3 Automation Trends We’re Watching in 2022

Automation is having a moment. And it goes beyond the steady climb the industry has seen for the better part of this century. The pressure is on for businesses in all industries to automate as a means of self-preservation.

And it’s not just about satisfying the lingering social distancing guidelines and mitigating the impact of workplace shutdowns; trade tensions and supply-chain issues are driving manufacturing back to the U.S.—a plus in many ways, but a hit to labor costs. Finally, consumer expectations around speed and service have permanently shifted; companies simply won’t meet them without help. Automation can help with all of it.

One particularly revealing statistic proves it's not just the traditional automation power users who are responsible for the industry’s growth: For the first time, yearly orders of robots from non-automotive sectors surpassed orders from the automotive industry (historically the biggest buyer). This growth was driven by a strong Q4 that was the second-best quarter ever for North American robotic sales—a whopping 63.6 percent increase over Q4 2019.

But with such complex and still-emerging technologies, how will companies get it right? Read on for three trends we’re watching today—and insight into what could be next.

1. 3D CAMERAS AND SENSORS

One of the automation technologies that is having a large impact in helping businesses increase productivity, efficiency and revenue is machine vision.

While machine vision isn’t a new technology, it is driving new processes and unlocking opportunities for many industries. We’re talking automotive manufacturing to food and beverage production to warehouses and fulfillment centers, medical facilities to medical imaging and more. Machine vision capabilities can help give autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) sight, inspect and ensure quality control, and even use image data to make decisions—just to name a few.

IMAGE SENSOR TECHNOLOGY TAKES FLIGHT

We mentioned earlier how machine vision can give robots sight, and that’s important when it comes to navigating their environment. But a big part of that progress is image sensor technology. This tech has evolved by leaps and bounds over the last three decades—boosting speed and resolution while greatly reducing costs. 

Take 3D Time of Flight (ToF) systems which can help AMRs reliably detect obstacles and avoid collisions by creating a visual of their environment. Some systems can even provide a 360-degree field of view that gives a comprehensive look at an environment. The best part is engineers are just starting to scratch the surface of what’s possible with image sensor technology. For example, expanded image formats can now support different sensors from 3D ToF sensors to nonvisible image sensors (such as near infrared and shortwave infrared).

3D IMAGING GETS A BETTER VIEW

Advancements in today’s 3D vision systems deliver more robust solutions. For some companies, that may mean using cameras to calculate the dimensions of objects that need to be picked or placed with ease and precision. For others, it could mean scanning lasers to provide a 3D profile of objects.

One example where 3D imaging is being leveraged today is in machine tending and bin picking. With 3D imaging software, robots can pick up parts and place (or present) them on automated machining or processing equipment. Not only does imaging software help maintain quality control and consistency when it comes to these tasks but picking robots can free up employees for high-level or critical-thinking roles.

IMAGE QUALITY REACHES NEW HEIGHTS

Imaging sensors and other machine vision solutions are paving the way forward for many businesses—from small companies to large enterprises. But with that comes a demand for higher-resolution images and high-speed performance. Many automation manufacturers have been making camera and interface improvements to meet this need and provide more reliability for users.

Depending on the vision system implemented, you may need to keep in mind details like frame rates for systems capturing large-data images. And don’t forget high-speed interfacing between the camera and processor—or even connectivity between multiple cameras.

2. INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION

According to a recent prediction from Forrester, 35 percent of service companies will employ “physical robot workers” in the next year. The accuracy, repeatability, and flexibility that robots bring to the table can become real gamechangers alone for a company. But add the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and you can really unlock the potential of your business.

Whether it’s predicting the failure of equipment before it’s a problem or testing millions of potential drugs in a lab, AI can provide more insights and data to optimize workflows, process inventory faster and even give robots the ability to train themselves.

Let’s look at a few ways AI-powered automation is boosting efficiency across industries.

AUTOMATED ORDER FULFILLMENT 

Overworked order pickers running everywhere could soon become a thing of the past in many warehouses. Advances in AI and machine vision are now helping robots accurately select, move, kit and organize products.

Using detailed information provided by 3D cameras and sensors, AI-powered robots can support tasks handling a wide range of products with little to no need for programming or other human input.

An example of this is the sophisticated AI-enabled robots from Symbio Robotics. These industrial robots can quickly learn how to target objects in a disorganized bin and pick them up for highly precise kitting even when a robot has not been pre-taught the objects.

DATA GATHERING AND DECISION MAKING

AI can free workers from mundane tasks, therefore allowing managers to use their talents where more skills are required, such as quality control.

This is what Norway Royal Salmon experienced in 2020 when a collaboration between ABB and Microsoft Azure allowed the company to automate its salmon monitoring operations. By pairing high-definition underwater cameras with AI technology, ABB gave Norway Royal Salmon the ability to count, weigh and assess the health of their salmon stock in real-time.

In other industries, like the warehouse sector, companies are using AI to make critical decisions like predicting a product’s demand or calculating when to replenish the stock of raw materials.

By eliminating human errors that come with using spreadsheets, multi-tasking, or simply human mistakes, AI can empower managers to focus on developing solutions that robots and software can implement.

PREDICTIVE MAINTENANCE

Whether they are used for pick and place, welding or palletizing, or other tasks, industrial robots produce seas of data. Compiling, interpreting, and using that data is the key to maximizing efficiency in your company. And this is where AI and machine learning can come to the rescue—they help manufacturers leverage robotics to their fullest.

By using a machine’s historical data and mathematical models to create actionable information, AI and machine learning systems can forecast issues, predict when parts will fail and schedule the necessary maintenance or repairs with minimal disruption.

Fewer breakdowns mean less downtime and better efficiency and safety. In fact, a report by McKinsey & Company shows that AI can increase availability by up to 20 percent while also reducing inspection costs by 25 percent. And that all adds up.

FIVE-STAR CUSTOMER SERVICE

AI is making a difference in the hospitality industry too. Despite some initial skepticism, AI-powered robots have found their place in an industry that has traditionally depended on human interactions.

From answering guest inquiries to delivering food and drinks to hotel rooms, the possibilities are wide open. And since each robot is connected to the same network, every interaction is registered in one database and shared to provide new learnings for both the bots and hotel management.

For example, this growing bank of knowledge could help inform a guest’s needs or preferences before a booking is even made. The result? Highly personalized customer service that can go a long way for guests.

3. CONNECTED WAREHOUSES AND VISIBILITY

Getting your warehouse set up with solutions that can increase visibility starts with increasing information sourcing. Just as our senses help us understand our surroundings, IoT-generated data takes guesswork out of the equation and allows managers to make critical decisions with the most up-to-date information.

When spread around a warehouse, IoT devices can compile detailed data and relay it further up the chain where AI can process it for human consumption. Among other tasks, IoT devices can:

• Manage the performance of warehouse machines
• Always know where each pallet, box or even item is located
• Provide accurate, real-time inventory information and tracking
• Get the most out of legacy equipment
• Send alerts about low supply or factors that might damage machinery or products like temperature changes, theft, mishandling, etc.

By replacing more traditional methods of sharing information, IoT can open doors that used to be locked. It also can give managers a magnifying lens to study everything going on inside the warehouse.

AI IS THE LYNCHPIN THAT MAKES CONNECTIVITY POSSIBLE

The surge in IoT usage means there are now limitless amounts of data that need processing—and AI is the perfect solution for leveraging this information.

By augmenting a human’s critical thinking skills, AI allows warehouses to channel their information flow in a way that boosts floor efficiency and proactively predicts issues before they even develop.

Leveraging the latest data, warehouse execution systems (WES) such as Honeywell Intelligrated’s Momentum software suite can create streamlined workloads that account for workers’ picking rates, predict consumer demand and more.

AI’s future-predicting abilities have wide-scale applications too. Whether it’s forecasting the date a machine will fail or anticipating shipping delays, AI-powered WES software enables accurate planning and management.

Perhaps its most appreciated feature is the ease with which AI can reprioritize orders. Using machine learning, AI can take an item from a lower-priority order and assign it to a higher-priority one without ever disrupting shipment times.

CONNECTIVITY ENABLES FULL VISIBILITY ACROSS THE ENTIRE SUPPLY CHAIN

The benefits of connectivity aren’t limited to the warehouse floor either. Thanks to increasing integration and app technology, stakeholders of every kind can access logistical information regardless of their location.

Managers using WES software can orchestrate the flow of goods, machines and personnel in real-time and with more precision than what traditional warehouse management systems (WMS) allow.

Coupling WES software with customer relationship management (CRM) tools also gives other stakeholders, like sales or accounting, round-the-clock visibility to inventory and orders. That way they can swiftly manage any swings in customer demand.

From a couple of connected warehouses to a whole network, automation technology can be an invaluable tool to boost visibility, efficiency and productivity throughout the enterprise.

SEE THESE TECHNOLOGIES—AND MUCH MORE—ON DISPLAY AT AUTOMATE    

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