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WebLytics software can monitor multiple robotics applications at once. | Credit: OnRobot

OnRobot CEO Enrico Krog Iversen said on The Robot Report Podcast in March 2021 that his company would soon be getting into the software game. And the Odense, Denmark company did just that this week by releasing its first software product.

OnRobot introduced WebLytics, a software tool designed to simultaneously monitor multiple robotics applications. OnRobot said WebLytics offers real-time production monitoring, device diagnostics, and data analytics that enhance productivity and minimize downtime. WebLytics is compatible with all leading cobot and lightweight industrial robot arms, and with all OnRobot tools.

According to OnRobot, WebLytics can identify trends in a robotic cell in real-time such as patterns, peaks and disturbances in application productivity. The software uses the overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) industry standard to measure the percentage of manufacturing time that is truly productive. A score of 100%, for example, indicates the cobot application is producing only good parts, as fast as possible, and with no downtime.

WebLytics, which is available now via subscription, can report on utilization of the robot arm and OnRobot tools such as grippers, vision cameras, and sensors. It can also capture the number of safety stops initiated on the system and the number of grip cycles performed while an application is running.

When changes are made to a robot cell, such as adjusting the speed of a robot or the settings on a gripper, WebLytics can also automatically report on the impact of those changes on application performance.

“The launch of WebLytics is an important landmark for OnRobot, our customers, and our global integrator network,” said Iversen. “As our first software product, WebLytics marks the beginning of OnRobot’s journey into robot software and completes our vision of providing a One Stop Shop for collaborative applications on both the hardware and software side.”

OnRobot WebLytics system breakdown. | Credit: OnRobot

The WebLytics server can be deployed on a shop floor’s local network or added to a virtual network that connects to the robot cell. Collected data is stored locally on the WebLytics server.

We last heard from OnRobot in June 2021 when it partnered with Vention, a manufacturing automation platform. With the partnership, OnRobot’s end-of-arm tools were added to Vention’s offerings. In March 2021, it released the MG10 electric magnetic gripper that is designed for material handling, assembly and machine tending applications.

OnRobot won an RBR50 Innovation Award in 2020, from sister publication Robotics Business Review. OnRobot won for its One System Solution, which effectively turns all of its products into multi-purpose solutions that can be attached, programmed, and changed in minutes.

Iversen joined us on The Robot Report Podcast in March 2021. So a lot has likely changed for the company since then. But the conversation revolved around ease of use, his impact on the industry and a pivotal decision he made while at the helm of collaborative robotics leader Universal Robots. Again, he also alluded to this pending jump into software, which we now know much more about. You can listen to the interview below, starting at the 2:14 mark.