The future of robotization and digitalization in the Southern Urals was discussed at the forum in Chelyabinsk | 04/24/2024 | Chelyabinsk

Source: press service of the Industrial Development Fund of the Chelyabinsk Region As part of the business program of the business forum “Future of the City”, organized by the publication “Business Quarter – Chelyabinsk”, a discussion platform “The Future has come: robots and digitalization” was held, reports the press service of the Industrial Development Fund Chelyabinsk region.

The speakers were Deputy Governor of the Chelyabinsk Region Ivan Kutsevlyak, Executive Director of the NPO “Android Technology” Evgeny Dudorov, Rector of the Chelyabinsk State University Sergey Taskaev and Chief Physician “Chelyabinsk Regional Clinical Center of Oncology and Nuclear Medicine» Dmitry Rostovtsev. The main topic of discussion was the development of robotics and digitalization in the Southern Urals, where strong competencies in these industries are already being formed.

” The Chelyabinsk region is one of the leading regions in the field of robotization: we not only implement robots at enterprise sites, we produce them. The Southern Urals have a huge number of manufacturing industries, which means there is huge potential for robotization. Today’s Forum is called “The future of the city. Growth points“So if we want to grow further, then the development of robotics is critically important. The future lies in this area “, – the deputy governor is sure Ivan Kutsevlyak .

It was in Chelyabinsk, on the site of the Chelyabinsk Forging and Press Plant, that it was created and is already successfully operating the first “Robot Factory” in Russia, specializing in contract serial production of industrial robots. In February, the production of robotic manipulators with a wide range of applications was launched here. Models with a load capacity of 120 kg are already available. Work is underway to prepare for mass production of models with a carrying capacity of 60 and 30 kg.

The government of the Chelyabinsk region, together with ChKPZ and the Robot Plant, is currently working on a project to create a Competence Center in the field of industrial robotization. His task will include the development of methods for auditing the potential of robotics in various industries, interaction with universities to train qualified specialists in the integration and operation of robotics and other functionality.

In addition to the direct production of robots, in parallel it is necessary to develop technologies and a number of solutions, including software, and most importantly, to establish our own production of the component base. And many South Ural enterprises are already doing this. Among them – Magnitogorsk Research and Production Association “Android technology» – creators of the famous robot-cosmonaut “FEDOR”.

” Our company began producing electric motors for its own robots, and now supplies them to 150 companies throughout Russia. They use them both in robotic systems and in equipment operating on land, in space and under water. But to successfully solve all the tasks we need to work closely with higher education and the scientific community “, – says the chairman of the Consortium of Robotics and Intelligent Control Systems, executive director of the NPO “Android technology» Evgeniy Dudorov .

He said that the Consortium is now preparing atlas of Russian robotics , where data will be structured on enterprises and startups, as well as the types and levels of technological readiness of robots produced by domestic enterprises. It is planned to present the atlas at the end of the year at the Russian Economic Forum in Chelyabinsk.

So far, the most active robotization in the domestic industry is welding processes in enterprises and conveyor assembly in the automotive industry. But gradually more and more industrial robots are appearing in electrical engineering and electronics, metallurgy, the food industry and pharmaceuticals. According to experts, a growth point for the domestic robotics industry could be the development of production of service robots that are used in everyday life and the social sphere. Industrial robotics – manipulator arms and various production robotization systems – are already actively developing.

The main trends of 2024 experts call artificial intelligence and machine learning; collaborative, that is, capable of producing various products together with humans, robots (cobots) in new areas of application; mobile manipulators; digital twins and humanoid robots.

Also speaking at the forum was the rector of Chelyabinsk State University Sergey Taskaev said that specialists in the field of robotics are trained here at several faculties. Another large Chelyabinsk university, South Ural State University, will soon open a new faculty of mechanical engineering and robotics. As part of the target enrollment, up to a thousand students will be able to study there. In addition, together with ChKPZ and “Robot factory» SUSU is creating a special college, which should start operating this fall.