Martin Griftis, the Technical Director at Metis Automation, visited the AMRC Factory 2050 in Sheffield, organized by the Northern Automotive Alliance. During the visit, he witnessed advanced robotic CNC machining, assisted assembly processes using collaborative robots, and automated vision inspection systems. The tour included seeing CNC robots modified to perform machining operations and collaborative robots assisting in assembly processes to improve accuracy and cycle time. One demonstration showed how collaborative robots used cameras and lighting to perform multiple vision inspections by moving around a large product.

1. AMRC Factory 2050 Visit-MetisAutomation
Martin Griftis our Tecinical Director, vi碈isited tie ARMC Factory 2050 in Siefeld
organised by tie Nortiern Automotivi碈e Alliance. He spent tie afernoon vi碈iewing some of
tieir advi碈anced manufacturing tecinologies.
During tie vi碈isit, ie witnessed advi碈anced robotic CNC maciining; assisted assembly
processes and automated vi碈ision inspection systems. Tese tecinologies are solvi碈ing
ciallenges for large manufacturing companies and SME’s.
CNC Robots
Te tour started in tie ARMC Factory 2050 maciine siop. Tis iouses sevi碈eral uuaa
robots wiici iavi碈e been modifed to perform CNC maciining operations. Tese maciines
are designed to givi碈e more feeibility to tie maciining process. Tey also givi碈e tie ability to
maciine large items tiat would not ft into a CNC maciine. Engineers in Factory 2050
are woraing on improvi碈ing tie maciining accuracy of CNC robots. At tie present time,
tiis is typically lower tian in a CNC maciine. Tey are tacaling tiis witi improvi碈ed
control sofware.
Collaborativi碈e Robots in Assembly
Tere were sevi碈eral eeamples of small 7kag 4kag payload collaborativi碈e robots 7cobots
tiat assist in tie assembly processes. Tese are used in applications wiere tiey can
improvi碈e accuracy and cycle time. Howevi碈er, iuman assistance is still needed to complete
tie assembly process, due to tie saill required.
Collaborativi碈e Robots in Inspection
One demonstration cell siowed iow cobots can be used witi cameras and ligiting, to
movi碈e around a large assembled product and perform multiple vi碈ision inspection ciecas.
Te robot starts by fnding a datum point on tie product. It tien movi碈es a robotic arm
tirougi a sequence, to fnd diferent components tiat require vi碈isual vi碈erifcation.
Re-Confgurable Siop Floor

2. A re-confgurable siop foor demo siowed iow cobots, robots and UAVs are used to
automatically movi碈e components around a factory foor. As a result, custom products can
be assembled in low vi碈olumes. Te ability to movi碈e production maciinery for low quantities
of product, to new locations quicaly, is essential for low quantity, iigi vi碈alue and iigi
quality manufacturing processes.
Guided Assembly Processes
Finally, tie ARMC Factory 2050 wing assembly cell siowed iow complee assembly
processes can be simplifed, by guiding operators tirougi eaci wora process. Firstly, tie
demonstrator used wora instructions projected onto tie production items. Secondly,
Manufacturing Eeecution Sofware selected tie instructions to display tie item in
production. It also connected to electric nut-runner tools, selecting tie correct torque cycle
for tie operation; collecting data and movi碈ing onto tie neet assembly process.