Integrating Cobots into Manufacturing Workflows

As machines grow smarter and artificial intelligence (AI) completes more daily tasks, the collaboration between human workers and robots becomes more commonplace. The use of cobots in manufacturing creates smoother workflows by placing automation in the hands of robots. Because they improve safety and speed, cobots are a crucial component in smart manufacturing.

How Can Cobots Operate Alongside Human Co-Workers for Industry 4.0?

Industry 4.0 is all about automation and smart machines. Cobots can fill the space between what humans can accomplish on their own and robot abilities. Imagine a world where humans and machines work side by side to produce products at optimum efficiency but where the former are safer than ever.

Tap into AI to assess tasks on an assembly line and figure out the correct cobot model for each job. Utilizing a combination of robots and humans ensures safety measures are cross-checked to meet OSHA requirements and keep staff safe on the production line.

Cobot Integration Factors to Consider

Although AI can do some of the heavy lifting to figure out which machines work best for specific tasks, supervisors and plant engineers will also want to consider how each robot integrates into processes already in place.

Choosing the Best Cobots for Complex Manufacturing Tasks

Repetitive tasks are the first place manufacturers should look to integrate cobots. Assess how competitors are using robots alongside human workers. What jobs do the machines do, and which remain in the hands of humans?

Consider the speed, payload and precision necessary to complete repetitive tasks. While a simple robot might be able to perform the same task, is there more creativity needed than AI currently provides? One example would be an inspection job, where many gray areas exist, and the inspector must make decisions on the fly.

Another consideration is how much agility the machine should have. Will it perform more than a single chore? Does it need to be movable to other areas of the line? How hard is it to reprogram, and can it hold multiple programs management can flip through?

Production Floor Layout

Cobots often take up a bit of floor space, so deciding on the best placement for them takes time and careful planning. Manufacturing floor setups are typically designed for smooth workflow, and company leadership must decide if the cobots improve workflows or hinder them.

Cobots have an edge when walking through a factory floor without getting distracted or called away for another task. Walking makes up as much as 50% of operations in most warehouses, so boosting efficiency by using robots could make a significant impact on productivity.

A few test runs may help management see whether installing a cobot still allows human staff to move productively through their tasks. Gather input from human operators about how well the new layout works compared to the old.

The engineering team should also check the ergonomics for humans with the new collaborative robots in place. Using AI applications like natural language processing allows machines to accept and interpret something a human co-worker says and complete tasks using voice commands. 

Integration With Existing Systems

Since cobots are adept at completing repetitive tasks, manufacturers estimate a 50% to 300% productivity increase when using them. However, they must weigh how well a machine integrates with current enterprise resource planning (ERP) platforms before investing anything in equipment.

Shop floor activities should integrate seamlessly with manual and automated confirmations. Connecting machines and sensors is also crucial to advanced applications. Ideally, bots connect through multiple levels. The employee might send the signal for the robot to add an element and generate a report from the computer on the quality of the finished product or the next steps before it goes to market.

The collaborative robot and software chosen should mesh with ERP platforms already in place. Factories must ensure the data exchange between the server’s data and the cobot is efficient. Different models will function based on their learning modules, but programmers can make adjustments to customize the system.

Look for ways to deploy AI through cloud-based data and by tapping into the power of containerization to make deployment faster. Machine learning allows cobots to adapt to any environment they’re placed in.

Safety Measures

Robots with machine vision avoid unexpected obstacles. Ask what programs and sensors have already been installed to prevent collision with the assembly line and other equipment. Although today's cobots follow high safety standards, anything can happen when new equipment hits the factory floor. Form a team to think through possible risks and address them before implementing new machines.

As concerns arise, work with the collaborative robot manufacturer to customize operations and to protect and better help human workers. Use digital twins to simulate work scenarios and test for potential hazards before adding them to the workplace. Watch for glitches in workflows and how robots and humans move together to complete tasks. Does the machine respond fast or slow when a human enters its path?

How Can You Get Your Human Workers on Board?

Technology is changing at a rate many struggle to keep up with. Leadership may experience reluctance from human teams, who fear the new technology will take their jobs. You can combat their fears by upscaling what they do. Train them how to run the robots and give them real-world skills that will take them and the company into Industry 5.0 and beyond.

Brands like Amazon and Ford are examples of integrating collaborative robots into current processes. Ford Motor Company integrated collaborative robots in the Cologne, Germany plant back in 2019. Six UR10 cobots work in the paint shop completing tasks like sanding, vacuuming up dust from the sanding and working in sync with human workers to complete a showroom-quality finish for car bodies.

Amazon is using robotics for some of its simpler warehouse chores. The enterprise invested over $1.2 billion to upskill its workforce and teach them to work alongside robots for higher efficiency. The question is more of how and when robots will take over many current manufacturing jobs and how to upskill workers so they remain in their roles with different responsibilities. Sharing information and being transparent is key to getting them on board.

Automation and AI Are Creating New Possibilities

Businesses that want to stay ahead of the competition must embrace new technologies. Cobots are becoming more commonplace, and the cost per unit will lower as production ramps up. Finding ways to integrate new technologies with what manufacturers are already doing is the key to a successful collaboration between humans and machines.