Samuel Segalen, speaking for Yaskawa, explains: “The wide variety of formats, seasonal variations, and product personalization have long hindered automation. But these obstacles are tending to disappear thanks to advances in vision, artificial intelligence, and the ability of robots to adapt to unstructured environments.”
Baptiste Amato-Gagnon, from Psycle, adds: "We are currently witnessing a strong increase in the use of end-of-line vision solutions, particularly to meet the needs of release control, which is now accessible via easy-to-deploy turnkey systems."
For his part, Patrice Laubignat, from Anéolia, emphasizes: "The future lies in online non-destructive testing, including for leak detection."
The number of checks is expected to continue to grow, particularly due to increased demands for quality, but also for traceability and marking. On this point, Marie Pochon of Zenjet Codingexplains: "Expectations are for ever-greater precision, larger printing areas, and sustained production rates."
According to Jonathan Asbroucq of the Schmersal Group, "Artificial vision now makes it possible to monitor all critical production parameters. It helps to stabilize processes, while improving productivity and reducing quality-related costs."
This technology is now being integrated directly into the heart of the machines. Clara Fernandes, from DCN ATM, explains that it allows "the development of intelligent functionalities, such as automated adjustments or shutdown management, thus limiting human intervention."
The evolution of tools is also transforming the role of operators. "They are becoming true line pilots," says Martin Huchet of Werma. "This implies new needs for signaling, for a more precise reading of production statuses, but also for supervision via connected systems capable of monitoring OEE/OEE in real time."
These transformations directly impact human-machine interfaces. Hélène Ravoire, from Proface, explains: “Faced with the multitude of functionalities and equipment, users are looking for reliable solutions with extensive IIoT connectivity, complete interoperability, and optimized ergonomic interfaces.”
Other criteria are also becoming crucial in the choice of end-of-line equipment, notably compactness and safety. "Manufacturers favor very compact machines, capable of easily integrating into environments shared with operators," emphasizes Stéphane Chiry of Stoppil. Palletizing thus remains a key area of development, particularly for cobots.
In the medium term, these could be complemented by autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), which are expected to be developed at the end of the production line. Serge Pitois, from MG Tech, explains: “Combining a cobot with an AMR optimizes pallet flow. Mobile robots replace fixed conveyors and ensure the transport of empty or full pallets between different workstations.”
Finally, Pierre Astier of Sew Usocomeconcludes: "The deployment, management, and maintenance of AMR fleets are becoming increasingly accessible thanks to the tools offered by manufacturers, thus facilitating the adoption of these technologies by industrial companies."
