Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA
Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA

Use of robots

© Fraunhofer IPA

Due to their versatility, robots have become indispensable in many sectors of industry. Thanks to increasing cognitive capabilities and a higher degree of autonomy, the use of robots offers many advantages for production processes. The field of robotics also benefits from Industry 4.0 technologies. But service robots have also long been used outside of production environments, for example in logistics, medicine or agriculture.

Here at Fraunhofer IPA, numerous industrial and service robot systems have been and are being developed or improved together with project partners from research and industry. This pioneering work offers you robot solutions that are tailored to your needs.

Even before development, we set the course for successful robot use, for example with an Automation Potential Analysis (APA), a system concept or a feasibility study. Of course, we also assist you with commissioning your robot systems or automation solutions when the time comes.

Expand all Close all

  • Your needs

    You have made up your mind to use a robotics system to improve your processes. Or you are still a little unsure whether it make senses to implement robots and, if so, for which application. In order to be able to make a well-founded decision on whether the use of robots or automation technologies is worthwhile in your case, we can help you identify concrete potential - either through a visit by one of our experts at your company, virtually via a tool such as Teams, or with our APA app. You can obtain the app for test purposes via a simple license agreement or as a free light version. A demonstrator for training purposes shows you how to use the app. Benefit from the experience of hundreds of “APAs” conducted around the world in numerous branches of industry.

    Our services

    • Systematic review of your use case
    • Broad-based analysis of automation potential, both for a production line and for different company locations
    • Identification of processes with automation potential
    • Definition of suitable technologies and their applicability

  • Your needs

    For your use case in the industrial or service sector, you need a suitable concept that optimally integrates all components and applications such as sensors or grippers. At the same time, you want a return on investment within a reasonable period of time, typically within two to a maximum of three years.

    Our service

    • Support with developing a concept for your system
    • Development of sub-components for the system - for instance, you get to benefit from our knowledge gained through developing almost two hundred grippers and tools
    • Simulation and visualization of the system
    • Systematic development of a detailed concept of the automation solution and of the arrangement of a robot system
    • Involvement of future users from various industries for the identification of needs and usage requirements as well as for the conduction of practical tests

  • Your needs

    You are planning to introduce new technologies in your production and do not yet know how reliable the processes will be. Since production downtime is one of the greatest enemies of new technologies, to minimize risks you need to test the critical functions in advance, either in real life or via simulations. Thanks to our longstanding experience in robotics, you can avoid pitfalls and nasty surprises early on.

    Our services

    • Analysis of the potential to automate processes
    • Exemplary configuration of an individual, complete robot workstation
    • Creation of a robot program with variable process parameters, including subsequent test series
    • Critical sub-functions assured through tests
    • Simulations
    • Access to and use of approximately 70 robots from different manufacturers and with varying payloads and kinematics in our Laboratories and Testing Facilities as well as in our cleanroom infrastructure

  • Your needs

    You would like to use a robot system or automation solution, have already developed a concept and checked its feasibility, but do not yet have any experience with professional realization and implementation. You need help and advice to develop a prototype, as well as realization support right up to the development of the series product. Take advantage of our wealth of experience and knowledge gained from numerous, successfully implemented projects.

    Our services·     

    • Implementation of robotic systems in your production environment and support during the introductory phase
    • Integration of all necessary hardware and software components
    • Installation and assembly of robotic systems
    • Commissioning of complex automation solutions and implementation support
    • Verification of the required function of the robotic system or automation solution
    • Training programs