What’s An Automation Integrator’s View of Cobots? Here’s Our Top 7 Observations
Collaborative robots are a major trend in the automation market, projected to grow by over 40 percent to $7,972 million by 2026. Does that make them the right automation solution for your business? Here are the things we urge manufacturers and industrial automation users to think about. There are many things to think about when you’re […]
Cost vs. Opportunity: What Are You Really Getting for Your Automation Investment?
Companies always approach capital expenditures with great care, but especially now as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. While we think this is actually a good time to invest in automation, we understand it might feel risky in this time of uncertainty and changing markets. It may be helpful to think about automation as an investment in […]
But Are They Safe? Our Guiding Principles for Robot Safety
Robots are not new technology. However, they are showing up in new places all the time such as smaller manufacturing and machine shops, medical settings, warehouses for packaging and order picking, and maybe even your local coffee shop! The trend is in smaller, collaborative robots that humans interact with directly in a work cell to add […]
Workplace Culture in the Age of Manufacturing Automation: Part 2
In Part 1, we looked at ways automation changes the tasks and work at a manufacturing facility. In this post, we’ll discuss the human side. Robotics and automation affect workplace culture in terms of how work is done but also how employees view their work and their value to the company. Most will be accepting of […]
Workplace Culture in the Age of Manufacturing Automation: Part 1
Across industries, workplace culture is a hot topic. The culture at your own workplace might be “I know it when I see it” – hard to describe in specific terms but noticeable when it changes. Some ways to think of workplace culture are: Automation drives cultural changes in all aspects of work. In this post, […]
As COVID-19 Continues, What Will Cobots Offer Manufacturers?
Collaborative robots, or cobots, have been growing in popularity among manufacturing and industrial companies looking to improve quality, reduce tedium for workers, and gain efficiencies. According to Design News, “collaborative robots are expected to maintain a double-digit growth rate in terms of both revenue and shipments… Growth for all other types of industrial robots is either […]
Will a Robot Take Your Manufacturing Job? Not Necessarily!
If you’ve ever had the fleeting thought that robots in factories, homes, and even amusement parks will suddenly go berserk and attack or take over the world, you’re not alone. Movies, television, and literature are full of humanoid and mobile robotic machines that eventually turn on the people they’re supposed to be helping. From science […]
Robots May Have a Bad Reputation in Manufacturing, But They Don’t Have To
We’ve talked about how robots affect job security – one of the common concerns workers and managers express about automation and robotics in manufacturing. Here we’ll address three more reasons robots get a bad rap: safety, expense, and learning to work with advanced technology. 1. Safety For many, the default mental image of an industrial robot is […]
Designing the Layout: Robotic Welding Cell Configurations
One of the challenges of planning a new welding automation project is visualizing the equipment layout. There are many configuration options from which to choose. What’s highly efficient in one facility might bog down production in another. It all comes down to your goals and the details of your manufacturing process. Here are some things to keep […]
