research and development
Research and development at the kuka Group is strategically important to safeguarding its technology leadership position. The department works according to the following principles:
- develop application-oriented products and solutions for customers, which are distinguished by leading customer benefits and efficiency
- continuously increase the scalability and modularity of the solutions using innovative control methods
- continuously improve functionality while at the same time cutting costs
- minimize the time-to-market between concept and finished product
Research and development performance improves.
kuka’s research and development engineers work in close proximity to the application and support teams and the Augsburg factory. This ensures that customer focus is maximized. The time-to-market, i. e., the time between the idea and a product that is ready to market, has been continually reduced over the past number of years. At the same time, the performance of the research and development unit was better in 2008 than during the same period a year earlier because of the steps taken to improve efficiency.
integrated research at the kuka innovation center
Car body production – handled by robots.
As part of the integrated business model, the Robotics and Systems divisions work jointly at the kuka Innovation Center. The combined core competencies of robot technology and plant engineering give kuka an optimum basis for developing innovative automation solutions for manufacturing processes. The teamwork creates numerous synergies that are reflected in time and cost savings. In 2008, important progress was made on fine tuning the interaction between robotic motion control and the control system for the manufacturing process being considered. For example, while gluing assembly pieces previously required an independent gluing control algorithm in order to align the glue output with the robot speed, new kuka technology now makes it possible to precisely synchronize the two control systems. Newly developed engineering tools make it possible to easily program robot movement and the gluing process using graphics and assembly modules depicted by 3-d cad-files. These technologies offer our customers significant quality and cost advantages. kuka has been able to reduce the programming time by a factor of ten.
The engineers at the Innovation Center have also managed to transfer advanced methods for trajectory planning in a modern robot controller, which are based on enhanced mathematical models, to the laser process and increase the offset speed even more. kuka RoboScan enables faster offset movements when laser welding without using expensive hardware.
Another joint development of the two divisions at the Innovation Center is called High Output and Quality (hoq) Hemming. In order to fold car body components, for example, for vehicle doors or hatchbacks, the industry is turning to robots more and more frequently. They run a roller along the metal and bend it in the process. Last year, the control system for the driven folding roller was improved considerably at the Innovation Center. The folding roller is now tightly synchronized with the robot movement when it runs along the metal. This reduces manufacturing time by about 50 percent, while at the same time improving product quality.
r&d expenditures by division
(in %)
Prior year numbers in brackets
r&d spending again higher
Last year, kuka spent € 33.7 million for research and development (r&d), which represents 2.7 percent of sales revenue during the reporting period. In 2007, r&d spending totaled € 30.8 million, or 2.4 percent of sales revenues. The capitalization ratio, i. e., the share of r&d costs capitalized as in-house developed software or product development costs rose to 22.0 percent in 2008, from 17.2 percent the year prior. This was because of the increased expenses related to developing new robot control software.
Over 90 percent of r&d expenditures attributable to kuka Robotics.
In 2008, 90.6 percent of r&d expenditures were attributable to Robotics. The division spent € 31.0 million, up from € 28.3 million in 2007, equivalent to 6.5 percent and 6.9 percent of sales revenues respectively. The Systems division’s spending on research and development is always significantly lower. This is because the division does the majority of its development work to satisfy the needs of customer orders; as a result, Systems invested only € 3.2 million in research and development last year. In 2007 it spent € 2.5 million. About 70 percent of the money budgeted for the general r&d budget goes toward developing new products and applications and 30 percent to fundamental technology research.
r&d is mainly financed from cash flow. In addition, the division participates in pre-competition government r&d projects, which are supported by public funding, and cooperates with research centers, universities, colleges and other companies on eu, Federal Ministry of Education and Research and Bavarian research foundation projects.
robotics division
Last year, kuka Robotics had 249 employees, or eleven percent of its total workforce, in research and development. The year before, there were 235 employees. Most of the company’s r&d employees have a university degree. About 50 percent of the employees are involved in software development and electronics, 30 percent in mechanics and mechatronics and about 20 percent are specialists who are temporary workers for kuka hired through an employment agency. kuka has a lean organization. Its r&d is conducted flexibly and cost effectively by working with a network of experts in the various specialty departments. In 2008, about 20 percent of the r&d was done by third parties.
The performance of kuka Robotics’ r&d department has continually improved over the past few years. In 2008, the number of published patents, patent applications and design rights soared by nearly 50 percent. The increasing number of published patents per year reflects the expertise and efficiency of kuka Robotics’ research and development activities.
hoq hemming – robot-based flanging with short cycle times.
new projects
In addition to developing the 3-d cad-file-based engineering tools that can be used to consistently program a process and robotic motion on a graphical basis, the r&d team also enhanced the software tools for simplified robot operation. With little effort, kuka customers can generate these user interfaces themselves, making their robots considerably easier to operate. kuka’s products thus satisfy a key requirement of general industry customers: This sector needs simple graphic operating interfaces when it comes to automating their production processes. They must be intuitive and simple enough for any person to use.
One of kuka’s engineering tools, eXtendedMotion, synchronizes robot motion and supplementary axes in a unique manner. It constitutes the programming basis for such things as High Output and Quality (hoq) Hemming, as well as the key “Industrial 3-d seaming” process, which is important for the automation of cfrp-based (composite materials) in aircraft assemblies manufacturing. This seaming-robotic process was also completed together with a partner in 2008 and is already being used in industrial applications.
New robot system for diagnostic applications in healthcare.
In the area of robotic application modules, kuka’s research and development engineers worked on groundbreaking new developments for medical technology last year. A robotic system for diagnostic applications is only one of the products that was brought to the stage of market readiness. The system, which has a positioning accuracy in the millimeter range, enables patients to be precisely positioned for x-ray examinations and relieves them of the need to undergo a conventional cat scan, which many consider to be stressful. The system developed by kuka uses a robot to conduct an x-ray scan by encircling the patient.
fourth dimension for the entertainment industry
kuka’s entertainment industry Robocoaster technology was enhanced and has now become a simulator. A visualization module, a computer display hood and the large range of motion of the robot enable riders to experience true-to-life motion and sensations, similar to being in a film. A blower creates headwind and introduces the fourth dimension to the simulator experience: skin sensations. Riders thus have an intense emotional experience. Last year, the entertainment industry showed great interest in the trade show demonstrations. Another development expands the standard Robocoaster to four persons, albeit with a reduced range of motion.
robot innovations at automatica
At Europe’s leading trade show automatica, held from June 10 – 13, 2008 in Munich, kuka Robotics presented three new developments aimed primarily at the fast-growing service robotics market:
Mobile lightweight robot unveiled.
- a particularly easy-to-program and operate stationary lightweight robot for use in smaller operations as a workman’s third hand, which can in future be applied at manual workstations
- a self-navigating, remote-controlled mobile lightweight robot (omniRob), which can be used by itself or together with humans in workshops or industrial plants to transport products (see fold-outs above)
- new research results and solutions to make human-robot interaction safer
The omniMove platform was again enhanced in 2008. This platform can be used to handle up to 60 tons in a very small space, with a range of motion covering all spatial axes. The product has already contributed significantly to kuka Robotics’ aircraft industry sales. A smaller version of the omniMove platform can be used in combination with a kuka lighweight robot. This omniRob system, which features graphics-based programming, can be used for gripping applications, as well as get and fetch services and will be field tested in 2009.
kuka leads centralized cooperative r&d
In addition to the new development and enhancement done by the central r&d department and in conjunction with customer orders, kuka has for years worked jointly on community projects with universities specializing in robotics, as well as with other institutions in Europe and North America. The company works in close alliance with the German Aerospace Center (dlr), the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Automation (ipa) in Stuttgart, the Fraunhofer Institute for Factory Operations and Automation (iff) in Magdeburg, as well as the universities in Augsburg, Munich, Stuttgart and Karlsruhe, the University of Naples and the Georgia Institute of Technology in the United States.
Among others, the company intensified the alliance with rwth Aachen. Research is now being done in several areas of new medical robotic technology applications under the terms of a cooperation agreement between kuka Roboter GmbH, rwth Aachen and the Aachen university clinic. One of these areas is the rehabilitation of patients using “mechatronic physiotherapy robots”, which thanks to its extremely flexible load carrying capability can optimally support humans when they do their therapeutic exercises. Another goal is to improve x-ray therapy focusing with the help of robots. These forms of cooperation are an important building block in kuka’s efforts to transfer knowledge between the business and scientific communities.
Cooperation with the German Aerospace Center (dlr) was also expanded in 2008. kuka Robotics and dlr intend to expand their successful cooperation through an intensive knowledge transfer in various areas, such as sensors and mobility. The intent is to transfer the expertise during biannual workshops, as well as ensure that dlr employees give insight into the research work to kuka by temporarily exchanging researchers.
kuka coordinating key eu research project.
In Europe, kuka has been coordinating the eu’s central research project care (Coordination Action for Robotics in Europe) since last year. The aim of the project is to produce a strategic roadmap for the eu’s research and development work in the robotics sector. By bundling the expertise of the European robot industry, robot research, and private and institutional investors in care, European companies should be able to penetrate new application areas around the world on the basis of Europe’s robotics expertise. Under kuka’s guidance, an action plan to define new private and industrial robot service applications related to security services and space activities was developed last year.
In 2008, Europe’s industrial robotics, professional and domestic service robotics, as well as security and space robotics companies founded the eu technology platform european robotics platform (europ). europ’s task is to define and promote robotics technology as an innovation driver for European industry. kuka Robotics is in charge of europ.
kuka group r&d expenses
(in € millions)
systems division
The Systems division has focused its r&d employees primarily on enhancing automotive manufacturing technologies. Robospin was developed for resistance spot welding, the most widely used joining technology for car body assembly. The control algorithm moves the robot in the direction of the next weld during the welding process, which makes the process faster, more accurate and cheaper. The electrode caps, which last longer when this method is applied, are fully automatically replaced by another new kuka product, the kuka Tipchanger.
kuka has developed a new framing station, kuka Framing, for use in body-in-white assembly lines. The system is used to make a complete car body by joining together a vehicle’s sides, roof and floor. Due to the different fixtures, which can be stored in two rotating drums each with four storage locations, the system is capable of producing up to six different cars.
digital factory enhanced
The Digital Factory’s virtual systems for product and manufacturing equipment life cycles were enhanced. kuka Systems’ Digital Factory is a series of networked digital processes and models, which the company uses extensively to optimize cost and time factors when developing production lines. While engineering tools such as cad design and robot simulation have been available for specialized tasks for quite some time, exchanging information between these tools is still for the most part a manual task. kuka has developed an integration platform called “Info-Bus”, which enables users to develop digital systems models in addition to utilizing the individual tools. For example, a higher order system is used to manage weld points, which enables engineers to employ a simulation process to simultaneously query or store the point that is to be welded by a particular robot.
New tool for machining carbon fiber and other materials.
kuka Systems has three development centers for the aircraft industry; one in Great Britain, one in North America and one in Germany. One of the developments in 2008 was a “Multi Functional End Effector” tool (mfee). The new tool is moved to the desired position by the robot, where it can be used to independently drill, measure and rivet thanks to separate on-board drives. This tool was specially developed for complex aircraft parts and can handle various materials such as aluminum, titanium and carbon fiber. The product includes a contactless control system to measure hole quality.
Patented kuka Systems tool robo frame.
Last year, special tools for various stages of the solar module manufacturing process were introduced for the solar industry. kuka robo trim is a trimming tool that enables robots to automatically cut laminated modules. Tape heads are used to apply double-sided tape to solar modules. kuka robo tape tools can be used for a number of tasks, including electrically insulating thin-film solar modules and applying edge protection on the module casing and diffusion barriers at the edges of the solar modules. Aluminum frames are automatically applied to the solar modules at encapsulating stations. kuka’s patented robo frame system was developed for this purpose. Three robots at cross connection stations automatically apply cross connectors to form individual stringers. This is one of the first fully automatic solutions for this complex manufacturing step.