There is no doubt that the manufacturing industry has been turned upside down due to automation and machining robotics. In fact, now automation is essential in order for businesses to keep up with increasing consumer demand and maintain their competitive advantage. While in the past big industrial robots were used to speed up the production line, now, a lot of businesses are moving to utilize collaboration robots – otherwise known as ‘cobots.’ These cobots are used to help both small, medium, and large businesses grow and automate their operations. This is because they are used to taking on tasks that are mainly dangerous, repetitive, or require extreme precision. Since cobots are a lot more user-friendly, flexible, and smaller than their industrial counterparts, they can be used for a wide range of tasks, so long as they have the correct end effector.
Here, we take a look at the different applications of cobots, and what kinds of things they can do. Moreover, the continuous development of technology and robotics ensures that the use of cobots continues to increase in the future. Make sure to keep reading below to learn more.
Table of Contents
Sanding and Polishing
Sanding and polishing remain a very monotonous and repetitive task that is usually given to cobots to do. This is because it is vital to apply the same amount of force on the surface of the object in order to sand or polish it consistently. However, it is nearly impossible for human workers to do this, especially for 8 hours a day, as humans will naturally get tired and be prone to committing errors. Fortunately, cobots are ideally suited for this task. This is because they do not need any rest and workers can program them to do the same task over and over without any errors. They can easily sustain this task for 40 hours a week and are extremely accurate. Cobots can also be outfitted with sensors, so they know how much force they are applying to the object’s surface. The sensors can also sense the contours of the surface, making it very easy to teach this task to the cobot. The flexibility of cobots allows them to work on a variety of surfaces quickly and efficiently.
Screwing
Screwing is another monotonous task that demands a lot of effort from workers. As they need to deliver consistent quality, workers must perform the task continuously with the same precision and force. However, it is almost impossible to maintain, especially with long working hours. This is because humans find it hard to maintain concentration on repetitive and boring tasks, so human errors are likely to occur. This is where cobots come in. They can be fitted with a variety of screwdriver tools. Also, thanks to their built-in sensors, cobots can tighten screws accurately and with the same force. Most cobots are accurate to within 0.1mm, meaning there is less wastage and errors. Cobots can also work alongside humans on the production line which means tasks can be completed quickly. Screw applications are also very easy to set up and implement, due to a cobot’s easy programming interface.
Quality Inspection
Every inspection line needs some sort of quality testing and inspection, or else customers may be given faulty or broken products – which no one wants! However, even with the most robust quality testing and inspection, some errors still slip through the cracks. Fortunately, this is happening less and less often, due to robots picking up the slack. Cobots specifically are now being used to perform quality testing and inspection. This can include PCB testing, touchscreen device testing, chip testing, and more. With sensors and vision technologies, cobots can accurately deduce which item has errors or blemishes. They can then sort which ones can be packaged, and which items need to be discarded. Cobots are also equipped with vacuum gripping technology, so they can handle delicate objects such as chips without breaking them during the inspection process.
Palletizing
For those who may be unfamiliar, palletizing is the act of stacking boxes onto pallets. This is usually done after products are packaged and ready to be shipped or stored. While in the past, this was done by human workers, it could be very damaging to the body. Because repeatedly lifting boxes can cause back pain and other health issues, it makes sense that this task should be given to robots to do. Cobots are perfect for this as they can be programmed to stack the cargo in a certain pattern, which maximizes the area needed in addition to reducing the chances of the cargo toppling over. They can do this 24 hours a day, so this helps to reduce the cycle time of a stacked pallet.
