Fanuc Uses AI to Simplify Robot Training for Factory Automation
Fanuc introduces a new AI tool that allows operators to train industrial robots using simple screen taps instead of complex programming. This simplified approach reduces training time by hours and makes automation accessible to more industries.
Industrial robotics giant Fanuc unveils a new artificial intelligence tool that makes training factory robots significantly easier. Traditionally, skilled engineers spend hours programming complex rules so a machine knows how to correctly identify and pick parts out of a bin. This new system replaces that tedious trial-and-error process with a much simpler method.
With the new AI technology, a human operator simply looks at a photo of jumbled parts on a screen and taps a few examples of the items the robot needs to grab. This intuitive approach works like showing a small child how to sort toys and requires far less technical expertise than conventional vision sensor training.
This streamlined training method reduces setup time by hours and allows one operator to train several robots at once. Fanuc believes this simplified process makes industrial automation accessible to a wider range of industries, such as pharmaceuticals, where finding highly skilled robot engineers is often a challenge. The company notes that the technology remains in its early stages as it explores additional uses like assembly tasks.