Chasing productivity in manufacturing with cobots

With new artificial intelligence algorithms, the technology around us is constantly adjusting to our needs and behaviours to serve us in the best way. This technology assistance is also scaling up. Industrial ‘cobots’ or collaborative robots are designed to be able to collaborate with humans in an intelligent and safe manner, and are set to become a key part of industry 5.0.

Collaborative robots in manufacturing

Cobots can be deployed in almost any industry and sector to take on dull, dirty, and dangerous work, but manufacturing in particular is where they shine. They take on the actions and duties that could be dangerous to a human or just plain dull. A study by Future Market Insights (FMI) predicts that the collaborative robots market will expand at a CAGR of ~26% through 2029.

Cobots are designed to operate safely alongside human workers and enable human-robot collaboration. Cobots, just like traditional industrial robots, consist of a mechanical arm that can be programmed to perform various tasks in the factory setting such as material handling, assembly, process tasks, quality inspection and packaging. This allows its human co-worker to focus on other tasks that require greater dexterity and cognitive abilities than the cobot which focuses on repetitive tasks.

What differentiates cobots from regular robots is their working in very close contact with human workers, by leveraging sensors and special software algorithms. Cobots automatically stop interference with obstacles (objects or humans alike) and the forces exerted during a collision are small enough not to cause damage or injuries.

How deployment of cobots will Impact the manufacturing industry

Handling raw material

A manufacturing company could be dealing with the handling of hazardous, chemical materials. This could obviously put workers at risk, increasing the dangers of losing valuable human lives and opening up the possibility of lawsuits. This is where robotics steps in, filling in the roles that are just too risky for a human.

Cobots can easily handle dangerous chemicals, radioactive substances, and several other elements without the danger that humans face. With robotics, you can enter programs to ensure precise handling without any mishaps due to human error. Even if the worst happens, you’ll be facing a mechanical repair instead of death or serious injury.

Cobots can also prevent the damage of products stored in warehouses. That’s because they’re less likely to mishandle equipment provided, they’re programmed correctly. Mishandling by human workers has cost employers and factory owners a pretty penny in the past. With robotics, such costs are likely to go way down.

Increase productivity and optimize processes

One of the main selling points for cobots is their flexibility. Programming a cobot for a new task is simple and an external service worker is not necessary. This introduces a versatility into the production line and the cobot can easily be set up doing a sequence of different tasks in the same day or have designated days for certain tasks.

Cobots can easily be integrated into agile systems since they allow the staff to quickly respond to design changes and redeploy the cobot accordingly.

Robots never tire, making them more consistent and accurate workers than their human counterparts. This makes them especially suitable for monotonous tasks, as they can perform simple action repeatedly without their work quality diminishing. Their precision reduces failure and product defect possibility to almost zero.

Contributing to 24 X 7 manufacturing operations

The introduction of robotics also means that operations can go on for a longer time, all day if need be. With the population booming in most parts of the world, the demand for products is only going to go up. To provide supplies for this demand, factories and manufacturing plants have looked towards robotics for enhancing their output capacity and manufacturing time.

While a human workforce is subject to exhaustion, overwork, lack of motivation, and union laws, cobots don’t have any of these issues. When a human becomes overworked, the quality of their work is compromised. This could put them and others in dangerous situations as well as causing financial loss to a manufacturing company.

On the other hand, cobots can easily operate around the clock, provided they get the required maintenance. Fatigue wouldn’t affect them unless a machine needs to be cooled down for an hour or so. Of course, it’s best if humans are still present in a supervisory capacity so they can be sure there’s no malfunctioning.

Increasing capacity

The output capacity of the manufacturing industry is said to increase due to the introduction of robotics, because cobots will help clean spaces, save on all kinds of utilities, and can generate a satisfactory return on investment (ROI) within less time. Using cobots has also helped domestic companies compete with the cheaper offshore companies by reducing the former's costs.

Cobots will also improve the manufacturing output and enhance the safety in manufacturing sites. All of this comes together to lower overall costs, enhance quality, and thus, increase the profit margin for local companies. Using robotics is thus a way of enhancing the economy for the manufacturing industry as a whole.

No, cobots won't kill jobs

The common worry of workers in manufacturing is that they will be replaced by machines that are faster, more precise and never tire. Truth is that this scenario is highly unlikely. Especially within companies with high mix and low volume production, as traditional industrial machines commonly in use have high costs and low flexibility. This opens the door to what is now being called the fifth industrial revolution.

Information technology is used for smart manufacturing, placing the human workforce and collaborative robots side by side, with no need to reduce the size of the staff. The workers are not replaced by machines. Instead, by using cobots, the worker is spared of repetitive processes and his time is freed so it can be used for more complex processes thus improving the day-to-day experience of the workers.

Roadmap to achieving value from cobots

Manufacturers can begin their journey to a cobot-powered organization after management decision on robotization by upgrading legacy IT systems, hiring new people with interdisciplinary skills in fields related to robotics, and upskilling existing workers so they can leverage new technologies and tools. Alternatively, technology consultants and robot integrators provide assessment services and can support manufacturers.

Once this is done, manufacturers can start to think about their cobot implementation strategy. First, they should establish the business objectives for their cobots and any potential constraints that could hinder adoption.

Following is a checklist for strategizing the cobot implementation process-

• Identify manually operated tools and machinery suitable for cobot implementation
• Evaluate business processes, look for repetitive or simplistic tasks and determine each task’s susceptibility to cobots
• Develop a strategy for introducing cobots into the site environment across the five dimensions of infrastructure, implementation, human-robot teaming, systems operation and culture
• Create a roadmap to design and integrate the various components of a robotic system based on business needs

Possible challenges

Massive deployments of any new technology can be tricky, but when it comes to cobots, this is especially true. Industries need to develop use cases for cobots that prove their efficacy, and the design phase has historically been where all configuration and fine-tuning takes place. But the main challenge with cobots is that insufficient technology hinders this phase. Cobot technology includes hardware design, sensors and actuators, efficient information processing, video processing, planning and multiple fields from artificial intelligence landscapes, along with technologies that ensure safety, predictability and security.

Enterprises will need to develop use cases that benefit from human-robot collaboration, as this technology matures. Technology vendors will also need to ensure dependability of the systems, in terms of predictability, security and safety. They’ll also need to make sure they’re complying to set regulations and standards.

Cobots for the future

The advancement of collaborative robotics helps to streamline many manufacturing tasks that were out of reach before. After the initial standoffish reaction to new technology from the industry, cobots gained tremendous momentum in infiltrating production lines. The advancement is partly fuelled by a certain hype around cobots, but it is undeniable that robotization became accessible for small and medium businesses with the ease of use and flexibility of cobots.

Nowadays it is not a difficult decision for manufacturers to start implementing cobots in their production and in fact, traditional industrial robot makers offer cobot options. However, before investing in cobots for your organization, you should weigh the pros and cons, consider the financial investment, and determine how they are the right fit for your company’s needs. Work on a clear implementation strategy and consider current limitations for optimal performance.

Indeed, cobots will not only continue to be workers’ extensions, but they will also become industrial robots’ companions and mobile robot payloads themselves. As productions become more digital and automated, we can expect more value coming from cobots as long as they are employed adequately.