Tag Archives: Cobots

Cobot’s are robots designed to work side by side with humans on the plant floor and currently there is a boom in the collaborative robot market.

However, there are two common adjustments customers make that effectively change their cobot to a robot.

1. The gripper or end effector of the robot does not meet the safety criteria for a cobot.  If this add on device is not as safe as the robot then additional safety devices must be added and you effectively have just another robot.  For example:  If you put a flamethrower, or other dangerous tool on the end of a cobot it ceases to become a cobot.
2. If the standard default collaborative speed or force settings are over ridden your cobot becomes just another robot.  This happens in some cases when a customer realizes they don’t have the speed they need to achieve their cycle time requirements.

Should this be a reason not to purchase a cobot?  Absolutely not, when you purchase a cobot you usually get the benefits of a robot at no extra charge along with future added flexibility.  Just be aware that the cobot you take out of the box may need to be treated like a robot if you make changes like those above.