Which Cobot is Right For You?

WHITEPAPER Which Cobot is Right For You?

TABLE OF CONTENTS COLLABORATIVE ROBOTS - WORKING TOGETHER FOR MARKET GROWTH COBOTS FIND KEY APPLICATIONS IN SMALL ENTERPRISES CURRENT TECHNOLOGIES AND SUPPLIERS COLLABORATIVE ROBOTS IN SMALL AND MIDSIZE ENTERPRISES: EXAMPLE 1 COLLABORATIVE ROBOTS IN SMALL AND MIDSIZE ENTERPRISES: EXAMPLE 2 QUESTIONS TO ASK BEFORE BUYING A COBOT MOVING TO A COLLABORATIVE FUTURE 2

HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT COBOT Collaborative robots promise to make robotics adoption easier for small and midsize enterprises. How are some SMEs using them, and which cobots are affecting their processes? By Andrew Williams More small and midsize enterprises (SMEs) are realizing how collaborative robots can dramatically improve operations across several areas from assembly and quality inspection, to pick-and-place and machine tending as well their usefulness in providing assistance for physically demanding tasks. The key advantage of many collaborative robots is that they are safer to work alongside human workers. They also have a much smaller footprint, and are often inexpensive enough to facilitate a quick return on investment both areas of concern for SMEs. When viewed together, such benefits often make cobots a compelling option for companies seeking a convenient means of improving productivity and production quality. Throughout this whitepaper, we ll take a closer look at some of the latest developments in the use of cobots, investigate some of the current and emerging applications in SMEs, and provide criteria for how to evaluate whether a cobot system is right for a company. COLLABORATIVE ROBOTS - WORKING TOGETHER FOR MARKET GROWTH A 2016 Markets and Markets research report estimates that the market for cobots will reach $4.28 billion by 2023 - and predicts rapid growth at a compound annual growth rate of 56.94% between now and 2023. The lower price and high ROI rates of collaborative robots is driving the growth, but the report s authors also suggest that these factors are leading to growing attraction from SMEs, and increasing investments in automation by industries to support Industry 4.0 evolution. Meanwhile, a 2017 Grand View Research report predicts the worldwide market for collaborative robots will reach $6.77 billion by 2025. The Grand View report said the growing interest of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, owing to the low price of cobots, is projected to increase the deployment over the forecast period. 3

Esben Østergaard, Universal Robots In the past, SMEs haven t been able to afford industrial robotics, due to a general lack of in-house programming capacities and limited capital spending budgets, said Esben Østergaard, CTO and co-founder at Universal Robots, the market leader in cobots. However, Østergaard said he believes the sector remains a prime target for SMEs, partly because of a shorter sales cycle, as their decision-making process is faster, and they realize how quickly the robots will pay for themselves. COBOTS FIND KEY APPLICATIONS IN SMALL ENTERPRISES Rapid advances in robotics technology mean that humans and robots can now work together on several intricate and demanding tasks, clearing the path to lots of new and interesting applications. Flexible robotic arms can now take over responsibility for machine tending, relieving humans of the need to carry out repetitive (and often boring) work, freeing them up for more complex value-added tasks. For example, Swedish contract manufacturer LEAX Group uses three Universal Robots UR-10 robotic arms to change bits in a shaving machine. The robots can also load and unload two gear-cutting machines, using a three-fingered gripper. Elsewhere, Austrian automotive company Benteler Automotive uses a FANUC CR-35iA cobot to load manufactured parts in a support frame as part of an ongoing smart factory initiative. Swiss kitchen unit manufacturer Franke 4

Credit: Benteler Automotive Benteler Automotive uses a cobot to help load manufactured parts in a support frame as part of its ongoing smart factory initiative. uses a UR-5 cobot to dispense glue and attach mounting blocks to units, saving the company money by helping it avoid the generation of unusable or damaged stock and wasted materials. Universal s Østergaard said the applications for cobots run the gamut, with any imaginable application that features a repeated task with a payload less than 22 pounds. Classic applications for cobots include machine tending (loading and unloading parts into a CNC machine), or an injecting molding machine, Østergaard said. [Our] cobots are also increasingly deployed on assembly lines handling screw driving, gluing and welding, as well as other production processes such as polishing, laser marking, life cycle testing, packaging and palletizing, he said. The electronics manufacturing sector uses cobots to perform tasks such as lifecycle testing and epoxy filling in circuit boards, Østergaard said. Our new table-top robot, the UR3, is now experiencing a high demand from the electronics assembly market, he said. Even the automotive industry, with its long history of using industrial robots, is looking at cobots. Østergaard said BMW is deploying Universal Robots cobots to automate more of its assembly line, which was populated predominantly by manual labor in the past. Although the machining sector is a big demand driver, Østergaard said the company is also seeing new markets open up with unexpected applications. For example, in the agricultural sector, cobots are being tested to spray iodine on cow udders before milking. Another cobot creates customized flip-flops based on the 3D laser scanning of people s feet. Our cobots also assemble thermal cups and work as cameramen, shooting Champions League games in France, Østergaard said. 5

CURRENT TECHNOLOGIES AND SUPPLIERS Here s a quick look at some of the major suppliers of cobots in the market today, and the types of technologies they re deploying: Cobot maker/ Supplier ABB Epson Robots FANUC Festo KUKA MGS Machine OMRON Rethink Robotics Universal Robots Yaskawa Motoman Description Launched the YuMi IRB 14000 cobot in 2015, described as a collaborative, dual arm, small parts assembly robot solution that includes flexible hands, parts feeding systems, camera-based part location and state-of-the-art robot control. Manufactures the Flexion N-Series of collaborative robots, aimed at operating in smaller work spaces and billed as ideal for a number of applications and industries - including product assembly in the electronics and automotive industries, as well as for the assembly of medical devices and lab automation in the medical sector. Offers a range of three collaborative robots, the CR-4iA short arm, compact model with a 4kg payload and the CR-7iA (CR-7iA/L), as well as the popular CR-35iA cobot. Manufactures the pneumatic and lightweight BionicCobot, an innovative cobot based on the structure of the human arm. The cobot can be intuitively operated via a graphical user interface - meaning users can simply instruct the device to carry out a range of actions in any sequence by using any standard tablet. Manufactures the LBR iiwa cobot (intelligent industrial work assistant), which the company claims means that for the first time, humans and robots can work together on highly sensitive tasks in close cooperation. Produces the Collaborative Palletizer model, a robotic palletizer (loosely based on the FANUC CR-35ia) that works without a safety fence. Currently targeted at a variety of sectors, including pharmaceuticals, food, and life sciences. Created the Adept Lynx, described as a self-navigating autonomous indoor vehicle designed for dynamically moving material in challenging environments that may include confined passageways, as well as dynamic and peopled locations such as warehouses, factory floors, and hospitals. Manufactures the Baxter cobot, used for a wide range of tasks including packaging and material handling, line loading and machine tending. Also produces the Inter 5 robotics software platform, as well as the Sawyer model, billed as a revolutionary collaborative robot designed to execute tasks that have been impractical to automate with traditional industrial robots. With a global cobot market share currently standing at around 60% - and more than 20,000+ collaborative robots sold worldwide - this Danish company, part of Boston-based Teradyne, is the largest cobot producer in the world. Produces the Motoman HC10 Human Collaborative robot, which the company describes as ensuring the required safety in direct contact with the operator by means of a sophisticated force/torque sensor in every axis, enabling flexible interaction between the robot arm and its environment. 6

COLLABORATIVE ROBOTS IN SMALL AND MIDSIZE ENTERPRISES: EXAMPLE 1 Harrison Manufacturing, a Jackson, Miss.-based injection molding plastics company, successfully installed a Rethink Robotics Sawyer cobot in its shop floor operations. The small, family-run firm faced several ongoing challenges relating to repetitive tasks its workers were required to take, often leading to muscle strains, mistakes and general deterioration in quality levels, said Scott Harrison, a 17-year veteran of the automotive industry. To help remedy the situation, the company said it saw the Sawyer model as a competitively priced and simple-to-operate cobot that it could quickly set up and install on the shop floor with minimum fuss. Credit: Rethink Robotics A Rethink Robotics Sawyer cobot assists workers at Harrison Manufacturing in Jackson, Miss. Since its introduction to the workplace in 2016, the cobot has been put to work close to a pair of injection molding machines, with staff members monitoring the operation and collecting finished parts. As a result of the installation, some staff members were freed up to work on more high-level, value-added tasks. For management, the key benefit of the cobot is that it helped ensure a more predicable level of parts quality a key requirement for its customers. Other key advantages included a sharp drop in the risk of staff injuries, as well as the ease of programming the cobot. 7

COLLABORATIVE ROBOTS IN SMALL AND MIDSIZE ENTERPRISES: EXAMPLE 2 Spanish R&D engineering company ATRIA Innovation, among other things, runs a Robotics & Automation department that develops customized solutions in an effort to increase productivity, efficiency, and ergonomics. Sergio Monzón Castelló, head of collaborative robotics Engineering at ATRIA, said cobots have a key role to play in industrial environments particularly in SMEs because of their versatility. Credit: ATRIA Innovation Spanish R&D engineering company ATRIA Innovation uses cobots to help develop customized solutions for its clients. Cobots have a support role to human work, they can perform repetitive and hazardous tasks and perform currently manual or traditional works, Castelló said. For example, they handle manual tools, 3D scanners, grippers and many elements found in any production line. The main role of cobots is to ease the work of line operators and work in a closer way with humans. They can also interact with each other without risk, he said. In addition to their affordability and easy setup, cobots are generally smaller in size than typical industrial robots, Castelló said. This means they are easier to fit in small spaces, helping to overcome a common handicap in SMEs, where working stations and layouts must usually be optimized for maximum benefit. [Cobots] are safer than traditional robots because they incorporate all kinds of sensors and securities, Castelló said. This does not mean that we should neglect the safety of workers. It is always necessary to adapt the surrounding area to the requirements of the robot and in some cases might include barriers or light security elements to prevent risks, he said. Although coy about the exact details, Castelló said ATRIA is currently 8

preparing to integrate cobot systems with cameras that can automatically adapt themselves to most variations of manufacturing processes. To date, the cobots have performed ergonomics-related tasks they perform repetitive tasks with small elements, or where high precision is required to pick and place connections or checks, Castelló said. They also work in difficult environments, such as powder painting lines or in areas surrounding curing ovens. QUESTIONS TO ASK BEFORE BUYING A COBOT It s clear that SMEs can choose from a growing range of innovative and technologically sophisticated cobots. But when making a final decision, managers still face a bewildering amount of options. In an effort to provide some structure to the evaluation process, consider some of these general principles and factors: Decision element Affordability Return on investment Size Safety Evaluative criteria What is your financial budget for the cobot? Does a cobot exist that can carry out the functions required within budget? Are financing options available for the cobot? Does the cobot maker offer a lease or robots as a service option? What payback period can you expect? Is this payback period acceptable in terms of your ongoing financial projections? What is the size of the cobot under consideration? In particular, what is the cobot s height, width, depth and footprint? Is the working environment sufficiently sized so the cobot can be positioned easily? Will the cobot move around in the workplace? If so, is there enough room for it to comfortably move around in an unimpeded manner? Are you sure the cobot can operate in a safely in the allocated workspace? Have you carried out a health, safety, and risk assessment on the likely impact for staff of introducing a cobot to the workplace? What is the safety record of the cobot under consideration? If staff is expected to directly interact with the cobot - have you carried out an ergonomic assessment? Does the cobot manufacturer or integrator offer safety training? If not, is third-party safety training available? If you plan on moving the cobot within the workplace, can you do another risk assessment every time? 9

Decision element Functionality Employee skills Evaluative criteria What operations will the cobot be used for? Assembly? Pick-andplace? Machine tending? Human assistance? Will the cobot be expected to perform a single or multiple functions? Is the cobot under consideration capable of carrying out all functions necessary? Or will more than one type of cobot be necessary? Can the cobot manufacturer adapt the cobot to your specific functional requirements? How easy is it to program the cobot? Does existing staff have the skills necessary to undertake programming and operational duties for cobots? Does the manufacturer or dealer offer or provide any sort of staff training? Is training software (or other information) available? MOVING TO A COLLABORATIVE FUTURE The growing number of cobots hitting the market is at a higher-than-ever level. Ongoing technological advances and cost savings now mean that many modern SMEs can be in a position to consider introducing cobots into the workplace. Even so, the final decision on which cobot to buy requires a detailed and comprehensive assessment of available options, and suitability for specific use cases. In the coming years, the need to make the correct decisions over the most appropriate type of cobot to use will become even more pressing. The next generation of SMEs will likely rely even more on cobots, due to industry trends such as the growth of the Industrial Internet of Things, increased device autonomy, rising process complexity, and evolving health and safety requirements. 10