Welcome to the last word showdown between cobots and robots!
For many years, typical industrial robots have dominated the manufacturing house. They’ve supplied companies with automation options succesful taking up repetitive duties and lowering guide labor.
Extra just lately, collaborative robots stepped into the ring as a challenger to standard robots. They may look just like some typical industrial robots, however they’re lighter and simpler to make use of. Corporations have began adopting cobots at a powerful fee.
Which is best? 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 traditional robots.
Let’s meet our contestants!
Contestant 1: Typical Industrial Robots
Within the first nook, we now have the standard industrial robotic, a machine constructed for velocity and power.
Industrial robots have been used for nearly 70 years in automated manufacturing processes. They’re usually used for high-volume, repetitive duties corresponding to welding, portray, and huge meeting. They’ve the benefit of with the ability to work rapidly 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 velocity, accuracy, and consistency. In lots of instances, industrial robots got here out on prime… and human employees aren’t at all times completely happy about it!
Typical industrial robots are sometimes large 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 typical industrial robots, requiring much less funding of time, funds, and power to get working.
This isn’t the primary time cobots have confronted off in opposition to their robotic cousins. In current many years, 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 typical robots.
Cobots have additionally gone head-to-arm in opposition to one other shocking contender… canines!
Airline Hydraulics just lately put cobots up in opposition to a four-legged buddy of their “Pet vs. Collaborative Robotic SHOWDOWN” evaluating how rapidly and precisely they might study to talk, fetch, and spin round. It was a detailed name, however the cobot got here out on prime!
Let the showdown start!
Each robots and cobots have their strengths and weaknesses.
Typical 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, alternatively, are lighter and extra reasonably priced than typical robots. They’re simpler to program and may work safely alongside people. However they are typically slower and fewer robust.
Which is able to win in our showdown?
Let the competition start!
Spherical 1: Energy
The primary spherical is power. With regards to energy, industrial robots are typically the stronger of the 2. Some can carry tons of of kilograms with ease.
Cobots, alternatively, 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
With regards to velocity, robots normally have the sting and are able to shifting at excessive speeds that no human might match.… nevertheless it’s not a easy comparability.
Conventional industrial robots normally transfer a lot quicker than cobots, permitting them to finish advanced duties rapidly and effectively. Cobots usually transfer slowly, however solely to maintain them inside security limits to be round people. They’re usually able to shifting on the similar velocity as robots.
Winner: Draw
Spherical 3: Flexibility
With regards to flexibility and flexibility, cobots come out on prime. You may rapidly 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 normally an extended and tough course of, requiring you to cease manufacturing whereas it occurs.
Winner: Cobots
Spherical 4: Price
The true price of a robotic resolution might be onerous to make clear. With typical industrial robots, there are numerous added extras you’ll have to pay for that are not at all times apparent up entrance.
Cobots are normally extra reasonably priced. Additionally, their ease of use means you needn’t pay costly integration prices to get them up and working.
Winner: Cobots
Spherical 5: Security
That is the spherical the place cobots have an “unfair benefit.”
Conventional industrial robots should be caged off or required devoted security techniques 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 can be secure alongside it.
Winner: Cobots
Spherical 6: Effectivity
With regards to effectivity, this can be a onerous contest to guage.
What does effectivity imply when it comes to robotics? What varieties of effectivity are we speaking about, anyway?
There are numerous varieties of effectivity. Typical robots may very well be environment friendly in that they transfer and full duties rapidly. However cobots may very well be environment friendly as they take much less time to program.
Winner: Draw
Spherical 7: Weight
There is no denying it. Industrial robots are heavy beasts. An industrial robotic might be 3 or 4 instances heavier than a cobot with the same payload capability.
Heavier does not imply 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
Typical industrial robots are inclined to have the sting on the subject of accuracy, and for one cause… stiffness. Their heavy construction does have one profit — it normally makes the robotic stiffer. This may enhance the accuracy of the robotic.
Some cobots are as correct as some typical robots, however on the whole, 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 prime.
Typical 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 far more person pleasant. Their intuitive interfaces enable virtually anybody to rapidly discover ways 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 every know-how, the true reply for the query “Which is finest for me?” is… it relies upon!
In our showdown, cobots might have the sting in components like price, security, and ease of use. However which sort you want relies on your particular wants. It is as much as you to resolve which components are vital for you.
Regardless of whether or not you select cobots or typical robots, each supply highly effective automation options that may considerably enhance the effectivity and consistency of your duties.
Which choice most accurately fits you? Inform us within the feedback under or be a part of the dialogue on LinkedIn, Twitter, Fb, or the DoF skilled robotics neighborhood.