As automation advances, simulation technology must progress further to support specification, deployment, and re-deployment, said SCHUNK GmbH. The company this week announced that it has partnered with READY Robotics to develop the Automation Explorer simulation tool.
“Automation Explorer will bring confidence to both new and experienced users of automation that their process is being optimized to its full potential,” stated Milton Guerry, president of SCHUNK USA, on LinkedIn. “Whether investigating automation possibilities for the first time, or re-deploying automation equipment for a new task, Automation Explorer brings major opportunity for understanding automation process potential while also digitalizing and simplifying deployment tasks.”
SCHUNK, whose U.S. offices are in Morrisville, N.C., is a leader in tooling, gripping, and automation technologies. The family-owned company said it has about 3,500 employees in eight plants and 34 directly owned subsidiaries and distribution partners in more than 50 countries.
Automation Explorer to provide realistic experience
“Automation Explorer will take the term 'digital twin' to the next level,” claimed SCHUNK. “Photo-realistic imaging of manufacturing environments, advanced robot control software, and world-class automation technology come together in one unique experience.”
Automation Explorer will enable users to virtually experience and interact with robotics in an immersive and detailed, physics-based simulation tool, according to the company. It combines NVIDIA Isaac Sim, READY Robotics’ ForgeOS, and SCHUNK’s automation technologies.
NVIDIA Isaac Sim is built on NVIDIA Omniverse and is a simulation platform used to develop, test, and deploy robotics applications using artificial intelligence. Its robust physics engine enables detailed, realistic simulations that closely emulate real-world conditions, said NVIDIA.
The simulation will be based on physics-based technical product data from automation technologies such as grippers, said SCHUNK. This will allow for “true virtual commissioning of real-world automation projects,” it said.
Simulating process automation with physics-based calculations will result in more accurate visualization and optimization before a robot ever reaches a production floor, according to the companies.
ForgeOS to connect with Isaac Sim and SCHUNK systems
“By connecting ForgeOS and NVIDIA Isaac Sim, customers will be able to control any robotic hardware and SCHUNK peripherals in simulation and the real world, in exactly the same way,” said Kel Guerin, co-founder and chief innovation officer at READY Robotics.
Columbus, Ohio-based READY Robotics said it is a pioneer in manufacturing systems and a Rockwell Automation Technology Partner. The company has developed ForgeOS, an industrial operating system intended to help manufacturers overcome barriers to robots and automation.
READY Robotics is a member of NVIDIA Inception, a free program that provides startups with technical training, go-to-market support, and AI platform guidance.
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