We all know about robots, but have you ever heard of Cobots?
Also known as collaborative robots, Cobots have been around for some time and, by the look if it, will be around forever. A Cobot is different from a robot because it works along with the human employee instead of replacing that human employee. Many projections show that the use of Cobots is expected to grow faster in the coming years. Their (Cobots) use has been projected even to grow faster than regular robots.
This growth is expected to happen because collaborative work allows more complex things to be done. There are also a few massive players in the robot business these days. Cobots also displace humans from doing repetitive tasks. This, in turn, allows the humans to focus on other tasks that are more complex and higher value-added.
What differentiates Cobots from Robots?
One of the significant differences is that you do not need any fencing around them with Cobots. This is because they are entirely compliant with health and safety. As such, they are safe to work around people. Moreover, these robots are usually small and easy to install.
Does any collaborative robot qualify to be a Cobot?
In order for a robot to become a Cobot, they need to satisfy the safety requirements of ISO/TS15066. The requirements are:
- 1. Safety-rates monitored stop: The robot must stop when a person enters the task area.
- 2. Hand-guiding: They must only work according to the force that is applied through the worker's touch.
- 3. Speed and separation monitoring: The robot must only move when there is a certain amount of distance between them and a person.
- 4. PFL (Power and force limiting) by inherent design or control: When a contact accident occurs, the robots must prevent the accident by delivering limited power.
The Cobots must satisfy at least one of these requirements. What's more, when a Cobot is working, it must have an indicator that shows that it's working. Only then can it be called a Cobot. All these requirements are related to safety.
This is because safety is the most crucial thing for Cobots that work in the same area as human workers. In other words, Cobots are essentially industrial robots that satisfy the safety certification ISO/TS15066.
Why are Cobots used?
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1. Cost reduction
By not needing a safety fence, Cobots can be placed anywhere around the factory. As a result, it is easy to change the layout. This reduces equipment investment.
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2. Intuitive teaching
They are easy to test-drive. This means they are easy to teach without requiring expert knowledge intuitively. All you have to do is move the body of the robot. For example, there are some Cobots that can start moving by turning on a hand-grip switch.
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3. Reduce safety accidents
Cobots help prevent accidents because you can precisely control their power more efficiently than industrial robots. This is due to the structural characteristics of Cobots.
Structural characteristics of Cobots
First, there's a torque sensor. If the robot has a six-axis, you will find a sensor installed in all 6-axis. Thanks to these sensors, you can get much more accurate coordinates than simple, current calculations. They can detect collisions, secure safety, and exert just the right amount of power for more precise movements.
The second is the location of the servo driver module. This is what moves the robot through current control. They are in the controller of industrial robots, but they are located in each joint for Cobots. Double calculations are performed on the robot's location value, so it's much more precise and safe.
Cobots also have advantages in addition to their structural characteristics.
Benefits of Cobots
- User convenience: Some come equipped with pneumatic cables, so there are no cables outside the robot. This is the opposite of industrial robots whose cables are tied to the robot's exterior and connected to the controller. Exterior-placed cables might affect the robot's ability to detect collision.
- After-service convenience: The maintenance of a Cobot is simple—some robots, even some with a single integrated drive module, are easy to replace. So, if you ever need a follow-up service, all you have to do is replace the part. As a result, you'll have minimized lying-down time.
- High-capacity computing power: Some Cobots have high-capacity power modules that can be used even in high-weight-lifting Cobots. What'sWhat's more if there's a temporary power instability, a buffer function is there to compensate for the lack of power.
- Superior design: Cobots come with user-friendly designs. Most nowadays come with curved designs. This minimizes the hardness of industrial robots. Such designs also improve safety. It does so by preventing jamming accidents caused by clothes stuck in the crevices.
Application of Cobots
When the Covid pandemic started, companies like ABB reported selling about 50,000 robots to Singapore to help with rapid Covid-19 testing. Why? Because they are faster, 100% accurate in terms of movement (no variability), and no health risk.
This was huge for the company in 2020, and the compound Cobot growth rate projected by ABB was 17% annually. While this might not sound big, it is a very high growth rate in the world of manufacturing. Other than testing, there are other industries in which Cobots are used.
The following are more ways in which Cobots are used in various industries:
- 1. Machine tending
- 2. Pick & place
- 3. Assembly (gear, screw)
- 4. Bonding/gluing
- 5. Palletizing and packaging
- 6. Welding
- 7. Inspection
- 8. Air blowing
- 9. Deburring & polishing
- 10. Assistance in plastic injection
- 11. Assistance in press forming
The biggest single market for Cobots so far is the auto industry. However, robot companies want to diversify by creating cheaper Cobots. That way, smaller companies will be able to afford them.
Conclusion
Cobots are one of the most popular fields in the current industrial revolution. According to ABI research done in 2019, the market size Cobots have in the entire robot market was 5%. Even so, the field is expected to grow to 28.6% by the year 2030.
