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Toyota has teamed up with Ready Robotics to enhance industrial robotics programming using Nvidia’s Omniverse platform. This partnership aims to advance “sim-to-real” robotic programming by combining Ready Robotics’ ForgeOS with Nvidia Isaac Sim on the Omniverse platform. Toyota plans to implement this technology in its aluminum hot forging production lines.
This approach leverages digital twins, allowing companies to simulate their factories in a virtual space, perfect the designs, and then construct the physical factories. These physical factories, equipped with sensors, provide data back to their digital twins for continuous improvement based on real-world information. Nvidia’s Omniverse functions as a platform for these digital twins, similar to a metaverse designed for engineers.
The collaboration specifically aims to improve safety and efficiency in Toyota’s manufacturing processes. Traditionally, programming robotics for forging involves handling hot metals, which presents significant safety risks. The integration of ForgeOS and Nvidia Isaac Sim allows programming in a simulated environment, eliminating these risks.
Ready Robotics simplifies robotic programming with ForgeOS, which provides efficient automation solutions. Combining ForgeOS with Nvidia Isaac Sim ensures high-quality visual and physics-simulation fidelity. This allows Toyota to program and optimize complex robotic forging routines in virtual simulations.
One of the standout benefits of this collaboration is the “sim-to-real” workflow. Programs verified in the simulated environment can be seamlessly transferred to live production cells, eliminating the need for physical programming and reducing safety concerns. ForgeOS manages both the simulation and the physical systems, enabling quick updates and minimizing downtime.
A notable feature of this workflow is ForgeOS’ ability to transmit real-time production data from the live cell back to the Nvidia Isaac Sim simulation. This creates a live digital twin, providing real-time visualizations of the production state, enhancing monitoring and oversight.
Ready Robotics is working with SCSK, a leading Japanese IT services company and Nvidia Omniverse partner, to implement this solution at Toyota. Kazuhiro Suzuki, manager of Toyota’s raw materials development division, emphasized that ForgeOS’ unique architecture bridges the simulation capabilities of Nvidia Isaac Sim with the control of physical systems, enabling efficient program transfers and process improvements through live production data.
This collaboration represents a significant advancement in robotic automation programming for Toyota, promising improved efficiency, usability, and safety. It also opens new possibilities for using production data in process monitoring, improvements, and future AI applications.