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Productivity
The future of manufacturing and the transition to Industry 5.0 rests on ensuring machine tending benefits from both human skill and automated consistency , something collaborative robots ( cobots ) are specifically designed for .
Working alongside the machines
For decades , the repetitive and physically demanding task of machine tending has been performed by human machine operators . This must change . Not only is manual machine tending unsafe , but it is also not scalable .
Machine tending tasks are often performed in small working spaces , involving aggressive cutting fluids and sharp edges . Often providing the perfect recipe for worker accidents . In addition , these tasks , performed for hours on end , with little natural light , also take a mental strain . Due to these less than favorable conditions , few people are clamoring to do this type of work .
Using collaborative robots – or cobots – for machine tending applications can help to solve these issues . Cobots can be programmed to reduce contact in a defined space , enabling them to work seamlessly alongside humans . New generation cobots can effectively perform the extremely precise work required in machine tending . Offering up to six degrees of movement – and in some cases seven – cobots boast the necessary “ human touch ” required .
In some cases , automation of machine tending is already enabling real-time monitoring and analysis for manufacturers , as
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