With the rise of collaborative robots, end users face a series of questions. Previously, they only needed to determine which industrial robot was most suitable for an application, but now they must decide whether an industrial robot or a collaborative robot is best for the job. Improvements in safety technology now allow industrial robots to be used in collaborative operations, providing many of the same benefits as collaborative robots along with increased payload and the speed and cost reduction of traditional automation. Every workplace with humans requires a risk assessment for its automation applications, and collaborative applications need a series of safety mechanisms to ensure the safety of human workers.
Collaborative Robot Advantages:
* Can typically share workspace with employees;
* Initial costs for integration and production floor disruption are reduced if no safety cells are required;
* Programming and integration are relatively simple;
* Return on investment can typically be achieved in less than a year
Collaborative Robot Disadvantages:
* Risk assessment is required to define safety measure needs, and safety fencing may be required;
* Safety precautions may cause very low running speeds or frequent stops. Other required safety measures can significantly increase integration costs;
* Limited range, payload, speed, and accuracy;
Collaborative robots can serve as the "ideal first step for automation processes that don't require safety guarding. Collaborative robots can help employees gain experience and familiarity with robotic systems," as collaborative robots "typically perform repetitive or injury-prone tasks such as machine tending or palletizing, freeing employees to engage in higher-value upstream or downstream manual tasks."
Industrial Robot Advantages:
* Faster and more accurate than humans, even with high loads;
* Fully automated production lines can quickly handle applications unsuitable for humans, removing operators from unsafe or unclean environments;
* Powerful programming with extensive integration options;
* Return on investment is typically achieved within 12-18 months;
* Can collaborate with appropriate risk assessment applications.
Industrial Robot Disadvantages:
* High speed and throughput may not suit small batch processes;
* Fixed work cells may require changes to production floor layout;
* More difficult to change processes, and external resources may increase costs if needed;
* May require specialized personnel or external resources for setup, programming, and maintenance;
If accurate safety assessments are performed beforehand, companies can more effectively choose robot features that are most important for their applications, and often save time and money while better meeting their automation requirements. Speed Packaging Equipment recommends answering some questions before purchasing any robot or automated packaging equipment:
What are your automation goals (reduce employees on production line, increase output, improve quality, etc.)?
Does your work environment impact employee health?
Is your process fixed or highly variable?
Do you want to support manual processes or automate an entire production line?
How much space is available for automation equipment?
What are the scalability requirements for supporting long-term growth?
What are your payload, range, precision, and cycle time requirements?
