ALSTOM HAS IMPLEMENTED COLLABORATIVE ROBOTICS EQUIPMENT (COBOTS) IN THE MASS PRODUCTION OF ALL ONGOING PROJECTS.
Alstom’s factory in Trapaga (Basque Country), a center specialized in the manufacture of railway propulsion solutions, has implemented collaborative robotics equipment (Cobots) in the mass production of all ongoing projects.
Cobots are robotic equipment encompassed in Industry 4.0, which, being operated by a worker, allows the automation of processes in the production line without establishing safety fences. In this way, the center’s productivity can be increased while training operators in new roles and the latest techniques.
Eloy Ocio, who coordinated the implementation of the cobot in the factory, pointed out that, “after two months in operation, the use of the new equipment has reduced manual assembly efforts, which means a productivity improvement, but above all in terms of quality, consistency, and repetition of the whole process.”
The selected equipment (UR10e) consists of an articulated arm for which a turning device has been designed, a gripper that allows mounting the different IGBT models, and a gripper for the screwdriver machinery. An artificial vision positioning system has also been implemented to provide a broader range of functions and two conveyor belts to ensure the component’s flow. For use in all projects carried out from the factory, a scalable design has been developed that allows the assembly of all manufacturing modules. Specifically, 33 different modules for streetcars, commuter trains, regional trains, metros, locomotives, and high-speed trains.