Industrial automation and robotics in AAC industry: Selected models and case studies

As the global manufacturing industry entered its fourth revolution (4IR, or Industry 4.0), innovations such as robotics, automation, and artificial intelligence are set to take over and improving the global industries. As the number of active industrial robots worldwide is increasing every day in different applications and industries automation continues to create new types of robots with improved utility and function. In the AAC Industry, these innovations already took place for some time in different process phases and applications such as oiling, autoclaves stacking pins, handling, packing, and so forth. Through this research, advantages commonly attributed to automation and robotics include higher production rates and increased productivity, more efficient use of materials, better product quality, improved safety, shorter workweeks for labor, and reduced factory lead times. Especially reduced scrap and waste through improved accuracy, increased efficiency, and operation around the clock could be emphasized. Based on the accumulated experience of WKB Systems GmbH in the field of the forging industry, selected models, real‐life application case studies, and implementation of different robotics in the AAC industry are discussed in this paper. These examples such as linear robots for autoclaves stacking pins, articulated robots for AAC packing and sorting line, and hybrid systems for handling and packing AAC insulation boards are studied in detail.