香港自動化科技協會 專刊 (香港工業總會轄下第32分組)

A New Automation Approach for SMEs 中小企的自動化方案 Empowering SMEs with Automation: Modular Robotics in the Making 模組式機械自動化釋放中小企生產力 Automation has been a key driver behind the ever-increasing productivity in manufacturing. More and more repetitive, low-skill and even physically risky tasks are now done by suitable automated equipments, coupled with updated assembly lines. Committed to contributing to Hong Kong’s development as a regional hub for innovative technology, Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) has facilitated robotics development under one of its key technology platforms. As a startup in this area and as a partner of Science Park, Inovo Robotics is dedicated to developing modular robotics and providing flexible, simple solutions to meet the demands of SMEs. 製造業運用自動化科技提高生產力是大勢所趨。生產流程配合適當的設備，可避免人員從事重覆枯燥、低技術、高風險的工作。 香港科技園公司一向致力發展香港成為科技創新的地區樞紐，「機械人技術」是其重點推動的科研主題之一。園區夥伴公司 Inovo Robotics ，看準中小企對自動化設備的需求，研發模組式機械臂，提供靈活簡易的解決方案。 Mr JonathanCheung,CEOandCo-Founder of InovoRobotics, has insights into the three main barriers for SMEs to adopt automation: (1) their tendency to manufacture a variety of products in smaller quantities; (2) high investment required for existing automation approaches; and (3) limited resources for staff training. SMEs manufacture products for a larger number of orders, sometimes not in great quantities and with a more varied range of products, versus established manufacturers’ more standardised approach. They would therefore find it more challenging to adopt automation. In addition, building full automation systems needs customising robotic parts with built-in system. This means high investment involved,hence SMEs’hesitation.Furthermore,it takes some time for staff to learn different automatic equipments for various assembly lines, putting a strain on resources. This is where Inovo comes in with the much needed flexibility and cost-efficiency as their core strengths in product design – the Modular Robotics System. Inovo offers a plug-and-play modular system with high versatility and ease of use. ‘Not all businesses have the resources to buy specific equipment to do specific tasks.’ Jonathan envisions the change, ‘This way we allow manufacturers to use it in an assembly line to do some tasks, but after a certain period of time, be able to remove it and pack it into a container, and replace it with another module for a further task.’ These proprietary technologies from Inovo are designed for specific costs and performance requirements, unleashing powerful productivity for SMEs. Inovo Robotics 行政總裁兼創辦人 Jonathan Cheung 觀察到中小 企業投入自動化生產，要面對三大難題。首先是產品多樣化及 少批量生產，其次是投資金額高，第三是培訓資源有限。由於 中小企生產訂單數量及種類變化較多，有別於大型工廠的標準 化工序，較難全面投入自動化生產。而且，全自動化方案要配 合妥善的系統量身訂造，投資額較大，令部份中小企業卻步。 再加上操作人員需要時間學習不同生產線的自動化設備，對企 業資源構成一定壓力。因此， Inovo 團隊希望為中小企業提供所 需的靈活性，研究成本效益高的「模組式機械臂」。 「模組式機械臂」是一套即插即用 (plug and play) 、靈活多變、 簡單易用的模組系統。 Jonathan 指︰「由於不是每家廠商都有 資源為不同工序訂製不同設備，利用模組式機械臂，廠商便可 使用其中一個或數個模組，來處理生產線中的部份工序；當該 階段的工作完成後，他們可以解下模組，換上另一模組，來處 理另一項工序。」此自家研發的專用技術，創製出高效率、合 乎成本效益的方案，令中小企也能釋放強大的生產力。 Automation in Future Business 自動化的商機 By having robotic units perform the more repetitive, mundane tasks, based on what target customers revealed said to Inovo, manufacturers can focus their human resources onmoreworthwhile, more productive tasks. On this, Jonathan believes that technology changes jobs, instead of replacing them. He commented, ‘If we look 28 Connecting Practitioners 業界專訪