The manufacturing industry encompasses every branch of industry involved in the production of goods. Manufacturing is all about putting together materials and parts, made by other industries, to produce finished products – which can be anything from cars to electronics. The manufacturing industry is so big that it not only creates enormous items but also assembles small parts into very large ones. As such it is constantly looking for ways to improve and there are several ways in which robots can be used to accomplish that.
1. Picking, Packaging, And Palletizing
Working in a factory is often very monotonous and repetitive. There are only so many things you can do with your hands and arms and doing them for 8 hours a day every day is incredibly labor-intensive. The advantage of robots in this area is that they can work continuously without getting tired, meaning that their job performance will not decrease over time. This is why jobs like picking, packaging, and palletizing are often left to collaborative robots since those tasks are not only repetitive but can also be very physically demanding and even dangerous. By using robots, employees are free to focus on more complex jobs where their talents and skills will be of much better use. Besides the obvious gains any business gets from this, it also ensures the people working there will be able to extend their efforts on more interesting tasks, which leads to higher job satisfaction.
2. Lifting And Transporting
Another job that has traditionally been strictly regulated to humans is lifting and transporting. Again, the repetitive nature of this job can be very strenuous on a human body, especially if it requires moving objects repeatedly over long distances. This is where robots excel as they are able to lift up to 30 times their own weight and even move heavy items around without any risk of injury or damage. With that in mind, it’s obvious that robotics can be very helpful in certain lines of businesses, where a lot of heavy lifting and transport needs to be done. For example, any business that heavily relies on large warehouses would benefit tremendously from using robots.
3. Dispensing
Whether it’s liquids or granules, robots can help ensure the correct amount of material is dispensed and make sure none of it goes to waste. This is extremely helpful in large manufacturing companies, where it can save not only time and energy but also money. Robots do this by using their sensors to measure the properties of the material and then adjusting the flow accordingly. This allows for very precise measurements and creates a cleaner work environment as there is no risk of spillage or any material getting stuck on parts. Obviously, a company that manufactures and sells cleaning products would benefit a lot from the use of such robots.
4. Welding And Joining
One of the most popular ways to use robots in manufacturing is welding and joining. Again, this is a task that has been traditionally reserved only for humans but robots have been able to overcome this by creating precise movements and being much stronger than human beings. Robots are also able to work for long hours without any breaks or rest periods. For example, an automotive company would benefit tremendously from using multi-purpose robots that can do welding and joining tasks. This would reduce the number of employees needed to carry out their daily activities and increase productivity while simultaneously reducing production costs.
5. Machining And Assembly
Typically, manufacturing companies use robots for machining and assembly. Working at assembly lines can not only be destructive to the body but also cause long-term pain. This is why companies often use robots, which can follow specific commands and stay put in one place, making them easy to integrate into different machines or lines of production. Besides that, using robots for machining and assembly produces results that are much cleaner and precise than if humans had done it. In other words, using robots for assembly lines protects the workers from strain injuries usually seen in this line of work, and they ensure better quality in less time.
6. Machine Tending And Inspection
A very popular way to use robots in the manufacturing industry is machine tending and inspection. Although traditionally reserved for humans, there are areas of machine tending and even certain forms of inspections that can be better suited for robots. This is because certain tasks are simple enough that robots can be programmed with them. This not only makes it possible for more people to focus on other things, but it also ensures that those parts will always be properly maintained as long as the programming is up to date. There are several types of robots that are used for machine tending and inspection, and they vary depending on what kind of industry is using them.
7. Product Control
Whether it’s for quality control or research, robots can be used as very efficient inspectors. They are able to generate high-quality data and measure almost anything with incredible accuracy – all without human limitation. This allows them to conduct tests that would take humans much longer to do, and they can even become an integral part of product design. For example, companies that manufacture electronic products like smartphones would benefit a lot from using robots for inspection as this would increase accuracy and reduce the time needed to develop new products. It can also lead to a safer work environment since robots are able to detect issues that could not be as easily detected by humans.
8. Painting And Finishing
One of the final tasks within the assembly process is painting and finishing. This process requires a lot of attention to detail as any flaws will be immediately visible once it’s done. This is why companies often turn to robots, which can handle this process with ease and in a much more precise and efficient manner compared to humans. Robots can also work as a team, allowing them to work continuously until the entire assembly line is done. In addition, robots can be used for sanding and polishing as well as applying finishes like plating and electroplating. All of these tasks are very repetitive and require a lot of time to be done, so automation is used to speed up the process.
As you can see there are various types of robots with different purposes in the manufacturing industry. Robots have become indispensable to many businesses these days as they are able to provide excellent results in a very short amount of time. This not only increases productivity but also ensures greater safety for the employees as well.
