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How could your company grow with robots?
07 April 2020
It’s plain to see that industrial technology has undergone massive changes in the past 10 years, offering exciting new possibilities for flexibility and productivity. So why is the UK continuing to trail behind in adopting the latest production technologies?
Understandably the opening months of 2020 have been daunting for the whole world, but when the recovery comes those companies that have the means to get their production lines working at full efficiency will be the ones that get up and running quickest.
It’s a misconception that modern-day robots are large and complex kits of machinery only suited to large-scale, low variability production. Benefits such as smaller footprints, simplified operation and training, collaborative working and high flexibility are all helping to open new opportunities for SMEs to implement robotic automation.
In the future, robots will increasingly become a common component of every manufacturing operation, handling everything from machine tending and production tasks such as welding and finishing, through to packing and logistics. In the factories of the future, the question will not be about how robots are replacing people but rather how robots and people can be used
together to deliver enhanced levels of productivity and creativity.
Our own experience has revealed that one reason many companies have been slow to implement robotic automation is because of the perceived work involved in adding them to their shop floors. While the best solution in many cases would be to design a production operation from a blank page, the realities of keeping a manufacturing plant operating mean that this isn’t possible. Instead, company owners are challenged with finding ways to implement new technologies while keeping their operations running. When added to the daily burden of running a company, meeting order deadlines and keeping workers employed, it’s not surprising that many just do not have the time to consider automation.
For this reason, we have been working hard to reduce the time, space, cost and complexity associated with purchasing, installing and operating our robots, whilst at the same time finding new ways to deliver ever greater performance.
Our IRB 1100 is a good example. Our fastest and most compact robot yet, the IRB 1100 drives 35% increased productivity and 10% space savings on the production floor and high payloads. With its rugged design, the IRB 1100 can be used for applications including assembly and testing, loading and unloading, as well as polishing, grinding, buffing, deburring and sanding.
Another great example is our OmniCore controller. The OmniCore offers best-in-class motion control and path accuracy in a 50% smaller footprint, offering maximum installation flexibility and floor space utilisation. This allows robotic solutions to be flexibly tailored to a wide variety of both new and existing production lines without the need to rearrange surrounding equipment or production lines. With its future-friendly design, the OmniCore also increases flexibility to incorporate new digital technologies as they become available.
Together with other technologies such as our SafeMove2 software that enables safe collaborative working with our industrial robots through to our single and dual-arm YuMi collaborative robots, these developments offer an exciting new path for UK manufacturing companies of all sizes.
See how you could grow with robots
Our case study guide is full of examples of companies just like yours that are enjoying improved productivity, efficiency and competitiveness as a result of investing in robotic automation. You can download your copy here.
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