What Are The Differences Between Cobots & Other Robots?
On a recent podcast, Dustin Hrubetz, JHFOSTER’s Manager of Robotic Distribution and Industrial Application, talked about a few differences between cobots and other robots. He also discussed some of the applications cobots (collaborative robots) are being used for in current markets. In this blog post, we are going to talk further about these topics.
Keep reading to find out key differences between cobots, like Techman Robots, and industrial robots.
Types of Robots
All cobots are industrial robots, but not all industrial robots are collaborative robots. A cobot is a type of industrial robot, but a very certain breed.
Below you will find a list of the types of industrial robots:
- Cartesian Robots
- SCARA Robots
- Articulated Robots
- Delta Robots
- Polar Robots
- Collaborative Robots (Cobots)
Differences Between Cobots and Other Industrial Robots
Collaborative robots have several benefits including safety features, ease of coding, and ease of movement.
Cobots are “safer” than other industrial robots because they have specific built-in safety features to prevent human injuries. Collaborative robots are designed to immediately stop once they come into contact with a human. In addition, force limiting functionality is often built into cobots. Even more, cobots allow for hand guiding. This means the collaborative robots are able to be guided literally by the hand of the programmer when necessary.
On the other hand, industrial robots other than collaborative robots require guarding, area scanners, and interfacing with PLC’s to be considered “safe”.
Collaborative robots are generally easier to program than other industrial robots. Especially in the case of Techman Robots which are able to be coded via flow-chart based programming.
There are a few limitations of collaborative robots. One such limitation is that cobots have a smaller payload. Collaborative robots are also not as accurate as other industrial robots in specific cases. This is due to the fact that cobots are constantly looking for torque feedback so as not to interfere with human workers.
What Markets & Applications Are Collaborative Robots Used In?
Cobots are used for many applications in many industries. One of the most common industries utilizing collaborative robots is manufacturing. Other industries using cobots include brewing, food and beverage, packaging, and windows and doors. However, many different industries are utilizing collaborative robots. Common applications include:
1. Pick and Place
2. Injection Molding
3. CNC
4. Packaging and Palletizing
5. Quality Inspection
6. Assembly
7. Polishing
8. Machine Tending
9. Screw Driving
10. Lab Analysis and Testing
11. Gluing, Dispensing and Welding
12. Your Industrial Robot Application
Listen To The Podcast
Curious to learn more about collaborative robots? Below you will find the podcast we recorded with Dustin Hrubetz, our very own cobot expert. He elaborates on many of the themes in this blog post and more.
Contact Us
Are you looking to simplify your application with a cobot? Contact us via email or phone to learn more about how you can get your hands on one of these robots!