Choosing a Robot - Top 10 Questions to Ask

Choosing a Robot - Top 10 Questions to Ask - Unchained Robotics

If you want to learn more, please visit our website Fuxin Intelligent.

Nevertheless, as a future robot owner, you shouldmake sure that you ask yourself the right quesitons before you choose your new metallic coworker.

There are a number of factors that will influence which robot is best suited for your particular process. If you can answer the 10 questions listed here, finding the right model will be a lot easier and faster.
You can work with an integrator to do this, or you can enter the answers into

Source: bruce mars via Unsplash.com


1. What industry are you in?
Yes, it may seem obvious and it is probably the easiest question in this list, but it is an important one for choosing the right robot. Depending on the industry, there may be requirements that exclude a number of robots.
For example, in both the food and beverage and pharmaceutical industries, there are stringent hygiene requirements that not every robot will meet.

2. What task will the robot perform?
Again, this is more of an elementary question, but the process or sub-process you want to automate will also determine the choice of robot, as some models are not designed for specific applications.
For example, the process might require high maneuverability over a variety of axes, which not every robot will not be able to achieve.
If you&#;re unsure of what process you want to automate, our tip is to look for tasks in your current process that are repetitive, dirty, or even dangerous for a human to perform. Also, especially if you don&#;t have a lot of experience using robots yet, you should start with as simple a process as possible.
When in doubt, automate the simple and the repetitive first and tackle complicated processes later.

Source: Media Print

3. What range does the robot need to have?
The first two questions are still relatively general, this is where we start to get into the details. The reach needed depends on the process: where do the parts arrive? Do they need to be transported to another point? Does the robot need to be able to reach different points within its work area (e.g., when sorting parts)?
The subsequent layout or design of the robot workspace is also critical here in determining how long the reach must be. There are even ways to artificially extend a robot&#;s reach by moving the gripper, but this can come with a significant payload limitation, so it&#;s better to consult a professional here.

4. How much weight will the robot be lifting?
Depending on the process and the objects with which the robot is to work, the minimum payload capacity requirement can be determined. Of course, the robot&#;s payload can be higher &#; this gives you a greater degree of flexibility should the process change.
It should also be kept in mind that, in addition to the objects with which the robot is to work, the weight of the gripper must also be taken into account. So the payload should be high enough to lift both the object and the gripper &#; ideally with some capacity to spare.

Source: Victor Freitas via Unsplash.com

5. What batch size should the robot produce?
Will a large number of a part be made on each production run, or are you more likely to make small quantities? Or perhaps you&#;ll be producing products that all vary from one to the next.
This determines how adaptable the robot needs to be. With traditional industrial robots, for example, changing over from one programmed process to the next can be very complex. Conseauently, they are less suitable for small batch sizes. Their smaller &#;relatives&#; &#; collaborative robots &#; on the other hand, are designed with flexibility in mind. And, thanks to their intuitive operation, even laymen can reprogram them without special expensive technical training.

6. What is the expected daily production volume?
We have already discussed the total batch volume, but the daily production volume also has an influence on which robot is chosen. If the requirements for daily production are high, then the robot must also be able to work faster.
But not every robot is able to work at high speed &#; especially if you want to use a robot collaboratively without restrictive additional safety precautions. Among other things, cobots can only operate at a certain speed in the vicinity of people. This means one can&#;t expect industrial robot speed with a cobot.
However, many collaborative robots can work faster, but then you have to take into account additional safety reauirements. This happens relatively often and is one of the upsides of using cobots in comparison to traditional industrial robots. Cobots can operate collaboratively or uncollaboratively and be switched from one to the other in relatively short order.

Source: Jan Huber via Unsplash.com

7. What material will the robot be manipulating?
Another crucial factor is the material or materials with which the robot will work. We have already discussed the importance of weight above, but the material itself is important, too.
For example, if the material is reflective, then using cameras and vision systems can be problematic. If the material is porous, a vacuum gripper is probably not the right choice. If it&#;s very delicate &#; like food, for example &#; you may need special grippers that won&#;t cause damage. Or perhaps the robot is working with flammable or explosive materials, in which case care must be taken to ensure that it is properly grounded.

8. How precise does the robot need to be?
The fact that they can work more precisely than humans is an oft-cited advantage to robots. The true accuracy or repeatabilit, however, varies from robot to robot. Some are much more accurate than others.
If you need a very high level of precision, i.e. you can only cope with very small deviations in the range of a millimeter or less, you have to be very careful to select a robot that can meet these requirements.

Source: Media Print

9. Which kind of End-of-Arm tool do you need?
A robot alone cannot do much; It needs a &#;hand&#; to fulfill its purpose.
What kind of gripper or end-of-arm tool you need depends primarily on the answers to the above questions. The weight, material, sensitivity, etc. of the object to be handled all come into play, here. In many ways, picking an end-of-arm tool is just as important as picking a robot.
If the robot is picking up packages and placing them on a pallet, then a vacuum gripper might be in order. If it&#;s placing fruit into cartons, then a SoftGripping tool might be in order. If it&#;s placing tiny electrical parts, then a two-finger gripper might be in order.
When in doubt, you can always use

10. What kind of camera do you need?
Lastly, there is one more component that you may need: a camera.
Cameras can be especially important for production runs and processes that have a lot of variance. With the various kinds of cameras and visions solutions available, you can greatly increase the flexibility of your system and its ability to identify and deal with variations. These variations could be in shape, size, position, material, etc.
However, if the process is repetitive and the objects that the robot is with are uniform and in consistent positions, then a camera might not even be necessary.
Cameras have a myriad of uses and it&#;s important to recall that they can also just be used for code scanning, so that the robot can identify and track specific parts and pieces.
Cameras can greatly increase the practicality and flexibility of the your robot!

Source: Alex Andrews via Pexels.com

Conclusion

There are many factors that influence the choice of a robot. If you can answer the 10 questions listed here before you even begin your search, you&#;re already well on your way to finding a robot that&#;s right for you.
In fact, with the answers to the above questions, you can find your robot in just 5 minutes! Enter your requirements into our configurator and it will find you the right robot, end-of-arm tool, and &#; depending on whether or not you need one &#; a camera.

Where do you want to go?
You want to try it out right now?
Want to learn more about integrating robots into business processes? Then download our free whitepaper &#;Process integration: 5 steps to automation&#;! Download now

We&#;ve said it once and we&#;ll say it again: Robotics is not rocket science!Nevertheless, as a future robot owner, you shouldmake sure that you ask yourself the right quesitons before you choose your new metallic coworker.There are a number of factors that will influence which robot is best suited for your particular process. If you can answer the 10 questions listed here, finding the right model will be a lot easier and faster.You can work with an integrator to do this, or you can enter the answers into our configurator , which will then pick out a solution to fit your specifications.Source: bruce mars via Unsplash.com1. What industry are you in?Yes, it may seem obvious and it is probably the easiest question in this list, but it is an important one for choosing the right robot. Depending on the industry, there may be requirements that exclude a number of robots.For example, in both the food and beverage and pharmaceutical industries, there are stringent hygiene requirements that not every robot will meet.2. What task will the robot perform?Again, this is more of an elementary question, but the process or sub-process you want to automate will also determine the choice of robot, as some models are not designed for specific applications.For example, the process might require high maneuverability over a variety of axes, which not every robot will not be able to achieve.If you&#;re unsure of what process you want to automate, our tip is to look for tasks in your current process that are repetitive, dirty, or even dangerous for a human to perform. Also, especially if you don&#;t have a lot of experience using robots yet, you should start with as simple a process as possible.When in doubt, automate the simple and the repetitive first and tackle complicated processes later.Source: Media Print3. What range does the robot need to have?The first two questions are still relatively general, this is where we start to get into the details. The reach needed depends on the process: where do the parts arrive? Do they need to be transported to another point? Does the robot need to be able to reach different points within its work area (e.g., when sorting parts)?The subsequent layout or design of the robot workspace is also critical here in determining how long the reach must be. There are even ways to artificially extend a robot&#;s reach by moving the gripper, but this can come with a significant payload limitation, so it&#;s better to consult a professional here.4. How much weight will the robot be lifting?Depending on the process and the objects with which the robot is to work, the minimum payload capacity requirement can be determined. Of course, the robot&#;s payload can be higher &#; this gives you a greater degree of flexibility should the process change.It should also be kept in mind that, in addition to the objects with which the robot is to work, the weight of the gripper must also be taken into account. So the payload should be high enough to lift both the object and the gripper &#; ideally with some capacity to spare.Source: Victor Freitas via Unsplash.com5. What batch size should the robot produce?Will a large number of a part be made on each production run, or are you more likely to make small quantities? Or perhaps you&#;ll be producing products that all vary from one to the next.This determines how adaptable the robot needs to be. With traditional industrial robots, for example, changing over from one programmed process to the next can be very complex. Conseauently, they are less suitable for small batch sizes. Their smaller &#;relatives&#; &#; collaborative robots &#; on the other hand, are designed with flexibility in mind. And, thanks to their intuitive operation, even laymen can reprogram them without special expensive technical training.6. What is the expected daily production volume?We have already discussed the total batch volume, but the daily production volume also has an influence on which robot is chosen. If the requirements for daily production are high, then the robot must also be able to work faster.But not every robot is able to work at high speed &#; especially if you want to use a robot collaboratively without restrictive additional safety precautions. Among other things, cobots can only operate at a certain speed in the vicinity of people. This means one can&#;t expect industrial robot speed with a cobot.However, many collaborative robots can work faster, but then you have to take into account additional safety reauirements. This happens relatively often and is one of the upsides of using cobots in comparison to traditional industrial robots. Cobots can operate collaboratively or uncollaboratively and be switched from one to the other in relatively short order.Source: Jan Huber via Unsplash.com7. What material will the robot be manipulating?Another crucial factor is the material or materials with which the robot will work. We have already discussed the importance of weight above, but the material itself is important, too.For example, if the material is reflective, then using cameras and vision systems can be problematic. If the material is porous, a vacuum gripper is probably not the right choice. If it&#;s very delicate &#; like food, for example &#; you may need special grippers that won&#;t cause damage. Or perhaps the robot is working with flammable or explosive materials, in which case care must be taken to ensure that it is properly grounded.8. How precise does the robot need to be?The fact that they can work more precisely than humans is an oft-cited advantage to robots. The true accuracy or repeatabilit, however, varies from robot to robot. Some are much more accurate than others.If you need a very high level of precision, i.e. you can only cope with very small deviations in the range of a millimeter or less, you have to be very careful to select a robot that can meet these requirements.Source: Media Print9. Which kind of End-of-Arm tool do you need?A robot alone cannot do much; It needs a &#;hand&#; to fulfill its purpose.What kind of gripper or end-of-arm tool you need depends primarily on the answers to the above questions. The weight, material, sensitivity, etc. of the object to be handled all come into play, here. In many ways, picking an end-of-arm tool is just as important as picking a robot.If the robot is picking up packages and placing them on a pallet, then a vacuum gripper might be in order. If it&#;s placing fruit into cartons, then a SoftGripping tool might be in order. If it&#;s placing tiny electrical parts, then a two-finger gripper might be in order.When in doubt, you can always use our configurator to find the ideal solution for you!10. What kind of camera do you need?Lastly, there is one more component that you may need: a camera.Cameras can be especially important for production runs and processes that have a lot of variance. With the various kinds of cameras and visions solutions available, you can greatly increase the flexibility of your system and its ability to identify and deal with variations. These variations could be in shape, size, position, material, etc.However, if the process is repetitive and the objects that the robot is with are uniform and in consistent positions, then a camera might not even be necessary.Cameras have a myriad of uses and it&#;s important to recall that they can also just be used for code scanning, so that the robot can identify and track specific parts and pieces.Cameras can greatly increase the practicality and flexibility of the your robot!Source: Alex Andrews via Pexels.comConclusionThere are many factors that influence the choice of a robot. If you can answer the 10 questions listed here before you even begin your search, you&#;re already well on your way to finding a robot that&#;s right for you.In fact, with the answers to the above questions,Enter your requirements into our configurator and it will find you the right robot, end-of-arm tool, and &#; depending on whether or not you need one &#; a camera.Where do you want to go?You want to try it out right now? Find a solution now Want to learn more about integrating robots into business processes? Then download our free whitepaper &#;Process integration: 5 steps to automation&#;! Download now

By John Tuohy

National Account Manager- Machine Tool Authorized Systems Integrator Network

10 Questions to Ask When Considering a Machine Tending Cobot

With the global robotics market now predicted to reach $150 Billion by , more businesses in many different industries are seeing the benefits of adding automation to their operations. Traditionally, however, smaller machine shops have been reluctant to make an initial investment in robotics &#; until cobots.

Major production disruptions in the aftermath of the pandemic paired with the growing availability and affordability of flexible collaborative robotics have spurred a growing interest in this type of automation, especially for high-mix, low-volume applications.

To help create a successful roadmap to automation, answering the following 10 questions can help clarify whether adding cobots could be the right solution.

1. What are you trying to do?

Consider first your business challenges and answer the following questions to see if a cobot could help solve these problems. Think about the machine tending application you&#;d like to automate. For example, would you like to automate loading and unloading of parts to free up people and resources? If so, cobots could be the answer to your automation efforts.

2. Is your workspace cobot friendly?

This might seem like a simple question, but the answer to this question is key to whether adding a cobot will be a straightforward process. For example, cobots work best in very structured and predictable workspaces, so consider whether parts will be able to be picked up exactly in the same spot or not by the cobot. Also, is the area free of clutter and obstacles? That is crucial to easily deploying cobots!

3. Do you have a tight operational area or other small footprint restrictions?

If you are working in a smaller space, as long as it adheres to the guidance laid out in #2, cobots can be an excellent candidate for these types of environments. With traditional industrial robots, the need for fencing became a no-go for many smaller shops. Of course, a proper risk assessment must be conducted, but cobots can usually operate alongside skilled workers in a shared workspace.

4. Do you have job recruitment challenges?

Workers of all types, skilled and unskilled, are becoming harder to come by. We&#;ve all heard that millions of manufacturing jobs could go unfilled by the next decade due to the skilled labor gap, so planning for the future to reduce your need to recruit, hire, train and retain workers for the long haul might be the safest bet to ensuring your growth plans stay on track.

If you are looking for more details, kindly visit industrial robotic arm manufacturer.

5. Do you need to add hours without adding staff?

Pursuing new business sounds ideal, but often aggressive bidding is pulled back because manufacturers aren&#;t confident their operations can rise to the task. Cobots can help ensure large orders are met and even help catch up on work to get in front of big jobs. Plus, cobots can help fill contingency plans for workers unexpectedly missing time or on leave.

6. How much do you need to lift?

The amount of weight the arm can lift, including the weight of the gripper as well as total part weight before machining is the &#;payload.&#; This is important to calculate so that the cycle time of total machining can be determined. The more the payload, the slower the arm might need to move, affecting the overall production throughput time. However, newer cobots on the market like FANUC&#;s new CR-35iB collaborative robot has a 35kg payload.

7. How far do you need to reach?

Understanding how far a cobot&#;s arm needs to extend will dictate the proximity of the cobot to the CNC machine. Also, understanding how the cobot will be loading or unloading a part into a machine, as discussed in #2 and #3, will help determine the axes of motion required. The more complicated this is, the more dexterous the cobot will need to be. However, reach capabilities of cobots are expanding in new models, such as FANUC&#;s new CR-35iB collaborative robot, which has a mm reach.

8. What type of parts need to be gripped?

Using varying grippers for different applications is possible, but time consuming to change out. Consider choosing a gripper that can adapt to pick up different sizes, shapes and types of materials. Rectangular or cylindrical prismatic parts that have two parallel sides are perfect for a pincer-style gripper, while vacuum suction cups are suited for thin or flat items.

9. How are your workforce&#;s programming capabilities?

One factor that commonly deters shops from adding automation is the lack of robotics programming expertise. However, cobots are addressing this skills gap issue by allowing robot interaction via a drag-and-drop interface. This way, operators &#;teach&#; the arm by physically moving it through each step.

Also, if you have well-versed G-code programmers in your shop, consider adding a control feature like FANUC&#;s QSSR G-code to help. This allows the robotic motion to be controlled in machine G-code through the FANUC CNC. A teach pendant is only needed for initial set up and jogging, while inside a safety fence.

10. How will your robot connect to your machines?

Robotic machine tending often has to communicate with the CNC machine, so a seamless integration between the controls and the robot system is a must. But making sure all functions are performed in a single application can be challenging. FANUC addresses this need with our QSSR Connect feature, where the robot motion is programmed using a teach pendant. This enables the use of intelligent features like vision and FANUC&#;s CNC iHMI interface to provide step-by-step robotic programming guidance.

 

Assessing Your Workbook Results

If answering the above questions have shown that a cobot could make your operations more profitable and efficient, then consider our ever-expanding selection, including our CRXs. However, if that&#;s not the case, there are other automation options. FANUC America has a robot finder tool that helps find the right robot for the application. If you&#;re looking for a more standardized solution, perhaps a pre-engineered robotic work cell would be best to automate your process.

To discuss any of these questions or other automation needs for your machining operations, contact us at www.fanucamerica.com. No job is too big or small for FANUC!

If you want to learn more, please visit our website stamping robot.