Welcome to the last word showdown between cobots and robots!
For many years, standard industrial robots have dominated the manufacturing house. They’ve offered companies with automation options succesful taking up repetitive duties and decreasing guide labor.
Extra not too long ago, collaborative robots stepped into the ring as a challenger to standard robots. They could look just like some standard industrial robots, however they’re lighter and simpler to make use of. Corporations have began adopting cobots at a formidable charge.
Which is healthier? Cobots or robots?
It is time to put the 2 robotic sorts in opposition to one another as soon as and for all.
Prepare for our head-to-head… sorry… arm-to arm showdown between cobots and standard robots.
Let’s meet our contestants!
Contestant 1: Standard Industrial Robots
Within the first nook, we now have the standard industrial robotic, a machine constructed for pace and power.
Industrial robots have been used for nearly 70 years in automated manufacturing processes. They’re sometimes used for high-volume, repetitive duties akin to welding, portray, and enormous meeting. They’ve the benefit of with the ability to work shortly and effectively, as soon as they’ve been deployed to their chosen activity.
This isn’t the primary showdown for industrial robots. For many years, robots have been pitted in opposition to people for his or her elevated pace, accuracy, and consistency. In lots of circumstances, industrial robots got here out on high… and human employees aren’t at all times completely satisfied about it!
Standard industrial robots are sometimes huge and robust, requiring security fencing to keep away from hazard to people… a formidable opponent.
Contestant 2: Collaborative Robots
Within the reverse nook, we now have the relative newcomer to the automation house: collaborative robots.
Cobots are designed to work alongside people, offering an additional hand on the manufacturing line or for different duties. They’re usually smaller and lighter than standard industrial robots, requiring much less funding of time, finances, and power to get operating.
This isn’t the primary time cobots have confronted off in opposition to their robotic cousins. In current a long time, they’ve additionally been pitted in opposition to people for his or her security and activity consistency. And, usually, people appear happier with this pairing than with standard robots.
Cobots have additionally gone head-to-arm in opposition to one other stunning contender… canines!
Airline Hydraulics not too long ago put cobots up in opposition to a four-legged good friend of their “Pet vs. Collaborative Robotic SHOWDOWN” evaluating how shortly and precisely they might study to talk, fetch, and spin round. It was a detailed name, however the cobot got here out on high!
Let the showdown start!
Each robots and cobots have their strengths and weaknesses.
Standard robots might be extremely highly effective and environment friendly machines, able to executing the identical advanced manufacturing duties repeatedly for months on finish. However they do take a very long time to deploy and are costly.
Cobots, however, are lighter and extra inexpensive than standard robots. They’re simpler to program and may work safely alongside people. However they are usually slower and fewer robust.
Which can win in our showdown?
Let the competition start!
Spherical 1: Power
The primary spherical is power. In relation to energy, industrial robots are usually the stronger of the 2. Some can raise a whole bunch of kilograms with ease.
Cobots, however, have extra modest lifting capabilities. Even with the heavier payload cobots available on the market, such because the UR20 with its 20kg payload capability, it is nonetheless not a lot.
Winner: Robots
Spherical 2: Pace
In relation to pace, robots often have the sting and are able to transferring at excessive speeds that no human might match.… nevertheless it’s not a easy comparability.
Conventional industrial robots often transfer a lot quicker than cobots, permitting them to finish advanced duties shortly and effectively. Cobots usually transfer slowly, however solely to maintain them inside security limits to be round people. They’re usually able to transferring on the identical pace as robots.
Winner: Draw
Spherical 3: Flexibility
In relation to flexibility and flexibility, cobots come out on high. You may shortly and simply reprogram a cobot to carry out a wide range of duties. Altering between robotic packages and duties can take only a matter of minutes.
With a standard robotic, reprogramming is often an extended and tough course of, requiring you to cease manufacturing whereas it occurs.
Winner: Cobots
Spherical 4: Value
The true value of a robotic answer might be laborious to make clear. With standard industrial robots, there are numerous added extras you’ll have to pay for that are not at all times apparent up entrance.
Cobots are often extra inexpensive. Additionally, their ease of use means you needn’t pay costly integration prices to get them up and operating.
Winner: Cobots
Spherical 5: Security
That is the spherical the place cobots have an “unfair benefit.”
Conventional industrial robots must be caged off or required devoted security methods to function safely round people.
Cobots are designed and constructed with human security in thoughts. You may place the cobot into your facility with out security fencing and know that your human employees will probably be secure alongside it.
Winner: Cobots
Spherical 6: Effectivity
In relation to effectivity, it is a laborious contest to evaluate.
What does effectivity imply by way of robotics? What varieties of effectivity are we speaking about, anyway?
There are numerous varieties of effectivity. Standard robots might be environment friendly in that they transfer and full duties shortly. However cobots might be environment friendly as they take much less time to program.
Winner: Draw
Spherical 7: Weight
There isn’t any denying it. Industrial robots are heavy beasts. An industrial robotic might be 3 or 4 instances heavier than a cobot with an analogous payload capability.
Heavier doesn’t suggest higher. The upper weight of a standard robotic means you want a stronger help construction below it and makes it tougher to maneuver the robotic round.
Winner: Cobots
Spherical 8: Accuracy
Standard industrial robots are likely to have the sting with regards to accuracy, and for one motive… stiffness. Their heavy construction does have one profit — it often makes the robotic stiffer. This may enhance the accuracy of the robotic.
Some cobots are as correct as some standard robots, however basically, robots are extra correct.
Winner: Robots
Spherical 9: Ease of Use
The ultimate spherical is ease of use. And right here, cobots clearly come out on high.
Standard industrial robots require specialised programming and upkeep that may be time-consuming and tough for these with out robotics experience.
Cobots are designed to be rather more consumer pleasant. Their intuitive interfaces enable virtually anybody to shortly learn to program and preserve the cobot.
Winner: Cobots
And the winner is…
After an extended and hard-fought battle, the winner is… cobots!
However there is a caveat…
As with all expertise, the actual reply for the query “Which is greatest for me?” is… it relies upon!
In our showdown, cobots could have the sting in elements like value, security, and ease of use. However which sort you want will depend on your particular wants. It is as much as you to resolve which elements are vital for you.
Irrespective of whether or not you select cobots or standard robots, each provide highly effective automation options that may considerably enhance the effectivity and consistency of your duties.
Which possibility most accurately fits you? Inform us within the feedback beneath or be a part of the dialogue on LinkedIn, Twitter, Fb, or the DoF skilled robotics group.
