Collaborative robots, or Co-Bots are especially designed robots for factories or assembly lines. They are configured to perform repetitive tasks and work alongside humans as assisting hands in labors that test manual strength. This is why, the popularity of Co-bots has only been increasing since they were first tested and applied in workplaces. With increasing innovations, a number of new designs of co-bots have sprung up in the market, the best of which are as follows:
Baxter and Sawyer from Rethink Collaborative Robots
Venture funded, Boston -based company Rethink Robotics produce two different co-bots, namely: two-armed industrial robot, Baxter and one armed, Sawyer, which are capable of performing many functions tirelessly. While Baxter can easily participate in picking defective goods from product lines, packaging goods in cartons and inspecting final products for quality check; Sawyer is designed for machine tending, circuit board testing and other chiseling tasks.
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Heavy Duty Bots of Universal Robots
Industrial working hands are manufactured by the Danish Universal Bots in three different designs, each of which has different work capacities. These one-armed axis Collaborative Robots have been successful in the factories where tasks like mounting objects, gluing, screwing, soldering and painting are predominantly performed.
Innovative Designs of F&P Personal Robotics
This Swiss based machine designed at the University of Zurich provides collaborative robots which have been made with due consideration of workers’ safety and need for multi-functionality at workplaces. It is hence that these one-armed Collaborative Robots are designed from soft material covers with force sensors to be sensitive of their surroundings and operated by remote controlled motor torque.
Highly Skilled YuMi of ABB
Coming from the manufacturing of one of the Big Four global industrial robot innovators, YuMi is a two-armed bot with enhanced functions to compete manual capabilities. His precision is as accurate as is needed for assembly of mechanical parts for smartphones, tablets, PCs and other delicate electronic goods; or thread a needle for sewing.
Speedy 10 from MABI Robotic
The dexterous Speedy 10 is a one-armed table top robot which is characterized by its exceptionally light weight, agility to perform tasks and quick learning capability. Despite of its intuitive graphic user interface, the safety of its use in factories alongside manual workers is still to be tested.
The training capabilities and receptivity of co-bots towards its company are two of the many features which stand proof of its superior intelligence to other mechanical Collaborative Robots. With developments in their technology, it becomes easy to imagine collaborative robots dominating worldwide manufacturing spaces in future!
