The intention of automation in the workspace isn’t to replace human workers. The aim is for humans to collaborate with robots to make the process more accurate and efficient, therefore reducing costs, and improving worker safety.
In this article, we look at how cobots can be used in material removal, and the benefits to your manufacturing process.
Cobots are designed to work hand in hand with operators to adopt routine material removal tasks. The cobot’s interchangeable tools means it can perform many different functions, including:
Cobots can perform sanding tasks with high precision, ensuring a smooth and consistent finish on surfaces.
Their precision makes them ideal for complex milling tasks to create specific shapes or features on a workpiece.
Cobots can efficiently remove burrs, which are unwanted rough edges or protrusions left on metal parts after machining.
Their ability to follow intricate patterns and maintain accuracy while cutting & shaping any material makes them ideal.
1. Removes safety risks for operators
When operating material removal tooling there are significant safety concerns for human operators. Prolonged tool use increases the chance of errors and introduces a risk of injury or illness, especially respiratory issues from the waste material and hand arm vibration syndrome.
Material removal automation removes the risk of illness or injury by taking over hazardous high-vibration work tasks, such as grinding or sanding. By removing this danger from operators, they can focus on ensuring the machinery runs smoothly, making workplaces safer and collaboration easier.
2. Increases quality of the end product
Material removal tasks demand precision and accuracy to get the shape and finish of the end product to a high standard. Even slight variations can affect the final outcome, making it essential that each step is precisely executed to meet exacting industry standards.
Cobots can consistently perform high-precision tasks with minimal downtime and virtually no errors. The automated technology uses advanced sensors and controls to ensure no step is missed or detail is overlooked. This removes the risk of human error, resulting in consistently accurate end products every time.
3. Improves cost-efficiencies
Whether it’s sanding or grinding, investing in material removal automation is proven to pay off quickly. Solutions typically have a 12 to 18 month return on investment, meaning they’re not just another innovative technology, they’re a smart business decision. The lightweight cobots can be moved between workspaces and redeployed for various areas of production.
With the easy-to-use teaching pendant, operators can quickly and easily program and reprogramme to perform various tasks. The adaptable nature of the cobots removes the need and cost of retraining operators for every application, not only speeding up operations, but saving labour costs.
4. Increases operational productivity
Cobots are much faster at performing material removal processes than human operators. The automated machinery can operate 24 hours a day for 7 days a week — with virtually no downtime. This increases production output and prevents costly reworks, helping to shorten project timelines and reduce costs without compromising on product quality.
By automating repetitive and laborious tasks, cobots free up skilled workers for more complex and valuable tasks.
Our experts can set up an initial consultation to understand your goals and objectives. We help you pick the best cobot for your needs and set up a feasibility study to see just how valuable the technology will be for your business. We even facilitate a virtual 3D experience so you can see how the cobot would be integrated into your production line.
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