures metal particulates in the sample. The analysis enables the robot provider to determine whether to increase the PM cycle based on the amount of metal present in the lubricant.
  • Failure prediction software. Kawasaki Robotics鈥?TREND Manager automatically and continuously analyzes status data from a robot to detect signs of wear, predict impending malfunctions and the need for inspection鈥攚ithout even inspecting the robot. The external PC-based software can read up to 20 robots鈥?feedback data while the equipment runs. It logs fault codes, peak current, brake voltage and more. Then, the data can be combined with robot backup data to generate highly accurate information. Overall equipment efficiency (OEE) can also be determined.
If you use Kawasaki robots and need to start or adjust your PM program, get in touch with your representative to make the change.

3. Be observant

Operators of the robot cells and the machines where robots are integrated should do regular walk-throughs as they begin daily production. If unusual noises or other abnormal symptoms are detected and cannot be diagnosed by the operator, Kawasaki Robotics is available 24/7 for service calls. A quick call can avert a catastrophic failure, preventing unnecessary downtime and expense.

4. Stock spare parts

Being prepared for maintenance by stocking spare parts in-house can drastically decrease automation downtime. When a part must be ordered, it might take a day or longer to have it shipped. By having the part readily available, remote support can quickly help with a repair or replacement.

5. Hire a skilled programmer

Programming that has not been optimized is a common problem and one that causes inefficiency. A skilled programmer on staff who is comfortable creating a fluid program not only ensures a smoothly operating robot, but also extends its life cycle and lowers operating costs.

Is robot downtime bringing you down? Focus on uptime by partnering with Kawasaki Robotics.

Bring in the professionals to help you set up a preventive maintenance schedule and educate your robot operators well. 168网开奖查询记录结果:Contact Kawasaki Robotics to learn more about the tools we offer.

]]> Kawasaki Robotics //treeforeurope.com/blog/robotic-maintenance-time-call-in-the-experts/ Tue, 17 Sep 2024 12:00:00 +0000 urn:uuid:b2baf7d5-6ebf-4bdb-bb36-a0f1bd75df72 By Mike Dawson, Service and Operations Manager

When it鈥檚 time to perform scheduled robotic maintenance, partnering with your robot provider can offer a smooth path to a successful and efficient process. With expert guidance, a company will learn how to plan for the downtime, recognize equipment problems on robots prior to shutdown and become familiar with robot preventive maintenance (PM). During the shutdown process, maintenance on the robots as well as PM are commonly done. For inexperienced companies (those that have integrated their first robots over the past two to three years), Kawasaki Robotics recommends the initial upfront investment for on-site PM training from an experienced maintenance team member. Consider the price of PM gone wrong by an inexperienced technician. For example, if pressure sensors aren鈥檛 cared for during maintenance, seals can be blown out, which on average cost $3,000 to $4,000 to replace. Paying the upfront $1,500 fee to hire a professional technician would have saved a lot of money in this case.

Kawasaki Robotics, which assists between 3,000 and 5,000 shutdowns per year in the United States and Canada alone, offers hands-on training sessions to help maintenance teams around the world to simplify the concept of the whole robot. Training empowers maintenance teams to know when it鈥檚 time to troubleshoot, or replace a part themselves or at least to know the right
questions to ask over a phone call to support. With valuable and engaging training under their belts, these maintenance teams can report high-quality data, which enables not only a faster response time from support but a more accurate answer to the problem at hand.

By the time a company has been maintaining its robots with the assistance of the manufacturer for two and a half to three years or so, the facility will become independent and confident enough to do its own robotic maintenance. At that point, the robot manufacturer is still available for support and to answer questions that might arise.

Planning for Robotic Maintenance

Prior to shutdown day, it is crucial for the parties involved to plan and schedule the maintenance. For instance, a first visit by the robot support team might entail gathering data for predictive maintenance such as the robot count and models, the processes performed and the amount of time the robots are running. Knowing this information enables the maintenance team to return with the proper parts and components on shutdown day. When teardown begins, it is quite possible that problems on the robots, such as broken components, will be discovered that might necessitate these spare parts. For robotic maintenance, it is critical to start with a new encoder battery or the current encoder battery should be in spec for the expiration date. The encoder battery saves the fingerprint data that commands its existence. If the battery is dead when the equipment is shut down, recovery and startup problems might follow that can necessitate robot reprogramming.

Common Issues

At shutdown, Kawasaki Robotics suggests inspecting for specific robot issues that often inconveniently rear their ugly heads during this time. When all equipment is shut down, it is a good opportunity to inspect robots with a fine-tooth comb鈥攁 task not easily done when the robots are running. Robot backlash and damage to the harnesses are two main problems that are often discovered. To inspect for backlash, a gentle wiggle of the powered-down robot arm can reveal slop in the wrist area. This indicates the need for repair, which can be completed either at that time or can be scheduled for maintenance later for a more in-depth fix. For the robot harnesses, technicians should do a thorough inspection to ensure no rub marks, tears or scratches on the wire components are present.

Maintenance Intervals

Upon completion of a shutdown, a robot provider can create a predictive maintenance schedule around a company鈥檚 maintenance needs. This can include a year鈥檚 worth of maintenance intervals for changing the grease and changing the belts on the robots, among other maintenance items. Creating a schedule also helps determine the robots鈥?needs at the next PM cycle.

Ready for a Successful Shutdown? Talk to Kawasaki Robotics.

If you鈥檙e due for robotic maintenance, bring in the professionals who know how to get you back up and running quickly. 168网开奖查询记录结果:Contact Kawasaki Robotics to put your shutdown date on the calendar.

]]> Kawasaki Robotics //treeforeurope.com/blog/tips-for-an-industrial-robotics-upgrade-or-retrofit/ Sat, 14 Sep 2024 12:00:00 +0000 urn:uuid:87bb79de-902c-4e50-8753-bae0786a1815 By Mike Dawson, Service and Operations Manager

When working with automated equipment, users often assume it will run reliably 鈥渇orever.鈥?After all, it was implemented on the plant floor to work harder, longer, faster and more dependably than humans, right? Yes. However, over time, even robots wear down or become damaged, which decreases their accuracy and repeatability. When operators notice a decline in robot performance, it is worth making a call to their provider to inquire about opportunities for improvement.

What is a robotics retrofit?

Kawasaki Robotics North America presents two options to solve this automation efficiency problem: a robot upgrade or retrofit. A retrofit is building a new robot from the ground up, which will ultimately replace your existing system. Using specifications required by the customer, a retrofit replaces equipment with faster or stronger (or whatever the need might be) robot options. A retrofit can also consist of adding new robots to a cell to increase throughput.

What is a robotics upgrade?

An upgrade, on the other hand, takes existing robotic equipment and improves upon it. This includes upgrading to new controls and components to the current standard to provide compatibility throughout the cell. For instance, if a customer has a robot with A, B, C or D series controllers from Kawasaki Robotics, while the current controllers are E and F series, the older controller parts are no longer supplied by the company. Therefore, it would benefit the customer to perform a retrofit to have access to those replacement parts. In a nutshell, an upgrade makes your automation systems faster, stronger and better.

What to expect from your robotics retrofit or upgrade

Whether an upgrade or retrofit is chosen, Kawasaki Robotics can either visit a company at its facility or help with the project remotely. The service technician鈥檚 first duty is to gather the diagnostic data from the robot just as they do for a regular service call. With information from the error log as well as operation data stored inside the backup, the technician can discover the pain points within the system. Then, those issues can be addressed at the start of the project. For a fee, the tech will also run full simulations with different robot models to ensure the best fit for an application. Kawasaki Robotics suggests a few tips for users during the initial meeting with the robot
technician and before making a purchasing decision:

  • Be forthcoming with an extensive wish list. Users are often surprised by how much the service provider can check off a list such as this.
  • Ask lots of questions. The technician might overlook a point if the user doesn鈥檛 mention it.
  • Use Kawasaki Robot Solutions鈥?offline programming software tool to play with available options. The software creates 3D models of the user鈥檚 robot cell and workpieces. It will program the robot and design simulations on the PC prior to installation.

Ready for an upgrade or retrofit? Talk to Kawasaki Robotics.

Does your robot cell feel a bit sluggish lately or not as accurate as it once was? Bring in the professionals who know how to set up your cell for the highest efficiency and throughput. Contact168网开奖查询记录结果: Kawasaki Robotics to put your service date on the calendar.

]]> Kawasaki Robotics //treeforeurope.com/blog/rpa-audit/ Tue, 25 Jun 2024 14:00:00 +0000 urn:uuid:48101f98-6dc2-4c96-9fd7-5ac95e51608a The robotic process automation (RPA) audit is not just a formality, but a crucial step in your automation journey. It helps you identify and mitigate potential risks, ensuring a smooth transition to automated processes. If you’ve considered automation in your facility and thought, “Where do we start?” You’re not alone. Automation is more than a trend in the manufacturing
industry: it’s inevitable as it brings a host of benefits that you’ve probably already heard about.

The problem is, when you look around your floor, it’s hard to know where to automate next. I’ve been on multiple sides of the robotics industry for many years. Generally, I advise first-time automation users to address minor pain points first, gain confidence in the automation process and tackle more significant challenges.

What is the quickest way to automate?

That鈥檚 the question you should ask yourself before that first automation project.

When your company starts its automation journey, you don鈥檛 need to spend big up front. It鈥檚 risky, and you still don鈥檛 know what you don鈥檛 know. So go for a project that will bring rapid ROI and get a win under your belt. This proves to you and your stakeholders that automation is a viable business practice that should be expanded upon.

This brings us to the concept of a robotic process automation (RPA) audit.

That previous paragraph is the kind of thing that Kawasaki Robotics does during its RPA audits. Someone (it might be me if you鈥檙e in my territory) shows up to your place and, free of charge with no strings attached, walks through your facility with you to evaluate potential projects鈥攆or now and in the future.

A key benefit: the end-user gets a bespoke experience. It鈥檚 important to remember that every manufacturing process varies widely鈥攅ven if those processes result in the same product in the end. Space considerations, workforce factors and even the simple preference of 鈥渉ow things are done鈥?all come into play.

Imagine a world where A and Z have to be at the start and finish, but all other letters can be moved anywhere. That鈥檚 what it鈥檚 like walking into a new manufacturing environment. This means that our job is to ensure that the arrangement results in something we can accomplish in an efficient way. If the way you accomplish tasks is unique, our solutions have to be too. That鈥檚 what we set out to do with our robotic process automation audits.

So, you might be interested in an RPA audit. What can you expect?

In terms of preparation before the actual audit, there are some things you can do to facilitate the process:
  • List of production bottlenecks, potential automation projects and goals: what are the key issues that need to be solved? Is there a required ROI?
  • The ability to show us all the entire facility and visit the various departments.
  • Permission for us to take some pictures and videos
  • Identify and poll internal stakeholders and production employees, to provide a rundown of what we should be prepared for (skeptical operators, tight budget, difficult to implement change, etc.)

After the audit, you鈥檒l get a quick report of everything we discussed, which you can share with whoever needs to see it. When you鈥檙e ready for a deeper dive, we pair you with one of our integrator partners who has proven success with your chosen automation system. We can meet again to discuss the recommendations we covered in the audit, and you鈥檒l get a formal quote
from your integrator.

All of this鈥攆rom asking us for an RPA audit to getting a quote from the integrator鈥攃an happen in as little as four weeks.

Let the RPA audit be your catalyst for change

It happens to all of us. You get comfortable with your processes and routines, and it鈥檚 daunting to change them up. For your inaugural automation system, we want you to build confidence and comfort. That鈥檚 easiest to do with the easiest projects.
Even the most cost-effective automation systems can be a significant expense. Some of the people on your floor might have some objections, too. These are real hurdles, and we鈥檙e happy to help you have those conversations while we鈥檙e there for the RPA audit.

When you should skip an RPA audit

If you鈥檙e well-versed in automation already and have multiple systems installed, you probably don鈥檛 need this first step.

But honestly, if you鈥檙e starting out, I can鈥檛 think of a good reason not to take advantage of it. Personally, I used to be an automation systems integrator before I came over to Kawasaki Robotics. I can take a quick look at your floor and feel good about recommending your first project. In all likelihood, your ideal system will be something you haven鈥檛 identified yet.

And beyond simply identifying the project, your robotic process automation audit will tell you why it was chosen. Explained in-person and on your terms and getting that all-important buy-in from everyone at the company.

The RPA audit, like a lot of other things, is done a bit differently here.

Our RPA audits were created to be a no-cost value add. It helps you learn the questions to ask, the decisions to make and the conversations to have with the people around you to ensure your next automation system is a massive W. Our goal is to set our customers up for success as much as we can, and on-the-house audits are a great way to begin that journey.

If you鈥檝e scrolled this far, first of all, thank you and congratulations. Truly impressive attention span. Hopefully you鈥檝e come to the conclusion that at Kawasaki Robotics, we鈥檙e never about the hard sell. The people who work here are always collaborative, friendly, and easy to work with.

If you have some questions or want to book your RPA audit, contact us any time. You鈥檒l have your local rep taking a tour in no time.

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