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Common Robots defined why cobot use remains to be rising within the automotive business. Supply: Common Robots
Common Robots A/S is likely one of the most profitable collaborative robotic builders on the planet. Thus far, the Odense, Denmark-based firm stated it has put in greater than 75,000 cobots in varied industries.
It has additionally launched over 440 UR+ merchandise, has 1,100 companions, and has greater than 20 workplaces globally. With the discharge of the UR20, Common Robots is on its fifth technology of cobots.
The worldwide marketplace for collaborative robots may attain $1.6 billion this yr, with a compound annual progress charge (CAGR) of 26.12% to 2026, predicted Analysis and Markets. It cited the rise of sensible factories and rising demand within the Asia-Pacific area.
David Capellani, a regional key account supervisor at Common Robots, lately shared insights in an organization webcast into how the automotive business can use collaborative robotic arms, and particularly UR cobots.
A fancy business with advanced challenges
The automotive business faces many distinctive challenges that make it an excellent match for automation, stated Common Robots. To construct a automobile, automakers have to work with a variety of different industries to supply every element. These embody metals, plastics, rubber, electronics, textiles, and glass. This leaves the business weak to provide chain disruptions in numerous areas, stated the corporate.
“Delays in manufacturing could cause a number of ripples all through the business,” Capellani stated. “Take into consideration a automobile as a sequence of elements, and also you’ll see a variety of industries and functions.”
As well as, autos are designed for a spread of functions, from trucking to agriculture, and people constructing them want to regulate to shifting model, mannequin, and quantity necessities. Many suppliers are additionally going through a expertise scarcity, making it troublesome to fulfill demand and high quality necessities.
That is solely the tip of the iceberg in the case of challenges inside the business. For instance, automotive producers additionally have to take into accounts frequent adjustments in automobile fashions, environmental issues, and regulatory compliance, stated Capellani.
“Regardless of these challenges and market circumstances, the automotive manufacturing business is primed for important and long-term progress,” he added. “And now’s the time to make the required adjustments.”
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What do cobots convey to the desk?
Traditionally, the automotive business has been the largest purchaser of robots. Nonetheless, its factories principally use industrial robots, which may raise heavy masses and transfer in a short time however can’t work round people. Capellani stated he believes that, regardless of historic developments, collaborative robots are higher suited to fulfill the challenges the automotive manufacturing business is going through immediately.
“Cobots perform the identical capabilities as conventional robots, however with a far larger vary of advantages,” Capellani stated.
For instance, have smaller house necessities than industrial robots. They’ll work freely round different individuals, so finish customers don’t have to put money into security guarding or fencing to make sure a protected work atmosphere for human staff.
As well as, Capellani stated that automakers can deploy cobots a lot quicker than industrial robots, partially as a result of they don’t require a lot infrastructure change to be put in.
Common Robots can deploy cobots in as little as 4 weeks from buy order, in response to Capellani. He stated it is because its robots require much less engineering, programming, coaching, and lead occasions than industrial automation.
“If you take a look at collaborative robots in distinction [to industrial robots], we’re speaking about one thing that’s fast to deploy,” Capellani stated. “The place the usual is 110 to 230 volts. So, it’s merely take it out of the field, and plug it in. It’s versatile and varsity, so it’s straightforward to alter over to new half variations and incorporate new processes as a smaller footprint.”
Capellini famous that whereas these robots might be put in in a short while and are protected sufficient to work round individuals, danger assessments ought to all the time be executed earlier than deployments.
Incremental automation for automotive producers
Capellini highlighted the significance of understanding the worth of incrementally automating your processes.
“Within the conventional method, tasks had been lengthy, and the problem was to automate each step within the manufacturing course of,” he stated. “As a result of the techniques had been closed behind security obstacles, that was the one manner that funding may very well be justified.”
In line with Capellani, with industrial robots, automating one or two steps within the processes may eat as much as 50% of the venture’s price range. However with cobots, automating one or two steps of the method could be a good option to rapidly begin producing a return on funding (ROI).
“Begin with the roles the manufacturing staff actually doesn’t wish to do. Automate these steps,” Capellani stated. “Begin producing ROI and happier staff, after which transfer on to the following course of. We’ve watched firms begin with one UR cobot and proceed to develop their put in primarily based yr over yr, month over month.”
Common Robots lists the place to begin automating
Capellani says that automotive producers usually begin automating with certainly one of 4 functions. These embody:
Meeting functions, which may embody meeting, glue and meting out, screw driving, and welding
Machine tending, which incorporates machine instruments, take a look at machines, and injection molding
Materials dealing with, which incorporates packaging, palletizing, and transferring
High quality inspection
“So, if we’re able to automate, the place can we begin?” Capellani stated. “Let’s consider potential functions. We like to take a look at what we name the ‘three Ds’ — the uninteresting, soiled, and harmful duties.”