Toytota Partners with Ready Robotics and Nvidia for Advancement in Industrial Robotics Programming
In a collaborative effort, Toyota has partnered with Ready Robotics and Nvidia to simulate and program industrial robotics using Nvidia’s Omniverse platform. This partnership aims to advance industrial robotics by implementing “sim-to-real” robotic programming using Ready Robotics’ Ready ForgeOS and Nvidia Isaac Sim on the Omniverse platform. The tech giant Toyota plans to utilize this technology for its aluminum hot forging production lines, integrating digital twins and data-driven improvements into their manufacturing processes.
Advancing Safety and Efficiency in Manufacturing
The collaboration between Toyota, Ready Robotics, and Nvidia is expected to elevate safety and efficiency in Toyota’s manufacturing processes. Traditionally, programming robotic systems for forging involves working with hot metal parts, posing significant safety challenges. However, the integration of ForgeOS and Nvidia Isaac Sim enables seamless programming in a simulated environment, eliminating risks associated with hot parts. This integration simplifies the programming process, offers time-saving automation solutions, and ensures the best-in-class visual and physics-simulation fidelity.
Sim-to-Real Workflow and Data Integration
One of the key advantages of this collaboration is the “sim-to-real” workflow, where programs proven in a simulated environment can be transferred seamlessly into live production work cells. This eliminates the need for programming in the physical installation, reducing safety concerns around hot parts. ForgeOS controls both the simulation and physical work cell, enabling quick program transfers and updates, minimizing downtime and simplifying maintenance.
An innovative aspect of this workflow is ForgeOS’ capability to relay real-time production data from the live cell back to the original Nvidia Isaac Sim simulation. This creates a digital twin of the live cell, allowing for visualizations of its current state and enhancing monitoring and oversight. It bridges the gap between simulation capabilities and the control of the physical system, facilitating iterative improvements of Toyota’s processes.
“The unique architecture of ForgeOS allows for the sim-to-real workflow we need for this production line because it bridges Nvidia Isaac Sim’s simulation capabilities with the control of our physical system. This means we can program in simulation, transfer that program, and then use ForgeOS to capture live production data and iteratively improve our processes.” – Kazuhiro Suzuki, group manager of Toyota’s raw materials development division
This collaboration not only advances safety and efficiency but also opens avenues for capturing production data from automation systems for use in process monitoring, improvement, and potential applications in artificial intelligence. By simulating industrial processes prior to their real-world deployment, productivity and safety can be greatly improved while reducing costs.
“Simulating industrial processes in high fidelity prior to their real-world deployment can greatly improve productivity and safety while reducing costs.” – Deepu Talla, vice president of embedded and edge computing at Nvidia
Overall, the partnership between Toyota, Ready Robotics, and Nvidia signifies a significant advancement in robotic automation programming, promising greater efficiency, usability, and safety in the field of industrial robotics.
