Denmark based Universal Robots has forayed into Indian market and launched today range of collaborative robots (also called co-bots) designed to work with humans and assist them with a variety of task. These collaborative robots do not displace humans but on the contrary help them to improve efficiency and productivity. These collaborative robots are ideal for automobile sectors, electronics industry, neurosurgery, rehabilitation services, Bar tending and in defence production etc.
Co-bots help automate and streamline repetitive and potentially unsafe processes thus, ensuring safe work environment while increasing productivity and efficiency. In a human-machine study conducted by MIT researchers at a BMW factory, it was shown that teams made of humans and robots collaborating efficiently can be around 85% more productive than teams made of either humans or robots alone. Also, the cooperative process reduced human idle time by virtue of its pace-setting ability.
Universal Robots offers simple, flexible and affordable collaborative robot arms- UR3, UR5 and UR10 named after their payloads in kilos. Having sold over 7000 collaborative robots, and ranked #25 on MIT Technology Review’s 2015 list of the 50 Smartest Companies, Universal Robots has revolutionized the way industrial robots work and operate alongside workers. Workers can collaborate with the robots in close proximity on assembly lines with no safety guarding (subject to application risk assessments).
The co-bots are easy to program and the first set up takes less than one hour. They can also be moved easily around the production facility for multiple applications. Flexible ±360 degree rotation of all joints allows usage in confined spaces. Infinite rotation of the UR3 tool is possible for screwing and drilling applications. The co-bots can be floor, ceiling, and wall mounted as required.
Speaking about the launch of Universal Robots in India, Chief Technology Officer, Universal Robots, Esben Østergaard said, “We are delighted to introduce our advanced tools to the Indian market for increasing productivity, quality, and market competitiveness. Our collaborative robots help ease out processes in task driven industries like manufacturing, assembly and food processing. They work alongside their human co-workers to optimize and automate time consuming, repetitive and physically challenging activities in the production flow. We have also seen end users integrate our robot arms in applications and industries that we didn’t initially expect. They have differentiated themselves in the market using our advanced tools innovatively. Universal Robots are being used with innovative applications like Neurosurgery, Bartending, Kiosk-based manufacturing, Physiotherapy, Aviaries, and even as Chef’s assistants.”
