Maintworld 2/2018

OPIL will be available as a ready integration
platform for mobile robots and
other logistics automation equipment,
allowing the full utilization of system
integrators in the sales and implementation
of logistics systems. There are
thousands of system integrators globally
ranging from large multinationals
to SMEs and start-ups. With thousands
of system integrators and the mobile
robots with less than 1% of the 1 million
global forklift market, robot manufactures
can be flooded with orders and
system integrators can take the role of
developing small logistics systems for
SMEs which fits perfectly in their business
model.
Figure 1: Concept of L4MS
Making it cheap
The industrial robotics has made extensive
use of 3D CAD and other virtualization
tools to reduce the cost and time
for the conceptualizing, commissioning,
planning and programming of robotics
solutions. Virtualization is one of the
nine pillars of Industry 4.0 and the use
of 3D simulations has shown to improve
communication between suppliers and
the end-user making development 60%
faster, avoiding design errors and reducing
the effort by 75%. System integrators
can increase their capacity by 5 times
to create factory layouts and develop an
alternative automation solution before
choosing the final one.
L4MS will bring these advances to
facilitate the adoption of logistics automation
for SMEs, thus removing the
requirement of interrupting the production
process, improving flexibility and
long term productivity. For a logistics
automation project, the mobile robots
represent only one third of the required
investment. Programming and integration
actually represents 70% of the
total cost of the system. This cost arises
from additional technical requirements
around the installation of mobile robots,
such as mapping, map calibration to
match the real factory, adding markers,
navigation planning, route planning, etc.
The OPIL+3D simulator will automate
many of these tasks resulting in a 75%
reduction in the installation cost. This
will represent a significant saving for a
manufacturing SME reducing the ownership
cost and increasing the return on
investment.
During the course of the next 3 years,
Calls will be open at
www.L4MS.eu on:
1st September, 2018
1st September, 2019
Figure 3: L4MS
Acceleration
program for
SMEs and
Mid-Caps
the aim of L4MS is to reduce the installation
cost and time of mobile robots
by a factor of 10. This will enable the
inexpensive deployment of small and
flexible logistics solutions requiring no
infrastructure change, no production
downtime and no in-house expertise,
making the investment in logistics automation
more attractive for SME’s and
Mid-Caps in Europe. The use of mobile
robots will not only automate the logistics
(50% of the production cost) but will
also provide unprecedented flexibility
on the factory floor.
Make it everywhere
To ensure the full geographical coverage,
L4MS provides an integral
pan-European network of Digital
Innovation Hubs (DIHs) connected
to a central marketplace. The L4MS
Marketplace will be a one-stop-shop,
where European Manufacturing SMEs
& Mid-Caps can access Digitalization
services, including technical support,
business mentoring and finance. The
L4MS will conceive 23 cross-border Application
Experiments to demonstrate
highly autonomous, configurable and
hybrid (human-robot) logistics solutions
driven by the business needs of the
manufacturing SMEs and Mid-Caps.
This portfolio of 23 cross-border Application
Experiments by 50 SMEs
selected through 2 competitive Open
Calls, will demonstrate the leveraging of
European Structural Funds and private
investment in established and emerging
DIHs across Europe. The L4MS Marketplace
connected with a network of DIHs
will ensure a ‘working distance’ access
to latest logistics automation technologies,
along with non-technical services
for every Manufacturing SME in Europe
- whichever the sector, wherever the location,
whatever the size.
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