OMRON Corporation announced on February 1 the launch of a promotional website (http://www.ia.omron.com/products/family/3664/) for the AI-equipped Mobile Robot LD Series, a family of Autonomous Intelligent Vehicles (AIVs) that represents a significant step towards achieving human-machine harmony in manufacturing. Since the LD Series was announced in October last year, customers from a number of industries, ranging from automotive and electronics to foods and pharmaceuticals, have begun deploying the Mobile Robots in their manufacturing facilities.

(Photo 1: http://prw.kyodonews.jp/prwfile/release/M102197/201701308331/_prw_PI1fl_dPo6LRlB.jpg)

(Photo 2: http://prw.kyodonews.jp/prwfile/release/M102197/201701308331/_prw_PI2fl_KRwaTqTp.jpg))

The Mobile Robots are  transport vehicle equipped with proprietary artificial intelligence (AI) technology that allows it to transport materials to a target location while calculating the optimal route and avoiding humans and obstacles. The robots are ideally suited for a wide range of indoor environments, including manufacturing and logistics facilities for the automotive, electronics, food and pharmaceutical industries. The Mobile Robots contribute towards the resolution of social issues by liberating human workers from the simple, monotonous and exhausting labor of carrying items, giving them the freedom to engage in more creative work. In addition, the AIVs work together with fixed material-handling equipment and for the first time offer users true flexibility in factory design.

The Mobile Robots promotional website will offer information on product specifications and key technologies (*1), introduce case examples of the Mobile Robots in practical use and suggest tips for how customers can install the system in their own manufacturing or storage facility.

Solution examples

Car-manufacturing plants:

Capable of moving up to 130 kg of cargo, the Mobile Robots can free human workers from the tedious heavy labor required in car manufacturing plants to move hefty car parts from subassembly areas to the lineside.

Semiconductor plants:

The Mobile Robots are capable of navigating the busy, narrow passages commonly found in semiconductor plants, transporting wafer pods (FOUPS) between processing stages reliably and with full traceability.

Food-manufacturing plants:

As new products are launched according to the flow of seasonal demand, food producers often face the need to adjust their manufacturing processes. The  Mobile Robots gather information on their surroundings and automatically generate a map with just one run through any given environment. This enables swift and flexible adjustments of manufacturing processes and offers a meaningful alternative to inflexible conveyor belt networks.

Distribution warehouses:

Careful sorting based on a shipping address is a necessity in distribution warehouses. A single dedicated controller unit can track the locations of up to 100 Mobile Robot units working cooperatively in a fleet to optimally manage the transport of goods, reducing unnecessary traffic and delivery errors.

Besides the promotional website, Mobile Robot demonstrations will be set up in eight Automation Centers (*2), located around the world, providing assistance to customers facing manufacturing issues. The Automation Centers offer customers in their respective areas individually tailored suggestions on how to utilize OMRON systems, and are also equipped with a full range of robotics-testing equipment to provide support from system evaluation and verification to safe design and installation. In addition, OMRON is planning to introduce Mobile Robots to its Kusatsu factory, western Japan, and will welcome customers to the facility to view the systems in operation as a way of promoting the popularization of the technology in a variety of manufacturing settings.

OMRON envisions a future driven by automation where machines are in harmonious interaction with humans and understand their movements and thoughts. As a part of this vision, OMRON develops unique solutions combining advanced automation technology and robotics.

Note (*1): Natural Feature Navigation technology enables Mobile Robots to automatically maneuver around humans and obstacles. Fleet Management technology allows the collaborative operation and optimal control of up to 100 Mobile Robot units. Easy-to-use design can enable production line changes in minutes. For details, please refer to http://www.ia.omron.com/products/family/3664/.

Note (*2): Automation Centers showcase OMRON's broad portfolio of unique FA equipment and are furnished with live equipment and actual products for demonstrations, along with training rooms. They provide control applications to resolve manufacturing issues faced by customers. The eighth center, Automation Center Korea, was opened in January 2017 in Seoul.

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/