Emerging Applications of Cobots
Traditional Manufacturing and Assembly
Welding
Material Handling and Palletizing
Quality Inspection
In sectors like automotive and electronics, cobots typically work in the assembly area where they need to share workspace with human co-workers, with tasks including material handling, component assembly, screwdriving, etc., but as cobot capabilities have developed in recent years, also increasingly in applications requiring force control such as polishing or sanding, and also applications requiring high precision such as dispensing and very small part assembly. . The flexibility and small footprint of cobots allows them to work where large industrial robots do not fit in, the fact that they can be easily programmed and retaught mean that it’s possible to easily switch between tasks with minimal downtime, making them ideal for production environments needing frequent reconfiguration.
Demand for welding cobots is rising amid a shortage of skilled welders. Cobots help bridge this gap, enabling users to teach tasks without programming expertise. ABB cobots, for example, offer lead-through programming, allowing welders to guide the arm by hand to set precise weld positions. With ABB’s intuitive Wizard Easy Programming—a graphical tool for quick and efficient cobot setup across various tasks—welders can easily create, modify and manage multiple programs, making this solution ideal for high-mix, low-volume production environments.
Cobots enhance operational efficiency in logistics by performing tasks like picking, packing, and palletizing with precision and speed. While traditional industrial palletizing cells with their high output, ability to handle large objects and high payloads will always be needed, collaborative palletizers are increasingly being used in addition to these, for lower-speed production lines for smaller batch products, or for factories with manual palletizing that do not have space for large palletizing cells. Their ability to work alongside human operators in shared spaces boosts productivity and creates a safer, more ergonomic work environment.
Advancements in vision systems and AI enable cobots to perform detailed inspections, ensuring product consistency and reducing human error. This capability is essential in industries like electronics and automotive, where even minor defects can have serious consequences. With vision devices mounted on cobots, these inspections can take place in shared workspaces, enhancing quality control tasks. ABB’s RobotStudio software stands out in this context, allowing users to build, test, and refine robot installations in a virtual environment before deployment. This simulation capability helps optimize quality and reduce errors from the start.
