Cobots, also known as collaborative robots, are a trending topic in the industrial environment. According to the Robotic Industries Association (RIA), this area of industrial automation is expected to represent a market option worth around seven billion US dollars by 2025. In addition, this type of automation, with an average cobot sales price of between USD 15,000 and USD 45,000, is increasingly possible outside of large industrial manufacturing applications; cobots will therefore be used in more and more factories and the like.

To avoid falling behind, companies should focus intensively on innovative robotics concepts. To ensure that they can act flexibly and easily adapt production lines and layouts to changing customer requirements, Omron advises a combination of mobile robots and cobots paired with integrated apps, camera and vision technology, support and risk assessment. It is also advisable to rely on an experienced partner rather than many different providers, whose approaches and solutions are often difficult to reconcile. Omron also recommends: "No complex programming should be necessary. Simple installation and changes are essential in order to be able to act proactively. "

Safety
Ideally, cobots help to minimize risks in the production process. They should therefore be equipped to work safely and efficiently alongside human workers. They should be ISO10218 certified and offer investment security. It is important that they can be put into operation within one or a few days. Software tools can facilitate the settings for implementing ISO/TS15066 during commissioning. Another tip is to offer feasibility analyses as well as safety and support services as part of the overall cobot package from a single source - this way, customers do not have to switch to another service provider.

Scalability and data visibility
In application scenarios where flexibility is more important than speed, cobots close the gap with user-friendly software tools and integrated sensor functions. These include, for example, machine vision systems with localization capabilities. Companies need easy-to-use camera and image processing systems to recognize patterns, perform quality checks, place objects and identify barcodes.

Additional AI functions at machine level ("AI at the edge") expand the possibilities. In this context, Omron offers integrated cobot solutions to interactively support employees and optimize production processes. A vision system integrated into the cobot helps to improve reliability, consistency and precision in a cost-efficient manner. Scalability is also essential: for example, it should be possible to start with a simply integrated system and expand it as required.

Cobot and mobile robot as a team
Cobots help to overcome the challenge of the shortage of skilled technical workers. They are faster, easier and safer to program, install and integrate with other systems - for an intelligent production environment in which man and machine work together in harmony. The interaction between mobile and collaborative robots gives companies added flexibility, as they can adapt their production lines to new requirements, changing business needs and faster product cycles much more quickly and cost-effectively.

Peter Lange, Business Development Manager Robotics at Omron Electronics, comments: "Cobots in combination with mobile robots will play a central role in streamlining logistical processes in the future. Manufacturing companies that integrate cobots into flexible, constantly evolving production environments will gain efficiency with minimal programming and installation effort and without the need for expertise in this area." Omron is a full-service provider that offers both collaborative and mobile robots and also combines them as a solution. as