SMART FACTORIES & AUTOMATION FEATURE
CO-WORKING WITH COLLABORATIVE ROBOTS
R
obots are notoriously good at performing repetitive tasks on factory floors. However,
with the rising need for manufacturers today to be agile and able to respond quickly to changing market demands, there is a call to put human touch back into manufacturing to meet customer demands for greater levels of customisation and personalisation of goods and services. Next- generation robotics will therefore need to go beyond outdated automation ideas, and work in closer collaboration with human employees. Despite often being linked to AI, the truth is
that automation rarely means having machines thinking for themselves and taking over the jobs of the human workforce. It is actually quite the opposite, as the most successful automation projects use robots purely as tools, which make the existing labour force more efficient. Collaborative robots (cobots) were created to offer manufacturers a helping hand in simple tasks involving picking, placing, packing and assembling, which were previously undertaken by human employees. They are programmed to ease the workload of humans by taking over the most repetitive, laborious and potentially hazardous tasks. Collaborative robots have redefined the way
we work with automation. Previously, with traditional industrial robots, humans had to keep their distance and let them work in isolation. This worked well when producing the same product line continuously, as it required very little human supervision. These industrial robots are ideal for high-volume mass production settings, but lack the flexibility
needed today which means that even making a minimal change to how or where they operate is costly, time-consuming and requires an expert to programme them. The cobots were rolled out in response to this exact challenge, as they can be placed right on the factory floor amongst human workers due to their size and numerous safety sensors. Apart from the obvious benefits of floor-space
savings, human-robot collaboration offers manufacturers several advantages. By taking over the most laborious, repetitive and potentially dangerous tasks, collaborative robots improve working conditions for humans and allows them to focus on higher-value tasks that require human ingenuity and creativity. Being easy to deploy and re-deploy in a moment’s notice when needed, the cobots can operate on several different product lines and can be re- programmed by existing staff to take on tasks as needs change. This opens up a whole new world of possibilities for more efficient and flexible working.
DE-BUNKING MISCONCEPTIONS The main barriers today to the adoption of automation is twofold: the presumption that robotics and automation is costly and only meant for larger corporations, and that they are here to replace existing employees. It is true that certain jobs will change beyond recognition as a result of automation. However, robots are also a net creator of jobs. Even if robots will put a certain number of assembly workers out of a job, they will create newer – and higher paying
/ FACTORYEQUIPMENT
by Mark Gray, Universal Robots
– jobs in fields like programming, logistics and quality control. Researchers have also demonstrated that
robot-human teams are about 85 per cent more productive than either working in isolation. By investing in cobots and using them as tools manufacturers can unlock greater productivity, which in turn will lead to greater profit. They also provide a safe future investment, as they can easily be re-programmed to work on a completely different product if and when business needs change, and will therefore never be made redundant. B-Loony, a UK SME manufacturer of bespoke promotional products, managed to increase productivity without having to hire additional workers by investing in cobots, which allowed them to significantly boost output whilst cutting the average cost of each item produced. This productivity lift further resulted in B-Loony achieving a payback period of just nine months, which is expected to be brought down further in future projects. The future of automation is collaborative.
Manufacturers shouldn’t get overwhelmed by the vast number of smart technologies available, nor the school of thought that all businesses need to undergo a complete and instant digital transformation in order to survive. Viewing cobots as a tool and integrating them into existing processes is the perfect way to take a first step into automation.
Universal Robots
www.universal-robots.com E:
sales@universal-robots.com
FACTORY EQUIPMENT | SEPTEMBER 2019 23
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