Bruno Lammers, Executive Director of Saertex, Frédérique Mutel, President of JEC Composites and Norbert Bargmann, Managing Director of Messe München, agreed a special exhibit area for composites at AUTOMATICA 2010. Photo: A.P. Foucha

Composites, one of today’s hottest areas in design and manufacturing, are set to take centre-stage at AUTOMATICA next year. Following an agreement reached last week between AUTOMATICA organizer Messe München, the JEC Composites show in Paris and the Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering (Sampe), composites will be the focus of a special exhibit area at the Munich show (June 8-11, 2010) and will also be the topic of a two day conference during AUTOMATICA. According to Messe München director Norbert Bargmann, the Composites Pavilion at AUTOMATICA will be 500 sqm. It will be organized by JEC Composites, the association behind the world-leading specialist show on composites, which attracted 1000 exhibitors and 27,000 visitors to Paris last week. “Manufacturing composite materials is more and more robotized”, says Frédérique Mutel, President of JEC Composites, explaining why she sees AUTOMATICA as suitable platform for composite companies.  The two day Sampe conference on “Automation in Composite Technology” will be organized  by Prof. Klaus Drechsler, Head of the 'SGL-Chair for Carbon Composites' at the Technical University of Munich and will feature a roster of international speakers. “As a centre for automation, AUTOMATICA is the ideal platform for the theme of automation in composite technology. The congress and the many scientific lectures from industry and research are an ideal enhancement to exhibition stands,” adds Drechsler. Composite fiber materials are experiencing huge growth worldwide, driven by the demand for lightweight materials in aerospace, automotive and machinery building. Mutel estimates current worldwide demand for composites at 8,6 million tons and puts the value of the market at 62 billion Euros.

Already 550,000 employees work in the sector. According to Mutel, the market has grown by 42% over the past 5 years and is set to grow by a further 51% through 2013. The five main drivers of recent growth are the volume growth in Asia, the development of wind energy applications, an increasing penetration of composites in aerospace markets, the development of injection moulding processes for composites and the high growth rates of thermoplastics. Over the next five years, Mutel predicts that growth rates will be highest in building and construction and wind energy applications.

Stéphane Itasse

"We assume that with such mutual products we can open up market potentials in the three digit million Euro range by 2012, confirmed Bernd Minning, Business Manager of Grenzebach Maschinenbau GmbH. Photo: Grenzebach

The investment by Grenzebach Maschinenbau GmbH in Kuka AG and recent increase of stock shares has provided material for discussion in the branch during the past few weeks. We interviewed the Grenzebach Manager Bernd Minning regarding the background and plans. Mr. Minning, what induced Grenzebach to change its already existing cooperation with Kuka into an investment in Kuka AG? Minning: By purchasing shares we want to secure our cooperation with a strategically important cooperation partner. The prerequisites for successful cooperation are good. The two companies have been cooperating on a partnership basis for nearly a year and have pursued a mutual product development policy for some time. Grenzebach has increased it holdings acquired in December 2008 from 5.4% to 19%. What was the reason for this increase? Minning: We are aiming at a long-term, strategic partnership with Kuka. Kuka is generally a very attractive company with excellent growth prospects – the increasing pressure for rationalization and the demand for more flexible production processes has led to good outlooks for further growth in both of Kuka's fields. Together with Kuka we want to open up new fields of business. You mentioned holdings of 25.1% as your goal. Does Grenzebach intend to use this to influence Kuka's business policies? Minning: Control of stock holdings in the amount of 25.1% ensures that we will have a voice in important questions. I think it is certainly understandable that we – as Kuka largest stockholder – have an interest in its policies. Does Grenzebach intend to reduce Kuka's dependency on the automotive market? Minning: From our point of view Kuka is and should remain a leading company in the automotive sector. Moreover we avouch to the Systems Division with its concentration on automobiles and aerospace and to the Robotics Division focusing on general industry and its system partners. We envision possibilities for common growth in both business sectors.

In which application sectors and branches do Gernzebach and Kuka already cooperate and what plans exist for intensification or expansion in the future?
Minning: Grenzebach has specialized in applications in the area of material flow and process technology. Here Grenzebach has used robots in various areas for some time. For example for stacking products in the construction materials sector, for processing and stacking glass panes or for charging solar panels on production lines.
In addition to the already mentioned activities, there are also further possibilities for cooperation in the areas of transport and logistics as well as wood processing.

Where are mutual product developments planned?
Minning: Take luggage handling at airports as an example. Together Grenzebach and Kuka's System Division can develop intelligent cells for luggage handling systems, which further automate the process.
Or use the wood industry as an example: Together with the Robotics Division, for example, we can develop automatic production solutions for more efficient processing of veneer in the future. Other examples are in the glass and solar industry.
We assume that with such mutual products we can open up market potentials in the three digit million Euro range by 2012. Both companies will profit from the common product development.

Grenzebach and Kuka have a mutual subsidiary in the USA. Are further projects of this nature planned and what regions are you aiming at?
Minning: Kuka subleases space in our plant in Newnan near Atlanta (Georgia, USA) and supports us on the American market with sales activities in the glass sector. Simultaneously we therefore have a Kuka Service Center in our own company.
In our plant in Shanghai we presently process cast parts for Kuka robots. In the Asiatic area cooperation with Kuka will also provide better opportunities as a result of common service for the glass industry.

Since the end of 2007 Grenzebach has cooperated with Reis Robotics in the field of photovoltaics. Will the Kuka holdings have any effect on this cooperation?
Minning: The cooperation with Reis allows us to work together on major projects and also offers the advantage of one uniform system concept for our final customers. Kuka supplies standard robots particularly for heavy loads, which can be used for such applications.

Is the cooperation with Reis to be continued on a long-term basis and what are your future plans for proceeding with photovoltaic projects?
Minning: In the photovoltaic sector there are different competencies, which overlap only slightly. We believe the purpose of our cooperation to be consolidation of these different basic competencies and thereby creation of additional value for our mutual customers.
 
PERSONAL DATA
Bernd Minning
Certified Engineer Bernd Minning (55) has been with Grenzebach Maschinenbau GmbH since 1996. He began as technical manager, in June 1998 he became business manager of the Technology Division and was promoted to the position of sole business manager for the entire group in July 1999. He is married and has one adult son.

Rüdiger Kroh

Martin Freundt, Scientific Assistant at the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT in Aachen: "We are working on development of high precision assembly heads, which will allow use of conventional positioning systems for precision and micro-assembly

The future generation of automated precision assembly systems will be automatically reconfigurable and flexibly adaptable in terms of hardware and software, according to Martin Freundt, Scientific Assistant at the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT in Aachen. Mr. Freundt, which trends distinguish the development in micro-assembly? Freundt: What were pure micro-products previously are developing increasingly in the direction of complex assemblies, requiring us to put micro-components together with larger macroscopic components in the range of several centimeters. In this context we are talking about "precision assembly", distinguished typically in both sectors by extremely high assembly precision down to 100 nm. A good example is assembly of diode laser units, where it is necessary to precisely adjust and assembly miniature optical devices. This new field places increasing, and, in part, completely new demands on handling technology. One challenge is the requirement for working space resulting from use of larger components and the number of degrees of freedom for high precision handling systems required for assembly. High precision systems available on the market increasingly have insufficient working space or lack the degrees of freedom necessary for automation of the assembly jobs we are confronted with. What significance does micro-assembly have in the meantime? Freundt: Precision and micro-assembly is a keystone technology for all hybrid products, where it is necessary to assemble three-dimensional components or various materials to obtain precision operating, functional or miniaturized assemblies. Typical areas of application are in the field of assembling sensors, optical systems and technical medical products. Does micro-assembly place high requirements on the handling equipment? Freundt: Yes, precision and micro-products place maximum requirements on the flexibility and precision of the handling equipment. Many high precision products require automated assembly processing during their product introduction phase, which has to be realized economically even at low production quantities. To place these products on the market successfully, it is necessary to economically automate this market introduction phase in spite of the low quantities. This makes high flexibility of the required handing equipment essential, because this has a decisive effect on the costs for the design and setup of an automated assembly line.

Which problems still need to be solved presently?
Freundt: We are presently working on development of high precision assembly heads, which will allow use of conventional positioning systems for precision and micro-assembly. With such active assembly heads, consisting of special sensors as well as high precision fine adjustment unit, it is possible to realize precision adjustment operations using conventional robot technology. The current work at Fraunhofer IPT also focuses on expanding the functions of existing precision assembly systems at customers'. Such expansions can, for example, include additional degrees of freedom and/or increased flexibility of the gripping tools.
 
How do you evaluate the future of automated assembly of precision components?
Freundt: For future generations of automated precision assembly systems we are working on automatically reconfigurable assembly units, which allow flexible adaptation to hardware and software as well as to the requirements of component supply for economic automation of assembly processes within the shortest possible time. We also consider this adaptivity to be an essential step for practical and mechanical implementation of subjects we are currently studying such as automatic optimization and cognitive controls

Bernard Kuttkat

The gripper is suitable for handling flat parts.

Conventional grippers are not always the best choice for placing flat parts in the chuck on machine tools and machining centers. That is why Schunk has added a vacuum gripper for all spindle interfaces to its product line. It is suitable for handling flat parts and can be used in any machine where compressed air is available over the tool holder. This suction cup operates over a Venturi nozzle integrated into the gripper and therefore requires only compressed air at a pressure of 8 bars to generate the vacuum, rather than a vacuum connection. This suffices for lifting parts with weights up to 12 kg using a suction cup diameter of 70 mm, according to the company. The entire series offers holding forces from 20 to 3000 N.

 
Rüdiger Kroh

Profactor developed the I-Rob Feeder as an overall solution for custom robotic charging in industrial systems. This thinking robot recognizes and grips highly varying parts and positions them properly for further processing, advised the company. A distributed control concept ensures simple integration into any production system.

"The primary advantage of our development, which is already suitable for industrial use, is that it is no longer necessary to deliver parts to the line already sorted and dressed", explained Andreas Pichler, Manager of the Robotics and Adaptive Systems Division at the Austrian Cooperate Group for Applied Production Research. Since the robotic system from Profactor localizes the 3D position of the parts even in non-standardized surroundings such as crates or chutes, the company eliminates expensive preparation costs for the parts and work area.

Robot processes important information itself
The robot processes all important information, provided to it by an image of the actual situation using 3D object recognition. What parts are we talking about? What is the position of the individual parts? How can they be gripped best? After answering these questions the robot picks up the parts and positions them for further processing.

"Our robot programs itself, so to speak. We have taught it to think", said Pichler. This makes the system capable of adapting quickly to new ambient conditions and reconfigure itself for handling new parts within a very short time.

New interaction between image processing, robot, inspection and control
"The actual innovation is the overall I-Rob Feeder system“, explained Pichler, meaning the interaction of the 3D image processing system, the self-programming robot, surface inspection and distributed control concept. Since compatibility was a primary requirement in the specification, the Profactor development ensures quick integration into existing systems in terms of hardware and software without major conversion work, according to the company. This has reduced shutdowns to a minimum.