Cobots Take on Manufacturing Challenges

Downsides or cautions noted by Garksi typically deal with misapplication of cobots. “When people see a cobot they think, anyone can set this up, I don’t need a robot specialist or machine builder,” he said. “There is a perception that you don’t need a qualified staff to set up cobots because they use tablet-like pendants and easy-to-teach functions to make them move. While that’s true, it is important to set it up the right way. There are many things that may function but aren’t good for the longevity of the cobot, such as lifting heavy loads at the far reach of travel or putting things like grinders and sanders on the end of an arm tool. In some cases, an application may even be unsafe, such as in the instance of grinding.”

Interesting applications

Although cobot use is on the rise in manufacturing, cobots are still a somewhat new technology. And, like any evolving technology, manufacturers will constantly find new and innovative ways to employ cobots as they evolve.

One such new way of using a cobot noted by Losey is their use in packing embalming fluid in boxes. “That job is not good for humans, so robots are perfect,” she said.

Another use case she cited involved Behren’s, the manufacturers of metal pails and buckets. Here, the robots “have been put to work punching holes in the buckets for the handles to be inserted. This is the perfect kind of task for a robot—strenuous, repetitive work,” she said. 

“One of the more interesting things I’m seeing related to cobots revolves around their mobility,” Garski reports. “Seeing people put them on carts and move them around like a toolbox opens a lot of doors to getting extra lights out production that wouldn’t have been possible before. It’s most interesting to me simply because it delivers strong value today. Similarly, I’ve seen them mounted on autonomous mobile robots, but that requires a whole host of batteries and power to work. So, while it’s unique and interesting, it hasn’t hit the tipping point of being practical.”

Original Article: https://www.automationworld.com/factory/robotics/article/55130925/cobots-take-on-manufacturing-challenges