Reasons cobots are preferred by industries in Canada
Manufacturers who haven’t integrated the use of a robot in their production facilities, the idea of introducing one could be exasperating. To make it simpler for them, robot makers have come up with self-contained and smaller robots that can work along with the human workforce. These robots are way too different from traditional industrial robots that are heavy and large. These self-contained robots are called cobots or collaborative robots.
The manufacturing industries likely to see an influx in the use of cobots in the years to come. Though collaborative robots and the use of cobot arm are not brand new, the market is yet to grow. There are studies suggesting that the collaborative robot market will grow significantly in the coming years. The electronics manufacturing industry is all set to witness a lot of benefits from the use of cobots as these will bring more flexibility.
Rise in use of cobot arm in manufacturing industries in Canada
Cobots feature a compact design, safety mechanisms and integrated sensors. These features have helped cobots change the way manufacturers use robots. Collaborative robots are designed in such a way that even operators who do not understand about robotics technology can use these and exhibit better productivity. Notably, there are studies claiming that there is a lot of cost involved in employee training and turnaround. And, repetitive tasks result in health issues including carpal tunnel syndrome and lifting heavy weights causes issues results in fatigue leading to production mistakes. With the use of a cobot arm, these issues will be rectified.
Eventually, cobots are better than human workforce and help increase productivity and profitability of the companies. As a result, several companies in Canada including,
- Pharmaceutical industry
- Automobile industry
- Electronic component manufacturing
- Consumer good manufacturing
Cobots are preferred by companies in Canada for safety reasons
Collaborative robots can senses disturbances including impacts, resistance and pressure occurring in the joints and reach accordingly. In such situations, cobots limit the amount of power as well as force that is transmitted to avoid a collision. When it comes in contact with humans in the workplace, these cobots will stop or reverse the action depending on the situation. This feature is called Power Force Limitation and is a mandatory feature for the robot to be termed collaborative.
Similar to any other device that interacts with humans, a cobot also needs a thorough risk analysis in order to find out the necessary safety measures that will minimize accidents. Most manufacturers in Canada do have safety barriers in place. But collaborative robots do not need these safety barriers due to the Power Force Limitation feature.
Cobot arm is easy to use for manufacturers, suggest experts in Canada
One reason that manufacturers prefer using collaborative robots in their workspace is that these are easy to use as compared to industrial robots. There is no need to train employees hard to operate and work with a cobot. Moreover, collaborative robots do not require lengthy programming that is associated with robots. A big factor that simplifies the cobot programming is hand guiding. It is highly beneficial when the cobot is interrupted and needs a recovery operation.
Some collaborative robots are designed to include no pinch points and this makes it safe for the operators. Also, these cobots can move all six axes at the same time. In this case, the operator can access the complex programming tools using a pendant that is attached to the robot so that its position can be fine-tuned. Some cobot manufacturers are looking forward to develop an interface that is in line with tablet computers and mobile devices as this is a modern requirement.