2008-04-21 - Production Manager® has been a welcome addition to the ABB family of cell control software. There are many reasons for this, and depending on whether you're an integrator, a global manufacturer or a first-time owner of a robot cell, your particular reason might differ. But the underlining truth is that Production Manager will make your life easier.
Production Manager® is the next level in ease of use in the field of welding robotics. It is a middle-layer software that integrates – in a single and easy-to-use interface – all the components of a robotic welding system. This new integration tool bridges the challenge of setting up this array of interacting, dynamic components without writing any new software code.
This new tool exerts a positive influence on productivity by reducing commissioning time and downtime after programmed or un-programmed stops as well as increasing robot cell predictability by eliminating local software or ad hoc code solutions.
“The advantages of Production Manager are most evident in commissioning a new robot cell,” says Björn Andersson, arc welding development manager at abb Robotics in Västerås, Sweden. “A software like this – preconfigured with all possible combinations of components and parameters in abb’s Arcwelding product portfolio – will save you lot of time. It accomplishes in one hour what used to demand a week.”
Production Manager will integrate all the components of the welding system, starting with the power source controller, the welding robot and the work piece positioner. It will also integrate the tooling for the specific application, the dress pack with the hoses that feed the gas, cooling and the welding wire, and the support functions provided by the calibration and cleaning tools. Any robot cell, regardless of size and application, will also include safety arrangements such as light and spatter screens as well as operator interfaces such as a “system ready” button or an emergency stop.
“The challenge is to integrate all those components in a single package,” says Henrik Lander, arc welding applications development manager at abb Robotics. “Those components have or might have their own configurability and interface, but the great thing with Production Manager is that it integrates them all, and you can control them from the Flex Pendant robot screen. “An installation wizard on the Flex Pendant will lead you along the whole installation,” he continues. “You feed your data, and you are done. It is as easy as that.”
Production Manager, the third generation in cell control software, is a concept demanded both by abb itself and its clients. The support services of abb in the area of arc welding robotics were noticing a growing number of issues connected to local software solutions in the setup of welding systems. At the same time, big customers running hundreds of welding cells around the world started to demand standardized configurations – regardless of location – as a way to assure quality and control reliability.
“It is not good for the industry if you have as many solutions as there are people trying to set up a welding system,” says Andersson. “We are making the lives of integrators and end users easier. Now they can focus on what really matters, the application and manufacturing specific issues.”
Facts
Advantages for one and all
Small companies: Companies with small production units often lack the engineering power to perform an optimized installation. Production Manager will solve the basic problems allowing these companies to focus on relevant application/ manufacturing related issues.
Big companies: Large manufacturers running installations in different parts of the world find in Production Manager a tool for the standardization of cell setup, giving them full control regardless of location.
General industry: Companies in the field of general industry change more often the setup of their welding systems. With Production Manager you reduce downtime by making easy the change to another product/configuration.
Multimove cells: In operation with two or more robots working together – with or without moving positioners – Production Manager will greatly simplify the setup and keep track of the position of each robot.