Applications of cobots
While they may not look like much at first glance, cobots are incredibly versatile. With a mix of tooling and user-friendly software, they can be used for a wide range of applications. This makes them very flexible if you need them to do certain tasks as soon as possible. Here, we have listed below a few popular applications of cobots and what they can do for manufacturers and their production lines. For those interested in this topic, be sure to read on until the very end!
Sanding and polishing
One very important yet monotonous task is sanding, polishing, and deburring surfaces. In order to make sure you do a good job, it is essential that you apply the same amount of force on a surface continuously, to make sure the quality delivered is consistent. However, the issue with that is it is practically impossible for human workers to do this for eight hours a day, every day. This is where cobots come in. Thanks to its built-in sensors, the cobot can continue to apply the same amount of force to the surface with minimal errors. Additionally, the accuracy of the robots means that the same contour is followed every single time without much deviation. Cobots are also specifically designed to do the same task over and over again, and they can sustain this task for around 40 hours a week, without stops or breaks.
Polishing and sanding also require a more delicate approach. The good thing about a cobot is that they have force control and can automatically adjust its position to achieve the best-desired force possible. The cobot can also be quickly programmed to work on different surfaces at different times in the production process without taking up too much time, streamlining the workforce.
Screwing
Another common yet monotonous task remains screwing on parts. It is very repetitive and yet demands a lot from human workers. In order to deliver a consistent quality, it is important that this task is performed consistently, as well as with the same force and precision. That being said, it is very hard for human workers to constantly maintain the same concentration for eight hours a day, 40 hours a week. On the other hand, this requirement is perfectly fine for a cobot. Most cobots are accurate to within 0.1mm, and because the same amount of force is always used, this means the final product is always very consistent. If they are properly automated, they can even perform the task faster than a human can. Even better, is that now human workers have their hands free, and can now go on to other activities that require more strategic thinking and creativity.
Pick and place
Much as its name suggests, pick and place refers to picking up objects and placing them in another location. In fact, most applications in the production process are technically a variant of pick and place. Some popular examples include placing products on a conveyor belt, filing certain crates and boxes, placing products on an assembly line, or just sorting through products. Other more complicated tasks such as palletizing, bin picking, and machine loading are also a type of pick and place, though they generally focus on communicating with other machines. The most complex part of a pick and place task is picking the right gripper and moving the right product to the right location.