August 2021

34 n ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATED MANUFACTURING July/August 2021 www.drivesncontrols.com Cobots: a systems integrator’s view J udging by the relatively poor take-up of robots in the UK, there are still significant opportunities for these machines to make a positive impact on productivity. Of course, there are certain applications where it makes sense for tasks to be performed manually – especially where high levels of dexterity may be needed. For more sophisticated applications, the best option is often found in automation. Collaborative robots – or cobots, as they are more commonly known – are aimed at the middle ground, performing repetitive or physically difficult operations, while an operator adds value with the higher-level decision-making tasks. When cobots started to become widely available, many thought they represented a revolution in robotics and would proliferate across manufacturing plants, as an affordable way of automating, either working alongside humans or replacing them altogether. The reality today is somewhat different. Although we have seen some applications where cobots work alongside humans in a truly coordinated way, our experience, and that of our customers, is that collaborative technology is playing a more significant role in other ways. The affordable nature of these robots, combined with their ease of use, has opened up opportunities to use them as a cost-effective alternative to a traditional industrial robots. In addition, the flexibility that they offer compared to traditional linear technologies or pick-and-place systems, means that they can make a valuable contribution as part of a complete automated system. Much has been made of the ability of cobots to work safely alongside humans without needing protective guarding. However, you need to consider the way in which the cobot will operate. A risk assessment needs to be carried out before decisions can be made on whether or not guarding is required. Generally, the robot itself will be safe out- of-the-box, but as soon as end-effectors or other tools are added, safety issues can arise. Anything sharp, heavy or hot on the robot’s wrist can be dangerous, even at low speeds, so safe zones need to be configured to allow the robot and human to perform their separate tasks safely. Once these issues have been addressed, cobots can be a valuable and productive tool working with humans across a wide range of applications. Just as the automotive sector was the first to embrace traditional industrial robots, automotive OEMs and Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers have also been the early adopters of cobots for applications such as polishing in body-in-white, applying glue, assembling components, screwdriving and similar tasks. In some of these applications, the robots work independently, in a similar way to industrial robots, and in others they operate in a truly collaborative way. So, how do you decide whether to use a traditional industrial robot or a cobot, and how to configure the work cell? For those new to automation and robotics, it can sometimes be difficult to understand the best and most cost-effective approach. For example, at the outset of a project, the customer may believe that a cobot is the best answer for their application. However, depending on the application, a collaborative version of a traditional industrial robot – as offered by several robot manufacturers – may be a better option, being faster and capable of handling higher payloads. It could also be the case that a different type of robot, such as a Scara device, might be a better option. Collaborative robots are here to stay and it is likely that they will continue to open up new opportunities for automation in many sectors of industry. It is also the case, however, that they will often be competing with their industrial robot cousins. n How are collaborative robots – or cobots – actually being used? Are they truly coordinating with humans, or simply replacing traditional industrial robots? Lee Kerswell, head of business development at Altec Engineering, examines cobots from a system integrator’s perspective. Collaborative robots are opening up new applications, but they may not be the best way of automating every task