In today’s fast-changing industrial landscape, integrating cutting-edge technologies is crucial for competitiveness and efficiency of businesses. According to Andrew Crackett, managing director at Yaskawa Southern Africa, one of the largest manufacturers of industrial robots is reaping the benefits of these advancements, making production more efficient and productive, all the while reducing safety risks posed to human employees and allowing them the freedom to upskill in other areas of their relevant roles.
According to Crackett, there are many benefits to automating production lines with robotics, such as lowering manufacturing costs, improving worker safety, increasing repeatable quality, reducing lead times, and allowing operations to become more competitive through increased production output. ”Robots have long been used to optimise processes, whether it be making them quicker, or even alleviating humans from ordinary mundane tasks such as picking and placing. Their ability to optimise productivity and efficiency reduces cycle times and labour costs, but he emphasises that their purpose is not to replace humans, stating that “human labour can be reallocated from repetitive tasks to strategic tasks”. This affords them more opportunities to hone in on their unique talents, upskill, and ultimately advance in their careers.
The adoption of a robotic workforce also minimises errors and waste, leading to more cost savings on purchasing replacement materials or parts. This also lends to improved quality of the output produced. “By performing precise and consistent work, robots are able to produce high-quality results,” Crackett explains. Human error is inevitable in any manufacturing process.
Robots follow preprogrammed instructions, ensuring precision, and little room for error. Some make use of sensor technologies that enable them to detect and rectify potential issues, ensuring exact output. Industrial robots not only mitigate human error or alleviate their human counterparts of repetitive tasks, but they also serve to protect them in often hazardous environments. Manufacturing plants and factories require stringent safety protocols and practices to ensure the safety of their employees. Now, with the adoption of these robots, companies are also able to prioritise their workers’ safety. As Crackett states: “Mechanical and electrical safety systems help protect operators, engineers, programmers and maintenance personnel by removing their contact with the robots. Vision systems mixed with force monitoring sensors help keep workers out of harm’s way when robots are in use.”
Collaborative robots, or ‘cobots’ are beginning to become a venerable addition to the industrial workforce. Cobots assist human operators with tasks that are either repetitive or require a higher level of precision. Again, he emphasises, “It is not intended for the robot to replace the human, rather complement his capabilities and relieve him of arduous tasks.”
So who will benefit the most from the incorporation of industrial robots? Crackett believes that industries which realise maximum results from the deployment of industrial robots are high output, low mix with repetitive production requirements. In addition, he believes that other industries, like those that operate using repetitive picking, packing, and palletising, should consider these technologies.
Looking to the future, advanced robotics will allow many manufacturers to operate more autonomously, with some manufacturing companies having already moved to ‘lights out’ or ‘dark’ factories, where robots operate without supervisory human intervention. This increasing ability for robots to self-learn will generate an even more diverse range of applications.
Next-generation robots will be capable of adapting to their surroundings and mastering new processes autonomously. The industrial robot industry is expected to grow significantly over the next several years, resulting in more advanced innovation, making manufacturing simpler, safer and faster.
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