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Manufacturing companies are increasingly turning towards robots that can work alongside human workers. These Collaborative robots - or "Cobots" - are more efficient than people because they can perform repetitive tasks with high speed and accuracy.
Cobots are not the only robots used in manufacturing processes. Stationary Industrial robots can be placed on a production line where they perform tasks with incredible precision.
Unlike a human worker, a robot doesn't require any rest or days off. This means that a factory can continue to function day and night, enhancing output.
As mentioned above, robots don't need breaks, so production processes can continue without interruptions, streamlining the entire system.
However, the manufacturing industry is not only streamlined through uninterrupted production.
Robotics and the industrial revolution have brought in real-time data collection and analysis. This means that bottlenecks or potential delays can be spotted instantly and addressed by human managers.
Furthermore, robots can be integrated into various parts of the supply chain: from storage and retrieval to sorting, packing, and palletizing. This ensures a streamlined process where human workers may sometimes falter (it is called "human" error after all).
Robots never have to focus their attention on different tasks, unlike human labor. Instead, each robot in manufacturing will have one specific task, which can be performed with incredible accuracy.
This is because each robot is specifically designed or programmed to undertake a certain task at a certain time.
Some types of robots, like articulated bots, have movable joints (almost like human arms) which allow them to make detailed movements along various axes. This ensures precision work at a level that can barely be reached or repeated by tired humans on an assembly line.
It isn't just the robots doing the precision work. In processes where human mistakes are likely, robots can be used for quality control. Robotics technology can be programmed to perform intricate quality checks, reducing any margin of error in manufacturing.
Some manufacturing jobs can be hazardous for humans. They may involve working with heavy tools, chemicals, or high temperatures. Generally, a manufacturing plant is quite an unsafe place.
By delegating these dangerous tasks to robots, production processes become safer for humans.
Having robots on the factory floor might be dangerous in theory - especially if they're mobile - but most come with safety precautions built-in. Stationary bots can be placed behind fencing to ensure human safety. Collaborative robots have sensors that prevent collisions, and they can work alongside humans to perform more dangerous and complicated tasks.
Purchasing an industrial robot may have expensive upfront costs, but their long-term cost-savings make them worth it.
As mentioned, robots don't require breaks and will never need paid time off. Newer models don't require much maintenance, meaning the main expense with an industrial robot will be the purchase price and perhaps training for a worker on how to program it.
The reasons robots reduce labor costs are:
Robots can't yet dominate the manufacturing sector without humans; there are certain tasks that only robots, or only humans, can perform.
This separation of tasks means that repetitive jobs can be performed by robots, with incredible speed. Humans are then freed up to perform more complex tasks in the supply chain.
If there is a sudden change in the production line (e.g. a new product is being produced), then robots can quickly be reprogrammed to perform new tasks, allowing a quicker transition between different products.
Overall, robots have increased the speed of production processes due to their ability to perform work consistently and their adaptability to new jobs.
One of the purposes of robots in the manufacturing industry is to automate processes previously done by humans.
Ongoing technological advances have meant that robots across industries have undergone major automation developments. This is mainly due to two things: Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI).
Robotics manufacturers can incorporate IoT technologies into robots to improve communication and coordination throughout the manufacturing process.
AI and machine learning enable bots to adapt, learn, develop decision-making abilities, and collaborate effectively with people in manufacturing companies.
One example of these developments can be seen in Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs). These bots use sensors to understand their environment and move around without human intervention. The automation of these bots is used for transport and material handling - predominantly in warehouses.
Based on the above information, it is clear that industrial bots have revolutionized the manufacturing industry. Advanced technology and robotics can be combined with skilled workers to enhance precision and speed on factory floors.
What makes robots especially useful in manufacturing is the ability to customize the bots - either physically or through programming. For example, a robotic arm can have different end-effectors (the "hand" part), including:
This means that a single robot can be used for various purposes - an ability that humans lack unless time and money are spent on training and upskilling.
Contrary to what many may think, robotics creates new job roles in manufacturing. Human beings are required to perform tasks like maintaining and programming the bots and system design. Humans are also still required for difficult and dynamic tasks.
Smaller robots, like the RO1, have become more affordable, making it possible for smaller companies to invest in robots. Despite the larger upfront costs, the benefits of bots will be as evident in a small company as in a large one, including increased efficiency and productivity.
To remain competitive, companies will have to start moving away from manual labor and embrace the robotic revolution. Over the years, Manufacturing robots have changed the industry drastically, and with ongoing developments in advanced robotics, it's expected that this trend will continue in years to come.