Industrial robotics applications have seen tremendous growth over the past decade, as many industries have realized the potential of industrial robots and more importantly, collaborative robots (Cobots). Cobots are low-cost industrial robots that operate safely around humans. Automated robots are more flexible than standard or traditional industrial robots, which means they can be deployed for a variety of tasks from tending and welding machines to packing and loading pallets. The majority of cobot implementations are found in manufacturing and industrial environments, but cobots can be used flexibly in a variety of fields from agriculture, healthcare to pharmaceuticals.
Read on to learn more about the capabilities of industrial robots in general, and let’s take a look at some of the most innovative and recent cobot applications.
WHAT ARE COBOTS IN INDUSTRIAL USE?
There are many industrial robot applications. While there are many ways to implement robotic technology, the goal of such machines is the same across all industries and processes – to improve manufacturing. Robots can improve the efficiency and safety of many industries by taking on dull, dirty and dangerous jobs.
Traditional industrial applications of robots have been large machines, as well as machines that are static and difficult to reuse and reprogram. In contrast, cobots are compact and flexible, and can operate without cages or safety barriers directly next to humans.
WHAT IS THE APPLICATION OF COBOT IN INDUSTRY?
There are many collaborative robot applications in all industries. These include assembly, delivery, finishing, machine maintenance, material handling, welding, material removal, quality inspection and more. Below, we summarize three common types of robotic arm deployments.
Material handling
Material handling is one of the most dangerous jobs in manufacturing. Materials such as metals, plastics and others can pose a great risk to workers. In addition, many repetitive material handling jobs can give rise to repetitive stress injuries.
Industries that use robots in manufacturing have significantly fewer workplace injuries. Heavy materials can easily be lifted and transported across factory floors using mobile robotic platforms. Meanwhile, machine care tasks, including those involving heavy CNC machines, are also within the reach of the robotic hand from Universal Robots.
Assembly and quality assurance
Universal Robots cobots are specially designed to work together with humans and free them from tedious and difficult assembly jobs. These jobs include soldering small pieces together, drilling screws and similar assembly work.
Automated robots can also be used to assist in quality assurance during manufacturing. Unlike humans, cobots perform the same tasks, anytime, anywhere, without showing fatigue or a drop in performance. For example, the robotic arm can place a single camera in the same position to take multiple measurements and position across multiple work pieces as needed – all without the need for optical recalibration.
Installing a cobot-operated test chamber in its factory has allowed Comprehensive Logistics to achieve 100% quality in the assembly of automotive engines.
US-based contract manufacturing specialists – Comprehensive Logistics used a UR10 cocobot equipped with a vision system to take care of the engine test tasks. The implementation has helped increase throughput and improve product quality.
Pick & Place tasks using the cobot include adding parts to products being assembled, filling finished product boxes, and stacking pallets.
Material removal
Other tasks that are also important to manufacturing can be handled by the robotic hand. For example, robot material removal is essential to any process involving casting. These small robots can assess the casting and take care of trimming any excess metal or plastic without damaging the part or putting workers at risk of injury.
Meanwhile, robotic arms equipped with dispensers and hardware can be used to inject glue and other adhesives, while robotic arms equipped with sanders from the UR+ platform can be used Use to polish parts to create a bright, smooth surface.
SOME COMMON USES OF COBOT IN INDUSTRY
Let’s see how the UR cobot is being used to support manufacturers in the electronics, agriculture and pharmaceutical industries.
Electronics and technology
Universal Robots cobots are used by manufacturers of lights, mobile phones, speakers, computers, and more. Since collaborative robots are easier to program than typical industrial robots, they can be programmed by non-specialists and are preferred for their rapid deployment.
For example, the New Zealand-based company Betacom relies on the cobot UR10 to produce LED street lights. The production of these lamps is extremely important to ensure the safety of road users and requires high precision. Using the multi-head vacuum clamp, the UR10 selects a circuit board from the stand and places it on the aluminum press. The robot then selects six LED lenses and positions them on the circuit board. The final step is to get a pneumatic screwdriver that can automatically tighten the lenses and circuit board to the aluminum press.
The implementation of the UR10 cobot allows Betacom to take on new, higher-volume jobs with high precision and accuracy.
Food and Agriculture
Food production and agriculture take place day and night. Robots can work 24 hours a day, so there is less waste and production time is also faster than humans. In addition, the cobot can operate in extremely hot, cold, or extreme conditions. As a result, more and more companies in the food manufacturing sector are turning to cobots to assist workers.
Since installing the UR5 cobot, Atria Scandinavia has reduced carton waste by 25%.
For example, the Swedish food manufacturing company Atria Scandinavia creates high-quality gourmet and vegetarian products for the convenience market. Atria uses the UR5 cobot to minimize downtime in their small production facility. Once deployed, each of the company’s production lines can prepare an average of 228 items per hour for delivery. “Cobot UR is a great automation solution because they can operate without a safety barrier. It is a great advantage that our staff can work right next to the robot and easily adapt the robot hand to pack different types of products.” – said Johnny Jansson, Technical Director of Atria.
Pharmaceutical and health care
With the world battling Covid-19, 2020 has brought some ingenious ways to deploy cobots. From manufacturing personal protective equipment to testing swabs, cobots are helping to improve the efficiency, safety and quality of countless processes.
Copenhagen University Hospital is currently using the UR5 cobot to optimize its blood testing process.
With a great demand for effective deep cleaning and disinfection technology without direct human contact on potentially infected areas, researchers at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore announced the eXtremeDisinfection roBOT (XDBOT). The disinfection robot consists of the UR5 robot arm equipped with an electrostatic nozzle and placed on a movable platform. The robotic arm is programmed to mimic human hand movements and get into hard-to-reach areas like under beds and tables.
WHAT INDUSTRY USE COBOTS MOST?
According to the International Federation of Robots (IFR), the automotive industry is the largest user of industrial robots, accounting for 28% of total installations, leading the electrical/electronic industry (24%), metal and machinery (12%), plastics and chemical products (5%), food and beverages (3%).
Vehicle manufacturing offers the most industrial robotics applications as there are many types of processes involved from assembly and care of machines to part inspection and finishing. All of these tasks – and more – can be successfully performed by the collaborative robotic arm.
Nissan uses the UR10 cobot to assist with packaging, assembly and labeling tasks.
One of the Nissan engine manufacturing facilities in Japan is struggling to keep up with production as well as cope with labor shortages and an aging workforce. Nissan has deployed two lines of UR10 robotic arms to help move heavy manifolds in its production line. The company also deployed automated arms alongside workers to install the engine intake manifold and loosen bolts.
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