As technologies advance, manufacturing industries are looking for new and innovative ways to increase their factory production and efficiency. Robotic technology is widely used and is available for all production companies to achieve these goals. Many different kinds of robotic equipment are available to be integrated into a factory floor. They can be distinctly categorized into two groups: Industrial Robots and Collaborative Robots. Each of these options provides many benefits, however, based on the task or environment that they would be subjected to, one may prove to be a better fit over the other. 

Industrial Robots

Advantages

Industrial robots can be easily programmed or automated to perform repetitive tasks within a production workspace. This will allow employees to focus on or be reassigned to more meaningful tasks which aren’t as repetitive or dangerous. On a similar note, this also reduces any risks or hazards an employee would be subject to since industrial robots are replacing them and are often independent and require minimal human interaction.

Due to general robotic capabilities, integrating industrial robots will increase the overall efficiency of a workplace. It is well known that robots are faster, more accurate, and more consistent than human employees. Industrial robots perform their tasks away from human workers and therefore can operate at higher speeds than collaborative robots.

Compared to Collaborative Robots, Industrial Robots are more often designed for heavier tasks like the assembly of large products, welding, cutting, etc. This makes them ideal for factories like the automotive industry, where the parts are heavier and require unique or hazardous steps during production.

Limits

Since industrial robotics provide a more permanent solution to automated production, it is often a hassle to reassign them to other production tasks. They are commonly bolted to the ground and are programmed to focus on a specific task at the time of installation. In order to reprogram or relocate an industrial robot, a qualified employee would need to be on-site to accomplish the task properly.

As stated previously, industrial robots are meant to perform their tasks away from human workers. Their operation workspace can be dangerous due to the fast and heavy moving objects. Hence, integrating a safety cage or robotic work cell would be ideal to eliminate any hazards.

Collaborative Robots

Industrial vs CobotsAlso known as Cobots, this style of robot is designed to work along with, or close to other human workers. These robots work with lighter materials, have a limitation on their movement speed, and come equipped with safety sensors to ensure safe interaction with nearby humans. Cobots are capable of a range of tasks including but not limited to pick and place, packing, palettizing, welding, finishing, painting, etc.

Advantages

The main aspect of a collaborative robot is the ability to work closely with humans. This means that a cobot would be ideal for smaller workspaces, or for production floors where robotic equipment is limited, and human workers fill most of the tasks. Examples include robotic welding assistants, palletizing robots, etc.

Unlike industrial robots which can take days or weeks to integrate, program, or relocate, collaborative robots are simple in design and can be adapted to a production floor with ease. The movements of the cobot can be taught by moving the robot arm by hand or using the cobot’s user-friendly software. This means that the cobot can be programmed to perform a task one day, and then be easily moved and programmed to another. This is especially useful if a production role needs to be filled immediately, or if the robot is used to assist various stations.

Limits

A collaborative robot is designed to work alongside human workers; therefore, certain safety requirements must be set in place to avoid injury. The majority of collaborative robots have a speed limit requirement of 250mm/s while in the vicinity of human workers. Collaborative robots are fully capable of reaching higher speeds; however, they must be isolated from employees. Many industries achieve this by integrating a robotic work cell or adding safety scanners.

Since cobots are designed to be versatile with their applications, many are manufactured for non-strenuous tasks and are meant to handle small and medium-sized objects. Therefore, collaborative robots wouldn’t be ideal for heavy manufacturing environments.

The Right Balance

At DIY Robotics, we offer a range of robotic cell products that can be tailored to your specific needs. Our robotic cells bring all the benefits of a collaborative robot while making no compromise to its speed or functionality. Due to their mobile design, our robotic cells can be relocated and reprogramed to any workstation with ease. Our robotic cells are designed to be as simple to program as possible. This is due to the external teach pendant as well as built-in programs within the cell. This includes but is not limited to a DIY Robotics software package, scroll menus to select different programs based on the robot chosen, indicators to inform the user of any problems or steps that need to be performed, etc. Each of these are displayed on a screen outside the cell for easy analysis and manipulation of the cell’s state/environment. We also offer free support and tutorials for all our equipment and products. These benefits can save a great amount of time for an industry, which will in turn increase their revenue.

Summary

To summarize, Industrial and Collaborative robots are both capable of a range of manufacturing applications. Industrial robots provide a high-efficiency, heavy-duty way to accomplish production tasks. Collaborative robots provide a user-friendly, adaptable, and safe addition to a workspace. Depending on the tasks you need automated, one of these can provide the necessary solution. DIY Robotics offers a range of robotic products to satisfy your automation needs. For more information regarding our robotic equipment, or if you would like a product recommended, please feel free to visit our product page: https://diy-robotics.com/products/.

That concludes this week’s blog post on Collaborative and Industrial Robots. If you have any questions regarding the topics and information presented here, feel free to contact us and we will provide you with an expert on the topic: https://diy-robotics.com/contact/.

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