Industrial Robots-as-a-Service (IRaaS) - Resilient and responsive manufacturing systems enabled by rapidly deployable mobile robots
Lead Research Organisation:
Loughborough University
Department Name: Wolfson Sch of Mech, Elec & Manufac Eng
Abstract
Current automation is reliant on large volume applications, with predictable market demands and stable product variants. For companies in emerging and global markets, it is difficult to adopt automation and remain responsive to market changes; as a result companies that need to be responsive are forced to adopt more expensive manual approaches, or rely on off-shore manufacturing in lower wage economies. To address this, UK manufacturing needs more responsive automation.
This project will investigate means to reduce the effort of deploying and repurposing generic off-the-shelf robots and mobile autonomous platforms, and provide them with the ability to work in teams with people and other robots. This will provide the foundation to use Industrial Robots-as-a-Service (IRaaS).
The IRaaS model will allow manufacturers to quickly respond to meet the demands of changing markets, dynamically organise work to maximise their productivity, and be less exposed to any sudden shocks and system failures. This will augment the capability of the skilled human workforce who will be enabled by automation that is responsive to human-defined production needs.
The IRaaS model will also bring the key benefits inherent to product service systems. From a reliability perspective, the system will be resilient as malfunctioning robots can easily be replaced; from a financial perspective, the model will remove the need for large capital investment by enabling subscription based services; and from an environmental perspective, it will enable sustainable manufacturing concepts such as repair, re-use and re-manufacture, eliminating the waste and cost of decommissioning monolithic automation equipment.
This project will investigate means to reduce the effort of deploying and repurposing generic off-the-shelf robots and mobile autonomous platforms, and provide them with the ability to work in teams with people and other robots. This will provide the foundation to use Industrial Robots-as-a-Service (IRaaS).
The IRaaS model will allow manufacturers to quickly respond to meet the demands of changing markets, dynamically organise work to maximise their productivity, and be less exposed to any sudden shocks and system failures. This will augment the capability of the skilled human workforce who will be enabled by automation that is responsive to human-defined production needs.
The IRaaS model will also bring the key benefits inherent to product service systems. From a reliability perspective, the system will be resilient as malfunctioning robots can easily be replaced; from a financial perspective, the model will remove the need for large capital investment by enabling subscription based services; and from an environmental perspective, it will enable sustainable manufacturing concepts such as repair, re-use and re-manufacture, eliminating the waste and cost of decommissioning monolithic automation equipment.
Organisations
- Loughborough University (Lead Research Organisation)
- Vikaso Ltd. (Project Partner)
- Robots of London (Project Partner)
- Sunamp (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Antobot Ltd. (Project Partner)
- Cambrian Intelligence (Project Partner)
- GKN (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Leidos Security & Automation Limited (Project Partner)
- Measurement Solutions Ltd. (Project Partner)
- Cycles Maximus Ltd (Project Partner)
- Airbus (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- True Position Robotics Ltd (Project Partner)
- RAR UK Automation Ltd. (Project Partner)
- Toyota Motor Manufacturing (UK) Ltd (Project Partner)
- Prospedia Capital (Project Partner)
- BARA (British Automation & Robot Assoc) (Project Partner)
- myenergi Ltd. (Project Partner)
- Tepeo Ltd (Project Partner)
- Manufacturing Technology Centre (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Amnesty International (Project Partner)
Publications
Buerkle A
(2023)
Towards industrial robots as a service (IRaaS): Flexibility, usability, safety and business models
in Robotics and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing
| Description | Discussion with Mount Robotics |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Discussions regarding possible collaboration in relation to the IRaaS project, which increased interest for future collaboration |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Discussions with Arrival, London |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Discussions regarding possible collaboration in relation to the IRaaS project, which increased interest for future collaboration |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | IRaaS Project Launch Event/Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | 20 external industrial partners and 8 Loughborough University team members attended the IRaaS launch event/workshop to kick start this project. All partners gave a PowerPoint presentation and discussed what they hoped to gain from participating in this project, whilst the project lead provided information on how the project would be managed, together with its aims and objectives. This was followed by a workshop. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://iraas.net/events/ |
| Description | Visit to Measurement Solutions, Derby |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Discussions regarding possible collaboration in relation to the IRaaS project, which increased interest for future collaboration |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Visit to True Position Robotics, Nottingham |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Discussions regarding possible collaboration in relation to the IRaaS project, which increased interest for future collaboration |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Visit to Vikaso, Quainton |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Discussions regarding possible collaboration in relation to the Centre's IRaaS project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Visit to the Manufacturing Technology Centre, Coventry |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Discussions regarding possible collaboration in relation to the IRaaS project, which increased interest for future collaboration |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |