Companies have already integrated robotics into their production floors in order to increase production, safety, and consistency. However, the majority of these robotic installations are of the industrial category and are often complex to program or install. The majority of this robot category provides a more permanent solution and are ideal for large business where layouts or production steps rarely change. Luckily, there is a category of robot which is excellent for industries looking for a more adaptable solution: the cobot.
What is a Cobot?
A cobot is a term used to represent a collaborative robot. These robots are specifically designed to be able to work alongside humans in a production setting. They have reduced speed, unique safety features, and can work in an open system, unlike their industrial robot counterparts. They often take the shape of a human arm and hand, and are great for repetitive and dangerous tasks; which makes them an excellent addition to any workspace.
Advantages of a Cobot
Like any robotic equipment, cobots are extremely accurate and efficient at performing their tasks. This will result in improved production rates, fewer errors or defects, increased overall efficiency, etc. Although slower, cobots have improved safety features and are usually cheaper than industrial robots.
Cobots are designed to be installed quickly. They usually come pre-assembled in a box or crate and only require a few anchoring bolts and power connections before the cobot can start functioning. With the right training, these types of robots can be installed and programmed internally. Some companies, including DIY Robotics, even offer user-friendly software and HMIs to help guide the acquiring company to an easier solution.
To build upon on the above points, cobots are also versatile and mobile. This means that a cobot can be programmed to perform a task one day, but then be moved to another with little to no hassle. In other words, one cobot has the capability to perform at multiple workstations. This is usually accomplished by coding multiple projects, and installing the cobot on a robotic cell with wheels. This makes them an excellent addition to small or medium business types that are looking to integrate robotic equipment for the first time.
Collaborative robots provide an excellent solution for any industry looking to automate a production setting. They are designed to work alongside humans and provide a more accurate and consistent job to everyday production. Due to their user-friendly interfaces, it allows a worker to program these robots with little experience in programming. The majority of cobots are also versatile to allow it to work on multiple projects at a time, or be relocated with ease. It is this combination of benefits which allows cobots to be a worthy option when planning to automate production tasks.
At DIY Robotics, we offer a range of collaborative robot work cells which will contribute greatly to your production tasks. They offer all the advantages stated above while providing additional functionality with the installed cell. If you would like more information regarding our collaborative robot products, feel free to visit our product page: https://diy-robotics.com/products/. If you have a question about this article or any of our products, please don’t hesitate to contact us: https://diy-robotics.com/contact/.
References
Matheson, E., Minto, R., Zampieri, E. G. G., Faccio, M., & Rosati, G. (2019, December 6). Human–robot collaboration in Manufacturing Applications: A Review. MDPI. Retrieved September 26, 2022, from https://www.mdpi.com/2218-6581/8/4/100/htm
