OMRON invests in Taiwan Techman to develop new collaborative robots aiming to improve productivity

OMRON Corporation announced on October 25, 2021 that it had agreed to invest in Taiwanese collaborative robot maker Techman Robot Inc., and held a press conference on the following day. The investment rate is about 10%. The investment is scheduled to be completed in December 2021. The investment amount is not disclosed.

Omron and Techman agree on 10% stake

Omron entered into a strategic alliance with Techman in 2018 and has sold its "TM series" globally through Omron's sales network. In addition, we have jointly developed a mobile work robot "Mobile Manipulator (MoMa)" that combines OMRON's mobile robot "LD series" and Techman's collaborative robot "TM series" to create a manufacturing site where humans and machines cooperate. We have been working on the realization. Through this investment in Techman, we will solve the problem of achieving both safety and productivity by jointly developing an innovative robot solution that combines various factory automation equipment of OMRON and collaborative robots of Techman. , It is said that it will lead to the solution of labor shortage at the manufacturing site. ■ Video

Big changes in how to make, who makes it, where it is made and "i-Automation!"

Mr. Junta Tsujinaga, Executive Officer and Managing Director, Industrial Automation Business Company, OMRON Corporation

Omron's control equipment business has sales of 346.4 billion yen in the consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ending March 2021. Of these, 13% of sales are for robots and servo motors. Mr. Hisashi Tsuji, Managing Executive Officer and President of Industrial Automation Business Company of OMRON Corporation, introduced the background, "At the manufacturing site, there are major changes in the way of making, the people who make, and the places where they are made." At the site, it is required to deal with ultra-high-mix variable-volume production by mass customization, to deal with labor shortages, and to deal with multi-site production. In addition, there is a need to respond to new modes of production due to the new coronavirus disease. In particular, after the Korona-ka, awareness of "human risk" has increased in the field, and he feels that it has led to labor saving and growing needs for automation in order to secure resilience.

Changes surrounding the manufacturing site

"I-Automation!" Is a unique value creation concept advocated by OMRON for these issues. We are proposing to change the manufacturing site with "three i" of intelligent (intelligent), integrated (control evolution), and interactive (cooperation between human and machine). It is a factory where smart robots that cooperate with humans run around in cooperation with other equipment. In particular, OMRON has the advantage of coordinating with various control devices and robots.

OMRON "i-Automation!" Application

OMRON's robot business

Outline of OMRON's robot business

Omron acquired Adept in the United States in 2015. The current robot business consists of three areas: industrial, cooperative robots, and mobile robots. In the field of industrial robots, we introduced the concept of "integrated controller". The idea is to synchronize and control all the various devices with one controller.

Achieve more advanced applications by synchronously controlling devices with an integrated controller

By using the "integrated controller", we have established a complete simulation technology and automate delicate operations that could only be done manually in the past. It is said that it will meet the needs of DX in the manufacturing process. ■ Video

Regarding mobile robots, he appealed that up to 100 mobile robots can be integrated and controlled by using the traffic control software "Flow Core".

Automation of transfer process by mobile robot

At the end of August, a new version "Flow core 2.1" was also released. ■ Video

A cooperative robot is a robot that can work in the same space as a person without the need for a safety fence. Since there is no safety fence, productivity per area can be increased. Since the alliance with Techman in 2018, OMRON has taken about 10% of the market share (Omron robot person in charge). Techman's robots are also handled by other agencies, but the sales from OMRON are "reasonable proportions", and it is said that this capital tie-up was reached. Regarding this alliance, Techman Chairman Ho Shi Chi sent the following message.

Ho Shi Chi Chairman of Techman

Techman has penetrated the global market and became the world's second largest collaborative robot manufacturer in 2018. In collaboration with OMRON, Techman's collaborative robots are gaining worldwide acclaim, leading to the achievement of our mission to improve human life through innovation. We have sought to solve all business challenges and create smart factory solutions for human-machine collaboration. In addition, this alliance, which deepens the long-term relationship with OMRON, presents an important opportunity for both companies. We are pleased that both companies can contribute to solving the problems of the smart manufacturing market, which is expanding rapidly and has high demands. We believe our partnership opens the door to new innovations for the future. Omron and Techman will provide flexible and scalable collaborative robot solutions to support our customers in easily and fully integrating collaborative robots in smart manufacturing floors.

The most common use is factory palletizing

Example solution package using Techman's collaborative robot

At the press conference, direct teaching, safety, and relay socket insertion were demonstrated. A flow chart is automatically generated by direct teaching, and it is possible to teach the hand operations such as grasping and releasing. Conventional industrial robots require expert programming even for such simple tasks. In addition, it can be safely stopped when it comes into contact with a person. In addition, a camera is installed as standard equipment, making it easy to move the robot to work in another process.

Flowcharts are automatically generated just by moving the robot directly

It is said that the alliance so far has created many solution packages. Specifically, it includes machine tending, palletizing, coating, screwing, polishing, and deburring. The most common use is "palletizing in the factory".

Introducing a new collaborative robot to the market in 2023

Market trend forecast for collaborative robots

Omron and Techman hope to create new solutions through this partnership. The collaborative robot market is expected to grow at an average market growth rate of 25% by 2025. However, there is still more room for growth. Cooperative robots are slow because they emphasize safety. It is thought that if we clear this speed issue, we will grow even more. In addition, in order to respond to flexible changes in business content, simpler operations are required than at present. Mr. Tsuji said, "If we can achieve both productivity and safety, we can create a new market. We would like to develop new robots to open up new markets." He wants to bring the concept of "integrated controller" built with industrial robots to the world of collaborative robots, to achieve both safety and productivity, and to realize a world where complex work is performed while synchronizing.

Introducing the concept of integrated controller to collaborative robots

Specifically, we aim to create new applications by realizing the control of matching with the entire system. In addition, we aim to shorten the startup time with One Tool.

Aiming for both safety and productivity

In the future, we will introduce a new cooperative robot to the market in 2023, aiming to achieve sales of 60 to 70 billion yen in the robot business in 2024.

Aim to achieve sales of 60 to 70 billion yen in the robot business in 2024

In order to aim for robots to be able to perform the same work as humans, we will achieve speeds that are approximately two to three times the current speed, operate at the same speed as humans, and ensure safety. Regarding its superiority over other companies, it is characterized by its simplicity as a single unit, but "We do not sell the robot alone, but sell it as an application. We will expand the breadth and depth by combining it with peripheral devices. This will be realized by other companies. It's a way you can't do it. " Although specific figures such as sales performance so far were not disclosed, it is said that it has created many applications along the process. The sales form of new collaborative robots is in the process of being finalized, and is currently undecided. In addition, it was said that "MoMa", which is a combination of Techman's robot arm and OMRON's mobile trolley, is being proposed to system integrators (see the case of ci Robotics, etc. https://robotstart.info). / 2021/04/14 / moriyama_mikata-no126.html). ■ Video

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