How Embedded Systems Are Transforming Robots in Manufacturing

The use of advanced robotics in the industrial automation industry is growing, helping organizations to save time and accelerate production. Extensive use of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) in smart factories, advanced sensors, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), and connected devices and processes across distributed locations enable human-robot interaction (HRI) like never before. 

But increasingly complex robotics systems require embedded software that is of high quality, reliable, safe, and secure. In this blog, we give an overview of industrial robotics and the methods and tools embedded developers can apply to ensure efficiency and drive innovation.

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🦾 Accelerate industrial robotics development with Static Analysis

What Is Industrial Robotics?

Industrial robotics is the use of advanced robotics systems designed to automate production in manufacturing. 

The market volume for industrial robotics worldwide is expected to surpass $45 billion USD by 2028, according to Robotics Tomorrow. 

It's easy to see why: Important for industrial automation, industrial robotics can work, often independently, alongside human workers to handle many of the routine tasks that free up people for more complicated processes or higher-level decision-making. 

Chief among advanced manufacturing technologies are advanced robots that can teach themselves. In some cases, AI and ML enable machines to program themselves and self-correct as needed, or alert a person to an issue that they cannot address independently. 

Independent Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs), for example, are an exciting development for robots in manufacturing, because they can operate without human oversight and perform hard labor while understanding their surroundings in the warehouse. 

Benefits of Industrial Robots in Manufacturing

The most significant benefits of industrial robotics as a whole are: 

• Effective supply chain management and visibility.
• Fast analysis of data to make real-time decisions.
• Optimized production between robot and human collaborators. 
• Enhanced flexibility and customization of workflows and products. 

As part of a company's industrial automation ecosystem (incorporating digital twins, soft programmable logic controllers, big data, and the IIoT), robots in manufacturing can ultimately help reduce costs, combat labor shortages, and reallocate resources. 

Smart robots can even make environments safer for human workers. They can routinely disinfect spaces and perform tasks in environments that are uncomfortable and even dangerous for people. 

Challenges of Industrial Robots in Manufacturing

There are— of course — specific challenges in industrial robotics software development, including:  

• Integration of massive amounts of data.
• Less visibility into communications between AI-powered machines and systems. 
• Safety working alongside humans. 
• Security risks across connected devices and robotic components of the system.
• Quality of the code to ensure processes are carried out effectively without error. 

Developers of industrial robotics software need to follow DevOps/DevSecOps best practices and, ideally, apply secure coding standards and practices such as CERT and CWE, functional safety process standards such as ISO 13849, IEC 62061, and IEC 61508 — as well as functional safety coding standards such as MISRA® — if they are to use intelligent machines effectively for industrial automation. 

📕 Related Content: Why Are Coding Standards Important for Medical Robotics?

Industrial Automation and Embedded Systems Development

Embedded software systems are responsible for controlling the wide variety of tasks, sensing/motor capabilities, and decision-making processes in the various machines and connected devices that go into industrial robotics. 

For industrial automation applications like robotics, which involve complex embedded systems, embedded systems software developers often have strict compliance requirements and need to demonstrate compliance with coding standards and functional safety standards. They also need to demonstrate traceability and be able to collaborate effectively.

Solving complex embedded development challenges effectively requires the right CI/CD processes and tools. 

📕 Related Content: Enterprise Automation 101: A Guide to Simplifying Enterprise Processes with Automation Tools

Choose Perforce Static Analysis for Mission-Critical Software Development and Industrial Robotics

Static analysis helps you automate the development of embedded systems, like those for robots in manufacturing. Static analysis tools — like Helix QAC and Klocwork — accelerate development of robotics software by: 

• Ensuring complex software is safe, secure, and reliable. 
• Improving developer productivity, testing efforts, and velocity of software delivery.
• Detecting code vulnerabilities, compliance issues, and rule violations earlier in development.
• Enforcing industry and coding standards.
• Reporting on compliance and quality over time and across product versions.

See how your industrial robotics projects can benefit from Perforce Static Analysis. Request your free trial today! 

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