The time is gone when robot and human interaction was considered unsafe for humans due to the rapid movements and size of robots. Now we have a new generation of robots, collaborative robots. A collaborative robot collaborates and works with employees just like a fellow human in the same work environment. Co-robots or cobots are the other terms used for collaborative robots.
There are different types of robots used in different industries. 5% of these robots are collaborative robots. The percentage of cobots is increasing with the increase in demand in a wide range of industries.
So far, the biggest manufacturers have used robots. However, around 70% of global manufacturers are smaller manufacturers.
History
Back in 1995, the General Motors Foundation was at the front of collaborative robots research. The aim was to develop robots that are safe to work with in work environments. Keeping human safety in mind, collaborative robots were made without an internal source of power. Employees working with robots had to provide both power and instructions.
You can direct and steer a collaborative robot. These robots play an important role in manufacturing. However, many people don’t understand the difference between traditional industrial robots and cobots.
Collaborative robots are safe and smart
This is a different class of robots. A collaborative robot works alongside your employees. It is not safe to work around traditional robots due to their size, weight and outdated technology. On the other hand, collaborative robots use sophisticated sensors and advanced visual technologies. A collaborative robot can change or stop its activity when a human gets in its way. So, it is safe to work around collaborative robots.
Collaborative robots corporate
A traditional robot is programmed to perform certain activities. It has a fixed program. On the other hand, a collaborative robot is smart. You can leave a collaborative robot in an open space where it works with humans.
You cannot fully automate all complex tasks in your factory. This is where you can use collaborative robots to complete complex tasks. Collaborative robots are suitable for highly repetitive tasks.
Co-robots learn
These are “plug and play” robots. They are highly flexible as they do not have a fixed program. Change the program and the same robot will do some other task.
Robots of this class can also learn from patterns. For example, if you move the arm of a robot in a pattern, the robot will learn this pattern and move its arm according to the new requirement. Many robots come with graphical user interfaces. You can use this interface to give instructions.
Cobots can be used anywhere
There are some places where employees are exposed to hazardous environments. This is where you can use cobots.
(Source)