Audi tests wheeled humanoids for sequencing at Ingolstadt
Audi has begun testing wheeled humanoids from Agile Robots for parts sequencing in a production lab at its Ingolstadt plant, according to Assembly Magazine. The robots pick components from material containers and arrange them in the order needed for final assembly. Workers at the factory make about 1 million picks each day to deliver the right parts to the right workstations. Audi hopes humanoids can make that process faster, more accurate and less costly; the work described is a lab trial, rather than a production rollout.
The Audi wheeled humanoids have two arms and operate at human working height, allowing them to fit into the plant’s existing environment. Audi supply chain specialists defined the operational requirements and contributed their sequencing expertise. The task presents two persistent automation challenges: handling semi rigid parts and picking unsorted components from containers. Assembly Magazine describes Agile Robots’ dual arm manipulation as designed to handle large and flexible parts, with AI perception intended to identify and grasp components presented in mixed containers, different positions and varying packaging. The practical test is therefore more specific than general factory mobility: whether the robots can handle the parts and presentation conditions that sequencing requires.
NVIDIA supplied AI software for the project, while Dassault Systèmes supplied simulation software to help program the robots. Before deployment within Audi’s intralogistics operation, a virtual twin of the logistics environment is being created with Dassault’s Delmia software. Engineers will use the company’s 3Dexperience platform, incorporating NVIDIA Omniverse libraries, to test task feasibility, timing, ergonomics and safety. Dassault executive Philippe Laufer says this approach can reduce engineering work from months to days. For Audi’s trial, the planned simulation work covers both whether a task can be performed and how it fits the logistics environment.
Source: CredSpark
