EMEX 2020 COBOTS SET TO IMPROVE
LOCAL MANUFACTURING
Not surprising says supplier Design Energy, as the UR10 collaborative robot
(cobot) from Universal Robots (UR) is the most deployed model in both Australia
and New Zealand.
Boasting a large payload
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of 10kg and a long reach
capability of 1300mm,
the UR10 is a worthy
investment thanks to its versatility,
long service life and its ability
to adapt to various application
extensions in future.
Darrell Adams, head of SEAO
(South East Asia Oceania) at
Universal Robots says that the UR10
makes collaborative automation
accessible to businesses around
the country and addresses a wide
range of applications in machine
tending, palletising and packaging.
“Its 1300mm reach spans wide
workspaces without compromising
on precision or payload
performance”.
There has been some resistance to
cobots in the past. Some concerns
included that robots could potentially
put humans out of jobs and that
cobots are expensive and difficult to
implement. These fears have been
eased through the many successful
stories of implementation across
a wide range of manufacturing
sectors. Cobots have shown their
worth through their efficient ROI,
ease of use and the fact that in most
cases cobots are working alongside
employees on a production line.
Companies are now embracing the
idea of cobots to tackle repetitive
tasks, ensure a more productive
workforce and yield higher profits
thanks to their extreme accuracy and
sheer work speed.
“Cobots are commonly used in pick
and place applications and machine
tending. They are flexible, easy to
integrate into existing production
environments and are built to do
more,” says Adams. “In addition,
cobots can operate in hostile work
environments that are not suitable for
humans”.
What’s all the hype about?
It’s been over 10 years since cobots
first appeared on the manufacturing
scene. First viewed as a ‘lab
experiment’, cobots now are hard at
work in various industries around the
world.
Cobot technology has advanced
at a rapid rate and as the global
industry leader, Universal Robots has
deployed more than 42,000 cobots
around the world and just invested
USD 36 million in the construction
of the world’s largest cobot hub in
Denmark.
These exciting, life-like inventions
have modern manufacturing
organisations enthused with how
cobots can be deployed to deliver
better safety and ergonomics,
enhanced productivity and reduced
labour costs.
“Cobots are
particularly
suited to small
to mid-size
manufacturers
who don’t have an
army of automation engineers and
are vulnerable to labour shortages,
economic volatility and competitive
pressures,” says Adams.
In terms of costs, Adams notes that
owning a cobot is an affordable
investment and that leasing options
are now available courtesy of
Universal Robots and DLL.
“Compare this to the cost of
employment over a long period of
time and the benefits will start to add
up quickly.”
Cobot benefits explained:
• Easy programming: “Cobots
are accessible to everyone. The
patented technology allows
operators with no programming
experience to easily set up and
operate cobots using intuitive,
3D visualisation,” Adams says. In
addition, Universal Robots offers
24/7 free e-learning through the
UR Academy using Certified
Trainers.
• Fast set-up: The average set-up
time for a cobot by Universal Robot
is half a day. “Universal Robots has
revolutionised cobot
set-up, reducing typical
robotic deployment measured
in weeks to a matter of hours.”
• Flexible deployment: “Universal
Robots are lightweight, spacesaving,
and easy to re-deploy
to multiple applications without
changing your production layout.”
Moving the cobot to a new
process is fast and easy, giving you
the agility to automate almost any
manual task, including those with
small batches or fast changeovers.
The cobot can re-use programs for
recurrent tasks.
• Collaborative and safe: 80% of
Universal Robots operate without
safety guarding or after risk
assessment, right beside human
operators. “A big attraction for
companies is that cobots can
operate in dirty, dangerous, and
dull jobs to reduce the repetitive
strain and accidental injuries
caused to human operators,” says
Adams.
For companies with complex
applications, Universal Robots offers
a comprehensive network of Certified
System Integrators and Authorised
Training Centres to help you get
started.
For more information call Design
Energy +64 3 943 2143.
34 EMEX Show Issue 2020