Robotics in manufacturing is applied in nearly every scaled application. However, the forms and functions of these robotic systems are highly integrated and specific, making them expensive, difficult to implement, and only viable for companies with capital. Collaborative robots, or cobots for short, bring automation to small and medium-sized businesses with a lower cost structure and in more non-specific, modular roles.
In this article, we will explore what differentiates cobots from industrial robots, their current applications in industry, and some of the latest cobot innovations in 2023 and 2024.
What Is the Difference Between a Cobot and an Industrial Robot?
Often, traditional industrial robots don’t even register as robots to the untrained eye. In the manufacturing industry, these systems can be nests of sensors, nondescript angular components, and machine-tending tools centered around conveyor systems. They can also resemble robot arms and other more recognizable forms, but the commonality across all industrial robots is that they are installed and highly integrated into the factory floor.
Traditional robots perform the same movement repeatedly, completely automating repetitive tasks like packaging, capping, cutting, stamping, material handling, or other procedures in rapid succession. Built to replace the human worker, traditional industrial robots have advanced features that increase productivity and are sequestered away from places where they can pose a danger to operators.
Collaborative robots, or cobots, on the other hand, vastly differ from this precedent. Cobots typically resemble a 4-,5- or 6-axis robot arm, many of which are mobile to help tailor-make a collaborative workspace. Designed with direct physical interaction in mind, cobots are human safety-first machines, complete with slower movements and a suite of safety sensors and vision systems to prevent operator injury.
Cobots provide collaborative automation as opposed to full automation. Instead of replacing human workers, cobots augment the work output of human operators to complement human skills. They can either be placed on an assembly line or in other places in a work environment and are equipped with learning modes where human operators can “teach” the cobot what to do by simply dragging it through the correct sequence of movements.
What Makes a Cobot Safe?
Cobots ensure that human workers remain safe with built-in sensors and safety protocols. Numerous systems exist so that contact, proximity, and/or speed are monitored to prevent any unnecessary injury to humans in the area. Cobots are also designed with rounded edges so anything in close proximity cannot snag on the cobot.
Which Industries Use Cobots?
Cobots find applications in various industries, such as the electronics industry, custom manufacturing industry, automotive industry, logistics, or anywhere else where they can work alongside humans to improve things. Thanks to the accompanying software automation of cobot systems, their programmed functions can change depending on the tasks. Many cobots aid human workers by lifting heavy objects, doing new tasks not well performed by humans, or helping qualified workers improve their accuracy and repeatability.
Pour lire l'article complet : Newest Collaborative Robot Innovations (thomasnet.com)
