It was found that by establishing machine tending automation using collaborative robots, it is possible to actively address the rapidly increasing labor shortage in industrial sites and flexibly respond to sudden increases in orders.

Universal Robots held a webinar on the 7th via e4ds eeWebinar on the topic of 'Collaborative Robot Utilization Guide - Machine Tending with Cobots'.

Jae-ik Lim, Manager at Universal Robots, and Jung-min Lee, Partner at Electrotrix, who led the presentations at this webinar, introduced Universal Robots' collaborative robot series, training programs, and examples of machine tending automation.

When operating machine tools such as CNCs, it is essential to load the material for processing into the machine tool and remove the workpiece.

This task has the disadvantage that efficiency varies depending on the worker's condition, and worker fatigue increases as working time increases. In addition, the risk of safety accidents is high for unskilled workers.

In addition, there are cases where additional workers are required for night work due to a sudden increase in order volume.

In such cases, while increased costs are a problem, the inability to find personnel in a timely manner is a major disadvantage.

In such situations, there is an advantage in that the machine tending function of collaborative robots can solve the problem of labor shortages and replace unskilled labor.

Unlike commercial robots, collaborative robots allow for rapid installation, programming by anyone, and flexible redeployment depending on the work situation. They also offer the advantages of utilizing limited space, collaborating with humans, and being cost-effective due to a quick return on investment.

Based on these advantages, the demand for collaborative robots is surging in the implementation of machine tending automation.

Depending on the work environment, a single collaborative robot can handle one, two, or four or more machine tools, and can process various types of products.

Looking at a key case, AF Fasteners implemented machine tending automation with collaborative robots to increase production volume, which resulted in rapid automation adoption, a 40% increase in productivity, and a rapid ROI within eight months.

Benham Engineering required flexibility for various products across diverse production facilities and faced difficulties in finding personnel for continuous night shifts, so they implemented machine tending automation using collaborative robots. Through this, productivity was increased by 40%, and ROI was achieved within 8 months.

UPE Engineering introduced collaborative robots to address the difficulties caused by rising labor costs and the need for efficiency. They maximized efficiency, reduced scrap, and realized machine operations, achieving a 40% increase in production volume and ROI within 12 months.

Based on these examples, collaborative robots are establishing themselves as an excellent solution for increasing production output and uptime in manufacturing sites.

Universal Robots, which supplies such collaborative robots, offers products such as the UR3e, UR5e, UR16e, UR10e, and UR20 depending on the payload.

In addition, it provides software for easy programming and a fast installation process that allows even beginners to install the product within one hour. Furthermore, it offers easy maintenance through the use of grease with a semi-permanent lifespan, magnetic absolute encoders, and motors with integrated joints.

In addition, UR is actively supporting users of collaborative robots through service solutions such as RU Care, UR Insight, and UR Performance, as well as online and offline training through the UR Academy.

The proliferation of collaborative robots is expected to continue surging in the future to address labor shortages, improve productivity, and increase investment efficiency.