In the world of industrial automation, “cobots,” short for “collaborative robots,” have been generating excitement as a new tool that manufacturers can utilize as a solution to workforce and efficiency challenges.
With all the buzz surrounding cobots, you may be wondering if one would be a sound investment for your industrial arsenal, or if it might be able to help you streamline operations and give your facility the edge it needs to get on top.
HESCO is a licensed distributor of Doosan cobots for New England, New York, and New Jersey, and we have worked with our partners and customers to help them implement these new pieces of equipment into their facilities. In this article, we’ll break down 10 reasons that cobots could be everything you’re looking for.
You’re Looking to Solve Labor Shortages
It’s no secret that for years, manufacturers around the country have faced challenges when it comes to their workforce. In 2020, the United States Census Bureau reported on a survey that found that facilities were facing shortages related to an aging workforce and a struggle to attract and retain new talent, and a press release from the National Association of Manufacturers in 2023 proves that this crisis isn’t slowing down.
If this is a problem you’re facing, a cobot might be just the thing you need. The many features they provide could be a helpful way to support and alleviate your employees, allowing the cobot to either fill a needed position on the factory floor or replace a worker doing a repetitive task, allowing them to be reallocated to somewhere they’re needed more.
This addition could lead to higher employee satisfaction and give your workforce new skills and opportunities. They’ll no longer face mundane or injury-prone tasks, and upskilled workers who program and manage COBOTs will be more engaged and more of an asset.
You Want to Attract New Employees
A recent study from Soter Analytics found that only 14% of individuals in Generation Z say they’d consider industrial work as a career, and flexibility and safety were some of the top reasons that were cited. In general, the problem industrial automation companies face is coming up with safer, more accessible, and more interesting jobs for potential workers. This is where cobots can come in handy.
The opportunity to work with cutting-edge technology is an attractive prospect to young, up-and-coming engineers. Cobots are easy to program but still need to be programmed, opening up the door for jobs that are focused on coding and executing commands for the bot. It also opens up opportunities for cobot maintenance.
If you’re worried about not knowing how to teach these jobs, you aren’t on your own. Most cobots come with simple, accessible programming options that can be learned in no time, and many manufacturers offer training programs so that workers know how to use their cobot effectively.
You Want to Improve Workplace Safety
If your workflow involves heavy lifting, repetitive motions, or operation in unsafe conditions, you’re probably no stranger to the potential injuries (like carpal tunnel syndrome) that can plague workers.
While working with traditional robots could seem like an easy fix for this, industrial-grade robots can be dangerous. They are often bulky and move at high velocities while completing dangerous tasks, requiring safety barriers and limiting their interaction with humans.
Unlike traditional robots, cobots have a slew of safety features that make it easy for workers to work around them and even with them. Built-in force sensors automatically stop operations if unexpected contact or resistance is detected. Speed control gives cobots the ability to slow down in high-risk situations or environments with human presence. And cobots offer seamless integration with safety features such as light curtains.
With a cobot, a packaging line that previously caused frequent back injuries from repetitive heavy lifting can be reimagined with the bot handling the load. Workers oversee operations and step in as needed, and the cobot halts instantly if they enter the work area.
If you’d like to learn more about the differences between cobots and robots, check out this article.
You Want the Benefits of Robots at a Lower Price
Traditional industrial robots offer a multitude of advantages over human workers, but often require significant upfront investments, making them hardly accessible for small- and medium-sized businesses. These costs include expensive hardware and programming as well as custom work cells, safety barriers, and other forms of integration.
Cobots, on the other hand, are specifically designed to lower barriers to automation. They typically cost less than traditional robots, with smaller footprints and no need for extensive safety infrastructure. Not only that, but they often deliver returns on investment within 12–18 months, especially in applications like palletizing or pick-and-place tasks.
It’s important to remember that while the upfront cost of a cobot might seem high, you’re saving money in the long run; if programmed right, a cobot can do a job in a faster amount of time than a human worker and is purchased at a one-time fee. It can also be easily repurposed to do a multitude of jobs at a moment’s notice.
A small manufacturer with limited resources might adopt a cobot for packaging tasks, saving thousands on labor costs and achieving ROI in just over a year.
If the cost of a cobot is still hard to swallow, consider talking to a cobot manufacturer about financing options. Many offer different programs to help you buy a cobot at a more accessible rate.
A cobot operating during a pick-and-place task. Courtesy of Doosan Robotics.
You’re Looking For an Energy Efficient Tool
With rising energy costs, you may be looking for a way to streamline your automation process without paying extra for power; larger automation systems incur higher HVAC and operation costs and sap energy quicker than you can pay for it.
Thankfully, cobots are designed to be more energy-efficient than similar forms of automation like robots. They use smaller motors, consuming less energy than traditional robots while maintaining precision and reliability, and produce less heat, minimizing cooling demands in the facility.
There are cobots on the market today that use only 100W of power–that’s about as much as (or even less than) a desktop computer!
This energy efficiency supports green manufacturing initiatives, which can be attractive to environmentally conscious clients and regulatory bodies. If your business is located in a state or country that offers initiatives for cutting down on energy consumption, it might be worth your while to look into investing in a cobot.
You’re Looking to Save Space
Many manufacturers, especially in older buildings or urban areas, operate with limited floor space. Traditional automation equipment and robots often require large work areas, safety fencing, and fixed stations, making layout changes costly and time-consuming. And adding more equipment can be the last straw that topples a floor plan.
Luckily, cobots are built for compact environments and are designed to be adaptable to a variety of situations. They fit seamlessly into tight spaces without requiring separate safety enclosuresand can be mounted on carts or movable platforms, enabling quick redeployment between workstations.
This means that a cobot can be added to existing production lines without significant reconfiguration, allowing you to tweak and perfect your system without worrying that you won’t have enough space or flexibility.
You Want Easy Programming and Adaptability
Traditional industrial robots often require specialized programming knowledge, with syntax-based coding that can be time-consuming and prone to errors.
Learning how to code is like learning a new language; that’s not something you’ll always have the time to do when you need to get work done. And hiring an engineer with experience in the coding language you need isn’t always cost-effective.
Cobots are specifically made with this hurdle in mind. Modern cobots feature drag-and-drop graphical programming, eliminating the need for advanced coding skills. Instead of writing lines of code, you can teach a cobot how to do a job by physically moving it to desired positions and saving waypoints. This allows virtually anyone to program a cobot with ease and little to no training.
Many of these software come with pre-built programming templates for common tasks like palletizing, welding, or packaging. These enable users to launch automation processes without starting from scratch, significantly reducing deployment times. The programs are compact, allowing for the storage of thousands of tasks for rapid switching based on the day-to-day needs of your facility.
Beyond programming, many cobots feature plug-and-play functionality, connecting seamlessly with existing systems like conveyor belts, quality control cameras, and other automation tools. They can be equipped with a variety of sensors and hands that make them suited for any tasks you throw at them.
An example of an adaptable hand fitted for a certain task. Courtesy of Doosan Robotics.
You’re Looking For High Accuracy and Consistency
Many industrial tasks, such as assembly, quality inspection, or welding, demand extreme precision. Human workers, while skilled, are prone to fatigue and inconsistencies, especially when performing repetitive tasks.
Cobots are made to consistently perform tasks with repeatability as precise as 0.03 millimeters or better (depending on the model), a level of accuracy that is essential in sectors like aerospace or medical device manufacturing, where even minor errors can compromise safety or functionality.
This is also where the modular nature of cobots comes into play. Integrated sensors and Exchangeable equipment allow cobots to detect subtle inconsistencies, ensuring that only high-quality products proceed through the production process.
A cobot equipped with a vision system can identify scratches or defects on high-value automotive components before shipping. A cobot in an electronics assembly line can ensure precise placement of components, reducing defective products.
By minimizing errors, COBOTs reduce material waste and boost overall efficiency, improving your bottom line.
You Want to Leverage AI and Emerging Technologies
With technology constantly evolving and AI becoming more of a staple in the virtual arms race, you need solutions that can evolve with technological advancements and adapt to an ever-changing industry.
Traditional automation can’t do that. But cobots can. Built on updated software that can integrate with a variety of platforms, modern cobots can adjust their operations in real-time based on input from sensors and cameras, monitor their components for wear and tear, and share data with other systems, enabling seamless coordination across entire production lines.
Some cobots ship with AI capabilities already integrated, allowing them to inspect products at a microscopic level and detect defects that may be invisible to the human eye, such as microfractures or imperfections under specific wavelengths.
A point we’ve continued to come back to in this article is how cobots are almost endlessly adaptable, and this case is no different. Machines with the flexibility to be modified and adjusted based on your needs pay back dividends in the long run and can be used for years to come.
You Want All These Features – But Not Without a Human Element
It’s no secret that cobots have a suite of features and can outperform humans in many tasks. But that doesn’t mean they’re full-on replacements.
Cobots aren’t going to take your job, and you shouldn’t be afraid that working with them is going to prime them to become your successor. Instead, they should be seen as tools that fill in the gaps, freeing up workers who are preoccupied with dull, repetitious, and sometimes dangerous tasks so that they can be upskilled into higher positions with more creative, complicated, and fulfilling work.
These tools allow workers to learn valuable technical skills, such as cobot programming, troubleshooting, and optimization. They are designed to work safely alongside humans, creating a collaborative environment where both humans and machines excel.
Think of your facility’s floor with a cobot or two (or three!). Your line operator transitions into an automation specialist role after training in cobot programming. Instead of manually assembling parts, workers oversee production quality and troubleshoot issues. A cobot performs precision assembly, while a human operator handles quality control and adjusts settings as needed.
Cobots might be shaping the future of manufacturing, but that isn’t a future without human workers. A cobot is only as good as the person programming it.
Right For Some, Not For All
While cobots are certainly amazing, no technology is a perfect fit for every manufacturer. Some of the most important drawbacks to using cobots include:
Charging Issues: Some varieties of cobots have portable batteries that allow them to be mobile. This added flexibility comes with a cost though–they need to be recharged after sometime, and a loss of power could lead to unexpected downtime. If the cobot stops during a task, it could even mean that the task will need to be restarted completely.
- Quality-Control: AI could give cobots the ability to check for abnormalities, but that capability is currently very limited. They lack the ability to detect abnormalities, such as variations in raw materials or the correct placement of components. Repetitive and simple tasks are best for cobots, as they don’t require the bot to make specific checks.
- Breakability: At the end of the day, cobots are still mechanical. They currently don’t have the delicate touch that human workers have, and aren’t optimal for handling small or fragile materials. Technology in this area does still continue to advance, though.
- Upfront Price: Cobots can save you money in the long run, but that doesn’t make it easy to buy one if you don’t have the money right now. They are a significant investment, and one you should only make if it will truly become an asset for your company.
Are Cobots the Next Step For Your Facility?
The future of manufacturing lies in collaboration—between humans and machines. Cobots are not a replacement for workers but a tool to empower them, driving productivity while enabling a more engaging and safer workplace.
Whether you’re looking to optimize efficiency, attract new talent, or embrace cutting-edge technology, cobots might just be the key to unlocking your facility’s full potential.
Are you ready to take the next step? Contact HESCO today to explore the options we offer when it comes to cobots, or check out more articles like this in the learning center.