Manufacturing and production operations need systems to run smoothly without stopping. With Industry 4.0 and 5.0 in full swing, every robot and automation tool must avoid disruptions at all costs. Seamless power management requires careful planning and leveraging many technologies and techniques for oversight. What does this involve, and what does each strategy contribute to improving a facility’s energy use?

The Importance of Power Management in Robotics and Automation

Smart power expenditure can make or break an operation, leading to fluidity and momentum or downtime and maintenance problems. Consider these potential obstacles and how power management can help overcome them.

Extended Operational Autonomy

Robots' power oversight — whether stationary on assembly lines or mobile in warehouses — directly correlates with longer uptimes. The beauty of a robot or automation tool is that it can operate during times when humans cannot, thereby increasing output and productivity. Cutting excessive consumption and maintaining proper upkeep can keep bots online for longer periods.

Operators should do as much as possible to minimize charging time between activities.

Reduced Operational Costs

Overloads, congestion and outages plague manufacturing facilities, especially when energy consumption is already one of the most significant parts of the budget. Proper power management prevents added costs, encouraging leaner power use and even greater savings.

Lower Carbon Footprint

Numerous frameworks, such as Six Sigma, enable manufacturers and supply chains to implement process improvements that enhance quality control while conserving resources. Although automation tools and robots consume a significant amount of power, they can help facilities reduce excess energy usage if engineers optimize their use.

For example, they can enter sleep modes when inactive during changeovers or dim industrial lights when fewer occupants are present in the storeroom. Innovation in components like motors and drives also enables robots to use less power. This can all happen without workers having to toggle control panels or switches.

Fewer Safety Incidents

Unexpected power losses in any mechanical equipment can prove catastrophic to nearby technicians. A robotic arm could swing in the wrong direction, or a sensor may not notice someone walking into an unsafe zone. If staff focus on enhancing power management systems, they can navigate work areas more calmly and safely because they will worry less about incidents caused by sudden power loss.

Essential Techniques Required for Optimal Management

The most effective power management strategies include a mixture of engineering techniques, robotic testing and technological peripherals to mitigate interruptions or failures. These are some of the most prominent techniques professionals use.

Autonomous Charging

Robotics, autonomous guided vehicles (AGVs) and other assets can reduce downtime from advanced charging options. Accessories like solar panels can keep the machines running without losing productivity hours while recharging. Other machines without solar capabilities may have a programmed charging schedule.

These abilities enable machinery to determine when to return to docking stations or enter a mode optimized for faster charging speeds.

Surge Testing

Operators must consider the strength and number of currents flowing through robotic and autonomous systems. Any faults can lead to shortages and even fires, so eliminating surges is vital for designing uninterruptible operations. Voltage monitoring is critical, so tests observe fluctuations and trip frequency in the circuits. Once issues are identified, workers can repair or replace faulty equipment before it causes other problems.

Dynamic Power Management (DPM)

DPM makes automation tools adaptable, running as needed based on the project at hand. If output slows down, picking robots can let their processing units rest for a moment. Depending on the circumstances, bots can use less power and boost clock speeds when it matters most. DPMs use data-driven analytics to discover what tasks need higher amounts of power and adjust accordingly.

Batteries Energy Storage Systems (BESSs)

Facilities may already have on-site renewable energy as a power management technique, supplementing utility generation with a cleaner alternative. However, companies can also utilize BESSs to store excess energy. In the event of an unexpected blackout, operations can continue as usual because they can draw on these reserves.

The expensive and time-consuming costs associated with reviving numerous automation assets and robotic endpoints are no longer a concern.

Regenerative Braking

Regenerative braking is primarily discussed in relation to electric and hybrid consumer vehicles, but it can also apply to robots and production equipment. AGVs, lifts and other mobile robots can take kinetic energy and store it for later use, extending a single charge and the battery’s total life cycle.

Power Gating

Idling uses a significant amount of power. Power gating is a technique that shuts down inactive systems in machines while keeping the main tool active. For example, a robotic arm may have sensors to detect defects. If using the temperature sensor is unnecessary for reviewing quality in a specific process order, then power gating would turn it off, allowing it to utilize its other capabilities without wasting power.

Digital Twins

The number of tools companies can use to optimize energy is astronomical, which can lead to exorbitant up-front costs. However, simulations can test which installations are most valuable by using data to replicate real-life circumstances. While digital twins are helpful for various manufacturing and supply chain tasks, they are particularly ideal for reducing overspending and waste generation by identifying the best technologies and tactics to achieve a desired outcome.

Power Without Pause

Supply chains, production facilities and manufacturing enterprises need automation and robotics to take operations to the next level. However, trusting equipment to run without human intervention is a challenge. Oversight is key to alleviating these concerns, and there are numerous methods for establishing reliability, regardless of a business's size.

Operators must experiment with various methods to determine what works best for their robotic fleet and automation tools, keeping an eye out for any innovations that may arise.

Lou Farrell is the Senior Editor at Revolutionized, and has several years of experience covering cutting-edge topics in the fields of Robotics, AI, and Manufacturing. He enjoys writing more than almost anything else, and has an intense passion for sharing his knowledge with anyone he can.