The Future of Manufacturing: Human and Robot Collaboration

Sawyer completes jobs quickly and accurately, works safely alongside co-workers, and is an integral part of the workforce. However, Sawyer is not your average employee — he is a robot. Sawyer is just one example of automated technology being introduced to factories. Increased automation in plants is optimizing productivity in manufacturing. While some people fear the human workforce will ultimately be replaced by robots, manufacturers disagree, as they are aware that both machine efficiency and human intuition are vital for optimum productivity.

So, how can manufacturers ensure that robots and humans can work efficiently and safely in the same workspace? Industrial robots are in the factory to complete either repetitive tasks or those that are too dangerous for human workers. Traditionally, robots have been heavy, simple and isolated to prevent humans from getting too close, but now there are technologies that allow humans to work side by side in the plant with collaborative robots, otherwise known as cobots.

Benefits

Collaborative robots are specifically designed to work in direct cooperation with humans in a defined workspace. There are also collaborative workplaces which are safeguarded spaces where the robot and human can perform tasks simultaneously.

There are multiple reasons why robots like Sawyer are becoming more popular in factories. Cobots are affordable, highly adaptable and easy to install. Small and medium-sized enterprises are eager to adopt the technology, and the manufacturing sector expects to see huge growth of cobots over the next few years.

Cobots also support human workers. Robots can perform the heavy lifting and repetitive jobs that can cause human strain. This gives human workers more time to complete more creative and intricate work.

Safety

The key consideration for manufacturers that want to benefit from human and machine interaction is how to keep workers safe. Cobots have certain features that prevent them from injuring humans when in operation. All cobots have rounded and soft surfaces to reduce the risk of injury if a human gets too close to the machine. They are also fitted with sensors that detect anything entering their proximity and have force-limited joints that will instantly stop if a human gets too close.

These safety features are vital in preventing injury, but there are other factors that manufacturers must consider. Regulations, such as ISO 10218-2:2011, control how facilities integrate robotics into the assembly line to ensure all workers are kept safe. As part of this regulation, all manufacturers that use cobots will be required to implement safety protocols onsite. However, the application ultimately will determine the safety requirements, rather than the robot. For example, if the robot has sharp knives attached to it, manufacturers should avoid human-machine interaction.

The Future

In the future, advancements in machine learning and artificial intelligence could increase the capabilities of cobots. If cobots become more intelligent, they will be able to perform more difficult tasks and remember previous work to help them in the future. Machine learning may also mean that cobots will be able to diagnose themselves and fix any technical issues to complete work more efficiently.

Cobots have the potential to radically change the manufacturing sector. However, there are still some skills a robot has not been able to perfect. A robot may perform a repetitive task with complete accuracy, but it is not as agile as a human. Cobots lack dexterity and therefore cannot execute more intricate tasks that humans can.

Unlike older, industrial robots, cobots have design features needed to keep workers safe. Plant managers must combine the machine strength and precision of robots like Sawyer with human ability to see, think and adapt for the perfect factory. So, if you find out you’ll be working next to a robot like Sawyer, you can sleep well knowing that he will be a safe, supportive and efficient colleague.

About the Author

Jonathan Wilkins is the marketing director at EU Automation, an obsolete industrial parts supplier.