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How have Robots changed Manufacturing Sector?、

Robots in the manufacturing industry might be a new concept in some areas. However, this technology has
been around for a while. By merging traditional manufacturing methodologies with new technology,
manufacturing plants boost their output rate exponentially. By utilizing this trick, many business owners and
managers have been able to catapult their companies to success.

Robots have impacted the manufacturing industry positively in several ways. The change brought about by
robots in this industry spread wide, boosting productivity and breeding success in many companies.
However, unlike what many people assume, robots are not replacing the human workforce. On the
contrary, robots are developed to perform tasks that are complex for humans and easy for machines. With
these tasks out of the way, humans can focus on developing new ideas and methods to improve their
knowledge. When robots are implemented correctly, they catapult an organization to success.

Table of Contents

An overview of Manufacturing Robots

The term robot is derived from the word “Robotnik,” a Czech word that means “to slave.” Industries began
to utilize robots back in 1960 to tackle mundane or dangerous tasks which humans did not want to undertake.
However, these machines did more than fill unwanted factory jobs. When utilized correctly, they tackled
these tasks at lightning speed and with great precision.

In the 21st century, robots are utilized to undertake all sorts of tasks which can be categorized using various
criteria, for example:

 The robot’s ability to collaborate

 Brand
 Architecture
 Application
 The robot’s movement

As the cost of labor increases, more manufacturers are turning to robot technologies. Actually, ninety percent
of modern robots are found in industries that utilize them to optimize production.

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The Main Components of Industrial Robots

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arm-Robots-
Industrial robots feature four main components:

 The manipulator
 A controller
 A Human interface device
 A Power supply unit

The robot’s manipulator is simply the arm of the machine. It is called so because it can move in various
directions. On a V5 work cell, the manipulator moves from an intelligent motor that acts as an actuator. The
actuator provides the arm with the force it requires to move around. However, on a manufacturing bot, the
force mostly comes from fluid pressure, air pressure, and electric motors.

The controller acts like the system’s brain. It holds the system’s program and receives input signals from the
system. After receiving input signals, the controller process the signal and then transmits an output signal to
the bot. That is how the system efficiently communicates with various components and with the surgeons.

The power supply provides energy to the robot’s actuators and controller. The energy is usually electrical
energy. The industrial bot then takes this energy and utilizes it to make various movements.

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The Evolution of Robots

Over the last couple of decades, robots have rapidly evolved. Their evolution has seen them gain application
in many different sectors. What’s more, with time, the efficiency and precision of machines have gone up
immensely.

Even though most people view robots as a science fiction, they have been around for some time. The first
person to file a patent to develop an industrial robot was George Devol back in 1954. Devol then released a
working prototype back in 1961. The bot functioned and even looked like a modern robotic arm. The bot
could easily carry up to five hundred pounds and could also undertake tasks that most people thought only
humans could handle.

Since the invention of this robot, machines have become pretty popular in various industries, for example,
automotive industries and agricultural industries.

As per the 21st century, robots now have multiple capabilities and features that automatically make them
more productive, flexible, and unique. For example, Cobots (collaborative robots) can work alongside
humans on factory floors for improved productivity. Moreover, most cobots can even handle physical
interaction. For example, when a worker adjusts the robot’s movement, the machine can quickly memorize
and then repeat the adjustment steps automatically.

Robots outside and within the manufacturing industry are slowly gaining senses, for example, vision and
touch. These significant innovations have significantly impacted how robots are utilized in the production
industry and have also boosted the robot’s application scope.

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How have Robots gaining Senses Impacted the Manufacturing

Industry and Human Workers?

The Sense of Touch

Due to robots gaining the sense of touch, now various recycling facilities are utilizing them to identify and
then separate trash using texture variations. The robots simply “touch” the trash, and then depending on the
trash’s texture, they separate it from the lot. Moreover, by combining touch with vision-based ML (machine
learning) and artificial intelligence, robots become more efficient and undertake sorting tasks faster than
humans. The best part is that, due to machine learning, their precision and speed, companies can entirely rely
on machines to sort garbage relieving humans of these dangerous tasks.

Machine Vision

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Some industrial robots have LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) sensors that help them judge various
distances using laser reflections. LiDAR sensor functionality can be compared to how animals, animal-like
dolphins, and bats “see” using echolocation. These animals utilize sound waves to pinpoint objects in
varying locations. They simply send out sound waves and then estimate the location of an object according
to how long it take for the waves to bounce back. Using laser reflections, advanced robotics can imitate this
behavior and utilize it to “see” objects.

The Sense of Hearing

Much like echolocation and LiDAR, some machines utilize vibrometry to efficiently detect vibrations. By
utilizing this technology, these robots can “hear” conversations and basic sounds with ease. However, this
technology is, for now, primarily found in various consumer electronics, for example, smart gadgets. But
with more innovations coming in, it will not be long before you find “hearing” robots in the production
industry.

Robot Variations

There exist six significant variations of robots that are utilized to undertake various tasks. They include:

Articulated

These robots bear rotary joints, which help them move in a full range of motion. Due to this full range of
motion property, these robots can achieve controlled and precise movements of advanced dexterity and
flexibility.

Cartesian

Cartesian robots or gantry/rectilinear robots bear three linear joints. These joints move in three different axes,
the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis. Due to their rigid and unique structure, these robots can make simple
movements with enhanced repeatability and precision. Moreover, these robots are cheap because they don’t
require extensive movement. Plus maintaining this robots comes at a cheap cost due to the same feature.

Cartesian robots are primarily utilized to carry out assembly tasks, for example, picking and moving bottles
from one location to another.

Cylindrical

As the robot’s name suggests, the cylindrical robots bear a working area that is cylindrical. In addition, these
robots have a robotic arm attached to the bot via one joint. The arm’s links are then connected using another
linear joint to ensure perfect functionality.

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The robotic arm connected to the bot can move up and down, and it can also move around a cylindrical pole.
Just like gantry robots, manufacturers mainly utilize cylindrical robots to handle assembly operations.
Manufacturers prefer cylindrical robots over gantry robots since they can move in between various points
faster.

Spherical

These robots are like a complex variation of cylindrical and Cartesian robots. Spherical robots can tackle
operations that require 3-dimensional space movement.

These robots have a complex robotic arm attached to their base using a twistable joint. Due to the placement
of the robot arm and its movement, the robot has a work area that is spherically shaped.

SCARA (Selective Compliance Assembly Arm)

SCARA robots bear a robot arm that imitate the human wrist movement. These arms have joints that help
them make both horizontal and vertical movements. Due to the “Wrist” like movement, these robots are
significant in terms of handling assembly operations, for example, packaging, kitting, et cetera.

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Delta Manufacturing Robotics

The Delta bots are built using multiple jointed parallelograms, all attached to one base. Delta industrial
robots have a spider-like structure which helps them make precise and delicate movements which are crucial
in:

– The food industry

– The pharmaceutical industry

– The electronic industry

Delta robots can efficiently complete highly repetitive operations, for example, parts assembly very fast and
with high precision every time. What’s more, manufacturing jobs that are highly repetitive tend to bring
about a disorder known as musculoskeletal to human employees when done for an extended period.
Therefore delta bots do not just increase productivity of a company. They also help in terms of keeping
human employees healthy.

Tasks undertaken By Industrial Robots

Since multiple industrial bot variations exist, their application areas in the manufacturing industry are also
vast. Typically most robots in this sector are required for:

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– Buffing

– Grinding

– Polishing

– Painting

– Packaging and labeling

– Pick and place

– Assembly and disassembly

– Product testing

– Product inspection

What’s more, robots undertake all these tasks with incredible precision and speed that can’t be matched by
human workers.

Manufacturing Companies that utilize Robotic Technology

The robotics industry is rapidly advancing, with new and innovative ideas coming in each day to try and
further optimize the manufacturing process. Due to this growth, the following industries have opted to rely
on robotics:

Electronics Manufacturing Sector

The demand for Flat-screen televisions, smartphones, and other electronic devices is pretty high. Therefore,
for most manufacturers to stay afloat in this competitive market, they must deliver electronic devices at a
rate that matches the demand. However, this is not possible when relying on human labor alone. Due to this,
manufacturing organizations opt to utilize automation technology to optimize the manufacturing process.

By using industrial robots, electronics Manufacturing organizations can increase production rates without
compromising on space. The electronics industry specifically utilizes Cobots due to their variability while
handling challenging tasks. Plus, these robots function perfectly alongside employees.

Automotive Industry

The automotive manufacturing sector heavily relies on the automation brought about by robots. For over
fifty years, this industry has steadily utilized robots to optimize the assembly process and test the finished
products.

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Most automotive manufacturing facilities merge robots with humans to speed up the rate of production.
Moreover, since robots do not need rest and are more flexible, they can undertake repetitive tasks with
accuracy and unmatched speed.

Medical Industry

The medical industry/community has reaped tremendous benefits since the introduction of robotics in the
sector. Surgeons are now utilizing robots to perform complex surgeries requiring a high level of precision.
Actually, in a particular past occurrence, a semi-autonomous surgical robot performed surgery better than a
human surgeon. The robot had more accuracy plus the surrounding tissues were less damaged. The precision
of robots in performing surgeries ensures higher success rates during delicate medical operations. However,
robots do not replace human workers. Instead, surgeons work together with the robots to achieve success.

Food Manufacturing Industry

Robots in this industry are utilized to boost the production quality of foods and beverages by detecting any
errors in the entire manufacturing process. Robots use cameras, machine sensors, and vision plus processing
software algorithms and hardware to detect mistakes.

The results of robots in this industry include better and consistent quality of drinks and food products and
safer food products for human consumption.

Agriculture Industry

The main aim of utilizing robots in the agriculture industry is to boost production rates while at the same
time lowering production costs. Using sensor tech, farmers can now monitor pests and diseases that impact
the yield of crops negatively. In addition, autonomous systems which handle tasks such as weed removal,
pruning, and spraying are also rapidly gaining popularity in this industry.

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How Robotics Technology has helped Manufacturers in Term of Cost

savings

Industrial robots provide a lot of benefits which include cost savings. However, some may argue that this is
not the case because purchasing an industrial bot can be expensive. It is due to this reason that many
small-scale businesses tend to avoid utilizing robots in their manufacturing process. Even though the initial
purchase cost of a robot can be pretty high, the benefits of owning one tend to outweigh the price tag. Over
time, this robot saves the manufacturer a lot of time by reducing manual labor costs and improving
productivity. So after a while, robots prove to be a worthy investment.

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No compensation

The first way that robots help manufacturers save in terms of manufacturing costs is by not requiring
compensation. Even though purchasing a robot to incorporate in a company can leave a dent in your pocket.
Most organizations view them as investments that have a long-term return; this is because:

– A robot can function 24/7 with little to no interruptions required

– They don’t need lights to be switched on for them to operate. They, therefore, reduce energy
consumption

– High precision when undertaking repetitive tasks reduces the amount of time spent fixing errors

Quality and accuracy

Manufacturing robots provide manufacturers with better quality and consistency when undertaking
monotonous tasks. They have predictable behaviors and precise movements, which boosts their accuracy
immensely. What this means is that the manufacturer gets to produce pretty high-quality goods with great
consistency and minimal variation.

Moreover, robotic workers don’t require constant breaks while undertaking tasks. They can hence function
for 24 hours without interruptions or shift changes, unlike humans who get worn out and need to take breaks
to work efficiently.

When a robot is correctly programmed to undertake a specific task, it can easily speed up the production of
goods by reducing part cycle times. By doing so, robots generate more efficient manufacturing processes
that help catapult an organization’s profits.

How has Manufacturing Robotic Technology helped Businesses

become more Competitive?

The utilization of robots in any organization, small or big, is destined to breed more profits at reduced
production costs. For example, rather than relying on overseas companies to manufacture assembly parts,
now small-scale companies can utilize robotics to generate their parts. In doing so, these companies
significantly reduce the cost of production and boost the quality of the products they produce.

Using robots has helped many organizations stay afloat in competitive markets, for example, the automotive
industry and the electronics industry. In fact, most companies in the USA are now relying on robots to
generate more job opportunities while they also stay competitive.

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Advantages and Disadvantages of Robotics in the Manufacturing

Industry

When manufacturers start to utilize robots in their manufacturing process, they instantly begin to reap the
following benefits:

– Improved reliability

– Decreased energy and operating costs

– Higher ROI (returns on investments)

– Greater objectivity and higher precision when undertaking complex and detailed tasks

– Employees start to develop new ideas to help them scale up the company ladder to higher roles

However, even though robots are beneficial in the manufacturing industry, they still bear some
disadvantages. These disadvantages include:

– Job loss to robots

– High initial purchasing costs of the robot

– A lot of resources and time go into training employees to work with the robots efficiently

– Higher safety risks befall employees who work near enormous powerful robots

– Robots tend to have limited capabilities in terms of executing human tasks

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What is the Future of Manufacturing Robots?

Robots are already pretty efficient. However, robot manufacturing companies are still looking for ways to
improve them. Here is a list bearing some advancements that you are likely to view in the near future:

Lights-out Production

Lights-out production lets robots function with minimal to no interference. The lights-out production trend is
common in companies with few human workers. In this production process, robots handle the manufacturing
process from start to end. As a result, manufacturers who have implemented this production process have
reported increased production rates and decreased labor costs. Moreover, these companies experience less

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energy utilization, saving on power costs. Also, since robots are not affected by climatic changes, the
manufacturers do not have to worry about climate control strategies.

Capability to Handle Internet of Things

Internet of Things (IoT) simply connects various physical devices with internet apps, for example, the cloud,
to make the machines more intelligent. By using this technology, various devices can now become more
aware of their surroundings and adapt to them.

Robotic companies are now trying to integrate this technology into robots to help them adapt to their
environment. By utilizing various sensors, robots can now scan their environment, send the data to external
tools, and gain feedback on what action to take next. By utilizing this technology, robots can now make
“wise” decisions on what to do when faced with a new problem.

Enhanced applications of IoT include location tracking and predictive analysis. Integrating this technology
into existing machine sensors can propel robots to undertake more complex tasks autonomously. For
example, a robot can start to predict the imminent breakdown of another machine or even start to prompt the
production manager on its maintenance schedule. With this technology, the manufacturing industry could
start to reap higher profits with minimal labor costs in the near future.

Cyber Security Transformation

Utilizing cloud-connected and artificial intelligence robotics in your company can boost your company’s
production without a doubt. However, using this sort of technology will also make your company more
prone to cyber-attacks. Therefore as more organizations turn to IoT and artificial intelligence to boost their
productivity, they will also have to upgrade their defenses against cyber-attacks. Furthermore, when
companies lag in cyber-security, they risk losing crucial and confidential information to hackers. Due to
these reasons, cyber security has become a growing trend in the robotics sector.

Cyber security responsibilities mostly fall on the shoulders of three different groups:

– The manufacturer of the robot – this are the people that manufacture the robots from scratch

– The integrator of the robot – this are the people that integrate industrial robots into the
manufacturing process

– And lastly, the human operator – this are the people that operate the industrial robots in an
organization

Robotic software and firmware can be pretty vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Due to this reason, robot
manufacturing companies have to install the bots with safety systems before selling them to manufacturers.

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Defensive and offensive security that involves thoroughly testing for various vulnerabilities and then
installing systems to protect the system helps keep the bots safe. However, for this tactic to become
successful, operators and integrators have to work together.

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Adjusting your Company to Feature Robotics in your

Manufacturing Process

Due to the introduction of robots in the manufacturing industries, this field has grown immensely. What’s
more, Robotic companies are still working on ways to make robots more efficient and intelligent. What this
means is that the robots will become more efficient and productive with time. Therefore, handling complex
tasks will become easier as time passes, and the production cost will also go down. With these two factors
dealt with, many businesses will become more competitive. Therefore, if your company is left out, you
might have trouble catching up with them.

To avoid being left out, try to seek guidance from experts who deal with robots that handle your company’s
type of manufacturing process. You can find this experts online or even around your areas. These experts
will guide you on the robot to utilize in your company to improve productivity. What’s more, they might
even advise you on the price of new robots so that you can make a perfect purchase. Either way, you have
nothing to lose.

Conclusion

Robotics has, without a doubt, transformed the manufacturing industry. From optimizing the production line
process to boost productivity to decreasing the production costs of manufacturing products. Robotics has
also allowed small-scale companies to compete in various industries. What’s more, robots are also
generating job opportunities for people while shielding them from doing jobs that might cause harm to them,
like waste management. We hope more innovations from robot manufacturers will make robots better and
more efficient in handling challenging tasks automatically and with great precision. If this happens, then we
can expect cheaper high-quality products.

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1. Understanding the Use of Robots in Industries

2. Top 18 PCB Manufacturers in Europe 2023

3. High Quality 24 layer PCB Manufacturing

4. Cape EMS Manufacturing (M) SDN BHD

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