Tips from cobot dealers to pick the right cobot
In the current technologically advanced era, there is an increase in the number of cobots deployed across various industries. Many modern small and medium-sized companies have started introducing collaborative robots aka cobots in the workplace due to the notable benefits that they offer. The next-generation SMEs are likely to rely more on cobots as the industry trends such as device autonomy, industrial IoT (Internet of Things), process complexity, etc. are witnessing a never-seen-before growth.
But the final decision of choosing the right cobot robot requires a comprehensive assessment of the options available and the relevance to the application. You should remember that only the right decision will unleash all the benefits of implementing the cobot at the workplace. And, the experts at the collaborative robot companies will help you make a decision.
Various types of cobots from cobot dealers
Talking about collaborative robots, there is a consensus that they are meant to perform a task automatically. By bringing in automation, these cobots are said to free the human workers from complex work resulting in optimized production. Most people think cobots are safe when subjected to work with humans. While this is true, there are four types of cobots of which three can be used with industrial robots that are fenced.
There are four types of robotics you can implement in your workspace, and these are safety monitored for stop, speed, separation monitoring, power, force limiting, and hand guiding. The collaborative robots are of wide variety. And, you need to know where you need them and how they should interact with humans in the workspace. Only when you understand this, you will be able to unleash the complete potential.
Besides knowing the type of cobot, you also need to know the size of the robot that you will need for your application. Decide if you want a stronger or larger cobot and the flexibility to redeploy the same in the future. Talk to experts in the automation industry to know if the bare minimum system is required to handle the application and deliver maximum efficiency.
Know when to use a collaborative robot from cobot dealers
Collaborative robots let you avoid placing guarding and red tape that is usually used in the case of industrial robots at the expense of speed. The ease of installation and user-friendliness of these robots make them right for your usage. The reason that you should choose the cobots over the regular robots is their ability to handle automation. You can choose a cobot that is easy to program and set up if you are using it for a less threatening application or if you are a first time user. These are called Universal Robots and are much lighter than the other options.
There is Kawasaki’s duAro cobot that has a similar versatility as the Universal Robots. The dual-arm SCARA robot is equipped with sensors and computer vision to facilitate a greater degree of flexibility. The entire system will be installed on a rolling cart for easy transportation.
Cobots are user-friendly and flexible, and their safety protocols will have limitations based on the task and speed. Though the collaborative robots are safe, the safety features are irrelevant in some applications. To make you understand the same better, arc-welding cobots require guarding due to arc flash and other hazards.
Questions to ask the collaborative robot companies
Choosing the right option from a wide range of innovative and advanced cobots could be an exasperating task for the SMEs. If the wrong decision is taken, then you will face issues such as increased cost of equipment. So, it becomes essential to ask a few questions to yourself before choosing the right one.
Here are some common questions that you should get answers to before choosing a collaborative robot for your applications.-
- What is the goal of automation?
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- Is your workspace safe for the human workforce?
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- How much space can you offer for the automation equipment?
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- What about scalability on an extended scale?
- What are your accuracy, payload and cycle time requirements?
Only when you raise such questions regarding your requirement and try to answer them, you will be able to find out the best option that will cater to your needs.