Large Robots That Work Alongside Humans Cut Factory Costs and Injury Risk
Researchers found that when powerful anthropomorphic robots collaborate with human workers to lift and move heavy objects, manufacturers can reduce labor needs, eliminate costly lifting equipment, and streamline logistics. The breakthrough suggests factories can operate more efficiently while reducing physical strain on workers—a shift that could reshape assembly line economics.
Originaltitel: Potential advantages using large anthropomorphic robots in human-robot collaborative, hand guided assembly
<p>Collaborative robot installations often mean man-machine workspace sharing. This mode of operation can lead to reductions of tact time and work space requirements. We have analyzed potential further benefits of man machine collaboration, where operators and powerful robots share workspace, cooperating when lifting and handling large objects. We found that this mode of operation has the potential to generate economic advantages by reducing the need for manual operators and lifting tools and by offering new opportunities for component logistics. (C) 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.</p>