To improve the safety and efficiency of Toyota’s manufacturing processes—starting with its hot forging production lines—the automotive manufacturer is working with Ready Robotics and its Ready ForgeOS, along with Nvidia’s Isaac Sim, to build a simulated robotic programming environment.
Programming robotic systems for Toyota’s hot forging process requires metal parts to remain hot during programming. This, of course, presents significant safety challenges. By integrating Ready Robotics’ ForgeOS and Nvidia’s Isaac Sim (an application for simulating, developing and testing robots) this programming can now be done in a simulated environment, eliminating the risks associated with hot parts.
Toyota is using ForgeOS for its ability to simplify the robot programming process. Coupling ForgeOS with Isaac Sim brings a high level of realism to the robotic simulations being created for the programming process. Toyota says the combination of these technologies enables engineers to quickly program and optimize complex robotic hot forging routines in simulations that capture the nuance of complex hot forging processes.
Once proven in the simulated environment, these programs can be transferred into
the live production work cell, eliminating the need for programming in the physical installation itself, thereby reducing safety concerns. The ease of program transference from simulation to real-world production systems is possible since ForgeOS controls both the simulation and physical work cell.
ForgeOS also enables the relay of real-time production data from the robotic work cell to Isaac Sim to create a digital twin of the live cell, enabling visualizations of the system’s current state and facilitating greater monitoring and oversight.
