OMRON Corporation announced on October 3 that it will release two variations of the Mobile Robot LD Platform, developed for indoor use by its U.S. subsidiary OMRON Adept Technologies (hereafter OAT), in 33 countries simultaneously on January 20, 2017, as a step toward realizing harmony between humans and machines in the field of manufacturing.

The Mobile Robot LD is a carrier robot equipped with OAT's proprietary artificial intelligence (AI) technology, which allows it to transport materials to a target location while calculating the optimal route and avoiding humans and obstacles. The robot series is ideally suited for a wide range of indoor environments, including facilities manufacturing car parts, electronics, foods and pharmaceuticals, as well as warehouses and research facilities. The January release will include two variations; a customizable OEM type and an all-in-one transporter type with an attached cart. The OEM type allows the user to optimize the robot for the intended usage environment by attaching a customized cabinet or conveyor.

The Mobile Robot LD utilizes a built-in laser scanner to detect its environment, and automatically maps space available for movement with the Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) technology. The robot compares the map and laser scanner input to determine its position, and plots a route for transporting up to 130 kg of cargo while steering clear of obstacles and humans. If necessary, equipping an optional camera allows the robot to function smoothly also in warehouses and other environments where items and objects move around frequently.

The manufacturing industry faces a number of challenges, including decreasing working populations in Japan and other advanced nations, increasing labor costs in developing nations, and a reality where a minor mistake by a worker can have a major impact on productivity or product quality. The Mobile Robot LD contributes to the resolution of social issues such as productivity and product quality by liberating human workers from the simple, monotonous and exhausting labor of carrying items, giving them the freedom to engage in more creative work.

Photo1: OEM (customizable type)

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Photo2: Cart transporter (all-in-one type including cart)

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Aiming for flexible manufacturing with mobility of personnel and equipment

With the global diversification of consumer needs and shortening of product lifecycles, manufacturing facilities are forced to rearrange their production lines with each change in the goods produced. As the Mobile Robot LD is capable of automatically calculating the shortest route to the designated target and avoiding people and obstacles along the way, it allows materials to be transported smoothly along the routes used also by human traffic. The robot can operate safely in cooperation with humans, and adhere to the international CE, ANSI and JIS safety standards. Up to 100 Mobile Robot LD units can be managed with a single controller, providing optimal logistics management. Furthermore, they can be introduced to existing manufacturing facilities to enable flexible and speedy adjustment of production lines according to demand.

Photo3: Flexible production lines can be adjusted for various purposes

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OMRON envisions a future driven by automation where machines are in harmonious interaction with humans and understand their movements and thoughts. As part of this vision, OMRON creates robots such as the Mobile Robot LD to provide new robotics solutions to the manufacturing industry. The Mobile Robot LD is the key to meeting expectations in the age of IoT and achieving mass customization necessary for producing and supplying high-quality products that match the needs and preferences of individual consumers at the desired time. It will play an important role in the realization of a flexible manufacturing industry where production lines can adjust automatically as manufactured products change.

OMRON will continue to provide innovative production line solutions that meet complex and shifting needs and challenges, and further increase productivity and product quality in smart factories where machines and humans work together safely and harmoniously.

About OMRON Corporation

OMRON Corporation is a global leader in the field of automation based on its core technology of sensing and control. OMRON's business fields cover a broad spectrum, ranging from industrial automation and electronic components to automotive electronic components, social infrastructure systems, healthcare, and environmental solutions. Established in 1933, OMRON has over 38,000 employees worldwide, working to provide products and services in more than 110 countries and regions. In the field of industrial automation, OMRON supports manufacturing innovation by providing advanced automation technologies and products, as well as through extensive customer support, in order to help create a better society. For more information, visit OMRON's website at: http://www.omron.com/