Firmly committed to Industry 4.0 and the future of manufacturing, KUKA Robotics will highlight an innovative solution for educating the next generation of workers and its collaboration with three universities on cutting edge Mixed Reality (MR) demonstrations at Automate 2024, May 6 – 9 at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois. 

In Booth 5679, visitors will see the KUKA Edu_ArcWelding cart, a turnkey mobile starter package that provides fast, accurate robotic welding programing, operation and small part manufacturing. It easily adapts into schools, universities and company learning centers. The cart is equipped with a fume extractor and the company’s KR AGILUS-2 six-axis compact robot with a KR C5 controller and KUKA SmartPAD teach pendant. It is paired with a Lincoln Electric R450 Power Wave welding power supply that operates on either 240V or 480V power and a Lincoln Electric MAGNUM Robotic Torch. The cart can also be used without the welder on 120V power for general training. Learning is streamlined with the included 12-module digital training course and project- based lesson books. 

Manufacturers continue to face workforce staffing pressure as experienced operators retire against a short supply of skilled workers. The KUKA Edu_ArcWelding mobile training cart gives employers an avenue to provide on-the-job training that keeps workers abreast of current practices and equipment. It also allows students to train on state-of-the-art equipment they will see in the field.

KUKA robotic automation and technology will also be incorporated into several university MR demonstrations at Automate 2024. In MR, elements of Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) are combined to integrate digital content into the real world as a hologram via a head-mounted display such as the Microsoft HoloLens. Users can then manipulate the hologram as if it were a real object. MR technology will enable improved design and increased production efficiencies at unimaginable levels.

At Booths 5680 and 5681, the University of Michigan will use a KR 22 CYBERTECH-2 robot paired with KUKA.MixedReality Assistant and a Microsoft HoloLens to design and plan brick walls that are then fabricated using a real-time streaming workflow for “just-in-time” manufacturing. The KUKA.MixedReality software connects the virtual and real worlds in real time to validate robot paths, tools and fault geometry.  The KR 22 CYBERTECH-2 is a powerful, low payload robot designed for handling applications such as assembly, palletizing, arc welding and machining. It can reach exceptionally high speeds with no loss in accuracy.

At Booth 5678, Oakland University will demonstrate augmented and mixed reality robotic programing using KUKA.MixedReality software and a KR AGILUS robot in the company’s ready2_educate training cell. KUKA’s ready2_educate is a self-contained training cell that streamlines training for schools, universities and company learning centers. The KR AGILUS is a small, 6-axis robot designed for extreme high speed and agility. 

Lake Superior State University will use a KUKA LBR iisy 3 R760 cobot to demonstrate manual guidance learning in booth 5677. The LBR iisy 3 R760 is a lightweight 6-axis cobot with intuitive operating features that allow it to be commissioned quickly with very little programming knowledge. The LBR iisy series can be configured and programmed by means of manual guidance, and any additional programming tasks can be accomplished with the smartPAD pro smart teach pendant as easily as using a smartphone.