Description

Come share your experiences, stories, questions, and what you have learned in a safe, non-commercial environment. We seek to understand the state-of-the market, understand what companies have done that has or has not worked, documenting questions that MESA and the community can help answer. Overall, the goal is to accelerate each participant’s learning and progress toward Smart Manufacturing. 

Topic: Tell Me Whyyyy: How Cobots and AMRs Are Becoming the Backstreet for Smart Manufacturing

The evolution of Industry 4.0 has spotlighted the integration of Collaborative Robots (cobots) and Automated Mobile Robots (AMRs) with Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) systems and Manufacturing Operations Management (MOM) platforms. This discussion will explore how these technologies not only automate tasks but also enhance data-driven decision-making, embedding themselves as foundational elements in smart manufacturing. We will address the benefits such as their role in improving efficiency, reducing costs, and enhancing production quality as well as the challenges of integration, technical barriers, the need for standardized protocols, and cultural shifts within organizations. How do we begin to develop strategies to overcome these challenges, ensuring a seamless melding of cobots and AMRs within existing digital infrastructures, thereby maximizing the potential of both new robotic technologies, WIP IIoT and traditional systems.

• What are the primary barriers to the adoption of cobots and AMRs in traditional manufacturing environments, and how can these be overcome?
• What challenges arise when incorporating cobots and AMRs into an ongoing build or existing Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) systems, and how can these be mitigated? 
• In what ways do cobots and AMRs enhance data-driven decision-making in manufacturing operations, and what examples of success can be cited?  
• What role does cybersecurity play in the integration of cobots and AMRs into manufacturing systems, and how can businesses safeguard against potential threats?  
• How can manufacturers ensure seamless integration of cobots and AMRs with existing digital threads? How about within Manufacturing Operations Management (MOM) systems?  

Agenda: 

• Thanks to our Sponsor(s) 
• Facilitator introduction 
• Community & Group overview – why participate and what to expect 
• Smart Manufacturing Paradigm 
• Thanks to our Sponsor(s) 
• Summary of last meeting 
• Today's subject 
• Wrap up 
• Next meeting 
• How to keep the conversation going 
• Thanks

Not registered for MESA's Smart Manufacturing Community? Register here!  (Open for members and nonmembers) Once you are registered, you will be sent a calendar invite with the call-in information. Learn more about MESA's Smart Manufacturing Community Groups: