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Robots present a common conundrum for small and medium-sized manufacturers (SMMs). On the one hand, they can help smaller operations improve efficiencies and become more competitive within their industry. But are they worth the initial investment, time, resources, and risk to implement?According to the U.S. Census Bureau, SMMs (manufacturing organizations with under 500 employees) make up nearly 99% of all manufacturing organizations in the United States, yet they are often the least likely to t …

The newest collaborative robot from Universal robots is now available for order. Here are some quick FAQs to familiarize you with this new automation tool. Want to get even more familiar with collaborative robots? Join us for a live demo on October 16. Register here.Click here for UR16e Specs.Q: Why did Universal Robots develop the UR16e? A: The UR16e product seeks to expand what customers can do with collaborative robots by introducing a high payload robot. The UR16e enables customer …

At the horseshoe-shaped assembly line in Youngstown, Ohio, engine parts move like clockwork on a conveyor with 60-second takt time for each station.“It’s a fast-paced line; everything is just-in-time, just-in-sequence,” says Gary Bobalik, director of marketing at Comprehensive Logistics. The company is the leading logistics and contract manufacturing provider to two of North America’s largest automotive enterprises, operating suspension, powertrain and interior component sub-assembly lines.The l …

Collaborative robots are promoted as not requiring safety guarding and able to work right alongside human employees. This does not necessarily mean they are inherently safe once deployed with any attachments, such as sharp end-effectors or welding tools. The engineering team must consider the application and the environment when creating and implementing a collaborative robot system.Two of the most critical safety standards relating to collaborative robot cells are the ISO/TS 15066 and RIA TR 15 …

Thanks to collaborative robots, some of the literal walls between man and machine are no longer required. Here are four key ways new age robots can work alongside humans.Force-limited design. Force limited robots incorporate design elements to regulate speed and force so that any accidental contact will cause less or no harm to a worker. Safety-rated monitored stop. A stop action safety design forces the robot to cease movement. This robot type has actually been in use for more than a deca …