Revolutionizing Automation: Harnessing the Power of Collaborative Robots

• Himanshu Patni
• June 24, 2023
• BLOG, TELECOM & IT
• Collaborative Robots, Collaborative Robots Analysis, Collaborative Robots Forecast, Collaborative Robots Growth, Collaborative Robots Share, Collaborative Robots Size, Collaborative Robots Trends
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The robots once only seen in graphics are now present in the real world, sharing space with humans. Though the creation of a robot is not a new concept, the very first cobot, which is a derivative of “collaborative robot,” was invented in 1996 by J. Edward Colgate and Michael Peshkin.

Collaborative robots are a form of robotic automation built to work safely alongside human workers in a shared workspace. Collaborative robots are programmed and designed to respond to human instructions and actions. They can do this because they are equipped with sensitive sensors. Many collaborative robots are equipped with a series of sensors to avoid collisions with human workers, as well as safety protocols to shut down if any form of unanticipated contact occurs.

The benefits of Collaborate Robots

Collaborative robots have a few distinctive features that make automation possible for a wider range of businesses. Some of the distinguishing characteristics of collaborative robots are as follows:

·        Compact: Because cobots are small, they can be used almost anywhere in a manufacturing process without taking up too much space

·        Installing and programming: A cobot is simple to set up and program. With convenient apps and software for smartphones and desktops, a cobot is operational in less time

·       Flexible: A cobot can simply learn new operations and as a result it is able to work in different places in the production process

·      Consistent and precise: Cobots perform actions in the same way with exactly the similar force

The Market for Collaborative Robots

The collaborative robot market is flourishing, and analysts expect that this market will continue to increase. There are several different drivers of this growth, including:

·        Skilled labour shortage

·        Rising labour costs

·        Excessive product combinations with shorter cycle times

·        There is a significant need for automation flexibility

·        Stricter requirements for faster ROI and profitability

There are some specific industries where cobots are preferably suited and have already been successfully integrated, some of the industries are mentioned below:

Food industry: The demand for automation has increased within the food industry but because of strict food safety regulations, and automation is very complex in this industry as compared to any other

Plastics industry: The plastic industry works with a large variety of products in small quantities and collaborative robots have made it easy to convert and are easy to learn new operations as and when required

Packaging industry: Within the packaging industry, there is a higher demand for more customization, and cobots can perform simple packaging tasks easily

Electronics industry: The small products required in the electronic industry need to be handled carefully. Hence, cobots are equipped with several sensors, which make them extremely suitable for working with these kinds of products

Pharmaceutical industry: The pharmaceutical industry deals with large quantities and requires the least errors, and for such purposes, functioning robots can operate frequently and accurately and chances of errors are minimized

Automotive industry: The automation industry has worked with robots for years, in which large industrial robots are used to assemble parts of cars

Which robot is perfect for your industry?

When it comes to automating manufacturing processes, the first decision is whether to use traditional industrial robots or collaborative robots, also known as cobots. While there are many distinctions between the two, it is critical to remember that robots cannot function without grippers or sensors. Where industrial or traditional robots are large and designed for high accuracy, high speed production and cobots are ideal for low volume manufacturing with high production along with the need for human workers. There are various other differences between the two, which are mentioned below:

Top collaborative robot manufacturers

Over the past few years, the manufacturing of robots has increased significantly. Now, there are plenty of companies that focus on the development and production of robots. Some of the brands are mentioned below:

·         Universal Robots: It is the largest robot manufacturer company in the world with almost fifty percent market share. They have released total of seven different cobots with greater sensitivity and precision

·        Techman Robot: Their robots are unique as they have an integrated vision system that helps in object localization, barcode scanning, and colour recognition and many other things

·        Franka Emika: Their Panda is an advanced robot whose unique features are sensitivity and extreme precision, allowing them to handle the most delicate objects

Cabots: Benefits and Disadvantages

With many advantages which cobots can add to any industry, ahead of which lie a few limitations, as follows:

Advantages: Cobots are small due to their ease of relocation and installation. The size of cobots makes them less costly compared to industrial robots. Some of the collaborative robots have two arms, which makes them more efficient and work faster than industrial robots.

Disadvantages: Most of the collaborative robots are meant to handle small loads only, which leads to one of the biggest disadvantages that they cannot work with heavy loads. And cobots are specific in their speeds as well, which is considered due to their interactions with humans. Cobots are not completely independent, as they require supervision and assistance from time to time to be precise and effective in their operations.

Author: Riya Singh