For a long time, only the manufacturing and processing industries had utilized robots in their day to day operations. However, in today’s world, robots are used in all fields, including food processing, automobile assembly, agriculture, hospitality, metal forging, and plenty more besides.
It is no secret that the implementation of robots has resulted in resounding success, and this explains their robust popularity in the market. Robots have been utilized in high capacity procedures, but advancements in technology by industrial robot manufacturers of late have seen them tried in low or medium-sized tasks.
However, there are some industries still struggling with the adoption and implementation of robots in their functionality. This review will look at the advantages of commercial robots in the industry and, in contrast, their drawbacks as well.
Pros of Commercial Robots
Enhanced Working Environment
Manual operators are not used to engaging in strenuous tasks. That said, some jobs in a manufacturing environment are deemed too dangerous to be allocated to manual operators, and robots are preferred for such tasks. Commercial robots have greatly improved industrial safety and working conditions.
Enhanced Quality
Due to their core strength and stability, commercial robots are capable of more reliable processing and production of high-quality goods. Produce of high-quality products is a time-saver, especially on time spent on quality control, ascertaining that the goods produced to meet the required standards.
Amplified Efficiency
Commercial robots can carry out tasks with utmost efficiency than it is humanly possible. Accuracy is also not diminished in the process. Robots are also used in the automation of procedures in a manufacturing setting, which without them, would take longer and be more capital intensive to complete.
Consistency
How commercial robots function is never dependent on another person. They implement their tasks as they are directed to. As they are not human, they do not need to divide their attention to a myriad of other things. They do not experience unexpected emergencies meaning their reliability is unmatched.
Longer Working Hours
Robots are not like human beings; they are not subject to diminished attention spans as a result of fatigue or distractions. These machines also do not take sick-offs. They can work round-the-clock and still maintain optimum capacity.
It is also crucial to note that research has found that production increases by 40% when a robot replaces manual operators in the field while working for similar shift times.
Drawbacks of Commercial Robots
Expertise Input
The initial set up of industrial robots necessitates that the maker of the robot conveys the necessary maintenance and operation information to the owner. This is an expensive and time-intensive undertaking, especially where the manual operators cannot figure out how to run the robot.
The technological know-how that is required to program and run these robots is expensive and hard to find. Also, investing in programming software that is easy for manual operators to use is not cheap either.
Capital Contribution
Though commercial robots are worthwhile in the long run, they require a considerable upfront investment when procuring them. Hence due diligence must be carried out before obtaining these gadgets. This is meant to ascertain if the machine suits the company well. The company cannot afford to make mistakes as this is a very capital-intensive undertaking.
High Operation Costs
Industrial robots will negate labor costs, but they will also burden the manufacturing plant with operational and maintenance costs, which are quite significant. Other costs borne by the manufacturer are replacing worn out parts of the machine and investing in cybersecurity to prevent the company from both interior and exterior threats.
Conclusion
To sum it all up, commercial robots like all other mechanical gadgets have their advantages and disadvantages, as illustrated above. Selecting the most appropriate machine can be a tedious process. However, the primary objective when making a selection should be to ensure the pros outweigh the cons, and this will make the machine a worthwhile investment.
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