Synopsis:
Toyota Motor Corporation partners with READY Robotics and NVIDIA to revolutionize industrial robotics using NVIDIA Omniverse. Employing READY ForgeOS with NVIDIA Isaac Sim, Toyota enhances safety and efficiency in its aluminum hot forging production. The collaboration enables seamless programming in a simulated environment, eliminating risks associated with hot parts. This "sim-to-real" workflow, combining ForgeOS's simplicity and NVIDIA's realism, allows Toyota to optimize forging routines before live deployment, reducing safety concerns and downtime. The integration also forms a digital twin for real-time monitoring and data utilization, setting a new standard in robotic automation.
Article:
In a groundbreaking collaboration, Toyota Motor Corporation, READY Robotics, and NVIDIA join forces to usher in a new era of innovation in industrial robotics. This strategic partnership harnesses the power of NVIDIA Omniverse, integrating READY ForgeOS and NVIDIA Isaac Sim to transform the programming landscape for Toyota's aluminum hot forging production lines.
Programming robotic systems for hot forging traditionally posed safety challenges, requiring programming while the metal parts remained hot. The integration of NVIDIA Isaac Sim with ForgeOS revolutionizes this process by allowing seamless programming in a simulated environment. This not only enhances safety by eliminating risks associated with hot parts but also introduces unprecedented efficiency into Toyota's manufacturing processes.
READY Robotics, known for its industrial OS, ForgeOS, simplifies the programming complexities of robotic systems. Integrated with NVIDIA Isaac Sim, ForgeOS achieves unparalleled visual and physics-simulation fidelity, providing a realistic environment for robotic simulations. This synergy enables Toyota to swiftly program and optimize intricate hot forging routines in simulations, capturing the nuances of complex processes.
The "sim-to-real" workflow pioneered by this collaboration ensures that programs proven in the simulated environment seamlessly transfer to live production work cells. This eliminates the need for programming in the physical installation itself, significantly reducing safety concerns and downtime. The dual control of simulation and physical work cell by ForgeOS ensures quick program transfer and updates, streamlining maintenance processes.
A unique aspect of this collaboration is ForgeOS's ability to relay real-time production data from the live cell back to the original NVIDIA Isaac Sim simulation. This establishes a digital twin of the live cell, offering visualizations of its current state and facilitating enhanced monitoring and oversight.
Dr. Kel Guerin, Chief Innovation Officer at READY Robotics, highlights the significance of NVIDIA's tools in creating realistic programs. The collaboration with SCSK, a Japanese IT services company and NVIDIA Omniverse partner, reinforces the efficacy of this solution for Toyota.
Kazuhiro Suzuki, Group Manager of Toyota's Raw Materials Development Division, emphasizes the sim-to-real workflow's advantages in programming, transferring, and iteratively improving processes. The collaboration represents a transformative approach to robotic automation programming, promising efficiency, usability, and safety.
This partnership opens avenues for capturing production data from automation systems, potentially fueling advancements in machine learning and AI for manufacturing processes. The vision is to extract valuable data from the factory floor into simulations, laying the groundwork for future innovations.
Conclusion:
Toyota's collaboration with READY Robotics and NVIDIA marks a significant stride in industrial robotics. By embracing a sim-to-real workflow powered by ForgeOS and NVIDIA Isaac Sim, Toyota pioneers a safer, more efficient approach to programming and deploying robotic systems. The integration not only addresses safety challenges associated with hot forging but also sets a precedent for real-time data utilization and digital twinning in the realm of robotic automation. As Toyota looks towards a future shaped by machine learning and AI, this collaboration serves as a beacon of innovation, unlocking possibilities for enhanced productivity and safety in manufacturing processes.
