CONTROL & AUTOMATION TRUE COLLABORATION
MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC
Five reasons why you should get into cobotics
There are plenty of scenarios where robotics can be deployed to increase productivity and precision while removing people from the drudgery of repetitive tasks . Cobots take this a step further by being able to work alongside human operators in a truly collaborative way .
Barry Weller , Robot Product Manager at Mitsubishi Electric , looks at five reasons why businesses should consider installing cobots .
When looking at the adoption of future technology , it is acknowledged that robots will play an ever-increasing role . Industrial , cooperative and collaborative robots can be gamechangers for businesses in the manufacturing , processing and assembly sectors , where they can boost productivity and flexibility . The technology has never stood still and robots are now more versatile than ever .
The latest innovation in the sector is the collaborative robot , otherwise known as the cobot . This means that robots can now operate alongside people , utilising the same workspace , opening up many applications that have not been possible before .
However , this is not the only reason to use a collaborative robot :
1 . ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY
When new technology becomes available it can either have a disruptive influence on the established way of thinking , or it can reignite interest in an area that had maybe slipped from people ’ s attention , the latter is definitely true with cobots .
Key elements fuelling this interest include visual programming , direct teaching , collision detection , integrated vision and extended safety functions , which means that cobots can be used in applications without the need for physical guards . These allow collaborative machines to match the level of sophistication of industrial robots while increasing productivity on the factory floor as well as backing data-driven , smart operations , where the information generated by cobots can provide actionable insights to maintain peak performance .
Add to this the fact that they look good , with a sleek design that has no pinch points or sharp corners , then they make for an attractive option for any application .
2 . EASE OF USE
As the robot technology has advanced , so has its ease of use and how it integrates with peripheral devices . What was the preserve of the “ expert ” is now expected to be available to everyone and this is actually one of the biggest advantages of using cobots .
The technology behind cobots means their programming can be graphically based , featuring icons for functions and flow charts for the sequencing of the process . This reduces programming complexity as well as development and engineering time .
The configuration of the cobot arms can be completed manually by guiding the cobot arm to the desired positions . The configuration of the robot ‘ hands ’ is achieved using graphical parameters . If vision systems are needed , a solution such as Mitsubishi Electric ’ s Assista offers users the ability to set up cameras by using an intuitive software wizard which guides the user through each step of the process . It is also able to automatically perform other key functions , such as the calibration of a coordinate system using Artificial Intelligence ( AI ).
Ultimately , businesses that install cobots on their production lines do not initially require the same level of robotic or programming expertise as for standard industrial robots .
48 PECM Issue 52