When talking about the productivity of a company, one cannot help but think of the concept of automation. The number of applications in which robots can be used is very high, which leads one to wonder which is the best choice between a traditional industrial robot and a collaborative robot (or Cobot).

To answer this question, it is necessary to understand the differences between these two technologies.

A robot is an autonomous machine programmed to perform a specific task. A cobot, on the other hand, is a robot programmed to share workspace with operators under specific conditions.

The main differences between the two systems concern the following aspects:

• Size
• Flexibility
• Programming
• Safety

Conventional industrial robots have such dimensions and weight that they require constraints in terms of safety for minimum space. Added to this is a complex scheduling of the task to be performed, which tends to take a long time to carry out because it affects the flexibility of this tool. It is precisely flexibility that is the crucial point in determining the best solution to adopt.

Robots are programmed to perform a specific task at high speed and with very high precision, resulting in high performance for large production volumes. This makes it necessary to delimit the robot’s area of movement so as to prevent contact with operators and, at the same time, allow the handling of very heavy loads.

In contrast, cobots are small and light, can be moved easily and reprogrammed just as easily thanks to two main modes: teach pendant or manual guidance. At the same time, as they are designed to share workspace with operators, speeds within the collaborative area must inevitably be lower to ensure that any contact is not dangerous. Furthermore, cobots are designed to carry light loads, typically between 5 kg and 30 kg.

All these characteristics make them extremely versatile, but less performing in terms of speed and accuracy.

Ultimately, there is no best choice, only a specific need for each individual business case. What are the objectives in terms of production volume? What is the available space? Are the tasks to be performed fixed? These are just some of the many questions a company should ask itself in order to evaluate the best way forward.

At Advolo, we provide you with a team of experts in the field of robotics who can assist you from the design of your robot island according to the main reference standards to certification in accordance with the applicable product directives. Do not hesitate to contact us for more information at: commerciale@advolo.it