COLLABORATIVE ROBOTS

IN GLOBAL COMPANIES

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................. 3
1 WHY COLLABORATIVE ROBOTS?..................................................................................................................... 4
2 PUT THE TEAM TOGETHER ............................................................................................................................. 5
3 GATHER YOUR INFORMATION ........................................................................................................................ 9
4 COMPANY VIBE WITH WORKERS .................................................................................................................. 11
5 RANK TOP APPLICATIONS ............................................................................................................................. 12
6 MAKE SURE ITS SAFE ................................................................................................................................... 13
7 LEVERAGE YOUR FIRST COLLABORATIVE ROBOT SUCCESS ........................................................................... 14
8 BUILD YOUR GLOBAL TOOLSET ..................................................................................................................... 15
9 SPREAD THE WORD, SHARE BEST PRACTICES ............................................................................................... 16
10 CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT.................................................................................................................... 16
CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................................................... 17

INTRODUCTION
Collaborative robots have been designed to be easy to use by non-experts and to work alongside
humans. These robots, to date, have been mostly adopted by Small & Medium Enterprises (SME)
that are using them as a tools to leverage their workforce know-how. SMEs also need to adapt
their manufacturing processes continuously. It is then a logical choice to introduce these easy to
use robots with a short payback period into shops that needed flexibility. It also helps in shops that
have to deal with low and variable volumes of production.
Now another kind of company is beginning to show interest in collaborative robots: Global
Companies. In fact, these already mature companies understand that their markets are changing at
an increasing rate and that the flexibility of collaborative robots can be a competitive advantage.
So what are the key factors to introducing this type of change in a global company? How can these
enterprises with a lot of manufacturing technology experience use collaborative robots to
automate and become more competitive? Who are the main actors in this process and what are
their roles within the company that will insure the robot is well implemented in the plant? Also,
what are the different steps and tools needed to export this technology, so other plants can see
the benefits and understand how to replicate the process? This eBook aims at answering these
questions. It is intended for anybody in a global manufacturing company interested and willing to
learn more about collaborative robots and how to deploy these robots.

1 WHY COLLABORATIVE ROBOTS?

Collaborative robots have been designed to be used alongside humans without risk for the worker.
In this optic, it is logical to see different manufacturing processes using collaborative robots to help
workers achieve their day to day jobs. Applications that are dangerous for the worker are then
done by the robot to remove or lessen risks for the worker. As we see companies using
collaborative robots to dispense toxic product such as glue or other chemicals, using robots for
these types of applications removes the worker from direct contact with the toxic product and lets
him do value added jobs such as quality assurance. Another interesting application can be a robot
that is placing several screws on an assembly with a worker doing the final screwing operation or
verification. Both the robot and worker can work alongside each other in collaboration to enhance
the productivity of the worker and reduce his
stress load due to the manufacturing beat.
But what makes these robots so special? What
allows them to work beside humans without
any risk? Of course there is no magical trick,
the safety features of the robots are what
make it able to work with humans. As every
robot joint is monitored by a force torque
sensor, the robot can feel if there is an
abnormal impact while running its program.
These sensors are very sensitive and can
detect even a small impact. This kind of robot
is also called a force-limited robot. Some
robots are also equipped with vision systems
or proximity sensors that allow them to avoid
collisions by anticipating them. Notice that
other kinds of robots can perform
collaborative applications, to get more information, please take a look at this article.
Other than sensors, collaborative robots also have special geometries that can allow soft-impact.
In fact, compared to industrial robots that have sharp edges, collaborative robots have rounder
shapes and integrated features that reduce the risk of pinch points and the severity of an impact.
Flexibility is also a big feature of the collaborative robot. In fact, all of the cobot models can be
programmed by hand-guiding. This means that there is no longer any need for complex
programming methods, simply teach a couple of points, orientations and paths and you are good
to go. These robots are really easy to program, so it can be exported to another workstation in a
couple of minutes. This aspect is certainly useful in companies where the production is changing at
a fast pace and the robot needs to be reprogrammed often. However, in a global company scenario
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with a production that stays on the floor for several months, the gain might be less remarkable,
unless the time the robot is actively engaged in production is equivalent to what one robot would
do when doing several different jobs in an SME.
Finally, pricing can be an argument when its time for the manager to justify the use of such a
device. With robot models at an average price point of $30,000, it is easy to calculate the ROI. But
even if you have all these arguments and even if you know collaborative robots are THE thing you
need for your production line, how can you instigate the introduction of these devices into the
rigid structure of a global company? With global issues and budgets to respect, who should be
involved in the introductory process to make the project come alive? This is what the next section
is all about.

2 PUT THE TEAM TOGETHER

The main goal of each component of the team is to strongly integrate the robotic cell and make
sure it is: reliable, safe and meets expectations. In some cases, robots are seen as problems when
they are actually a part of the solution. Plant managers and others should always keep their main
goal in mind when making a move to incorporate robots. Is it improving productivity, agility or
something else that will drive your decisions?

As we have observed, there are five key leaders that need to be involved for a successful large scale
deployment of collaborative robots. Since the structure of large companies is different from one to
another, we have kept the titles pretty general. You will surely find an equivalent candidate to fulfill
each of the positions.

Innovative Plant Leader

Role: Ice Breaker

Installs the first robot in one of the plants, starts a pilot

project. The main goal is to build an internal knowledge base
and create a precedent, a first case people can relate to
internally.
Takes the first visible step on the global effort. Keep in mind
that a global company can use the same device for different
applications.

Profile: The plant leader has to be convinced by the potential of

collaborative robots for the enterprise. His biggest resource is to have
strong leadership and believe in the advantages of technology.
She/he can be a plant manager or manufacturing engineer with great leadership skills.
Hands free to try new things.
Great leader able to manage change and get workers onboard, communicate, explain to
other plants.
Innovative, looking for opportunities to grow professionally and increase the comfort zone
of his company.

Corporate Tech Center Engineer

Role: Technology Expert

Enthusiastic about collaborative robots: current and

future landscape. Capable of benchmarking technologies.
Understands safety standards and how to apply them in
the company's context. Can create documents for
internal sharing.
Supports the first integration project by the innovative
plant leader.
Once the first project is done in a plant, organizes a
workshop event to explain to higher management and
other plant managers.

Profile: Knowledgeable in robotics, the ''tech guy'' will plow through the learning curve for the
collaborative robot and its integration.

Highly skilled engineer with good communication skills, able to popularize technological
concepts.
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Connected to plant operation reality and corporation financial and strategic reality. Must be
seen by the plant managers and higher management as someone with credibility, not
someone who only "likes to play with cool technology". The doors of the factories and
higher level offices must be open for him to get in at any time.

Visionary High Level Manager

Role: The Godfather

Creates a passing pocket for the plant leader deploying

the first application. Allows time for the workers to try out
the technology and adopt it. Remember, the first
application is mostly about building internal know-how, a
first example for something much bigger to come.
Make sure budgets are approved. Know that budgets can
be a very limiting aspect to introducing a robot into a
plant, make sure to reflect the potential of the
technology.
Communicate with other managers. Managers from the
same level and from higher levels would also like to know
whats cooking with this robot. Let them know what is going on using a ''management''
oriented vocabulary rather than a technical one.

Profile: Be connected with worker reality and their issues.

Open minded, innovative, leadership.

Global Purchaser
Role: The Streamliner

Collaborative robots are easy to deploy, easy to use. They

should be as easy to buy for the plant manager wanting to
generate ROI on his floor. The global purchaser will put
agreements in place with suppliers to streamline ordering.
Purchasing is part of the deployment process, it should be
as simple and easy as the rest to get the full benefits of
agility.

Profile: Have an idea of the global issues and what goes on in the
other plants nationally or worldwide.

Result oriented. Once again keeping a global approach will simplify the global integration of
the technology.

Bonus expert to get onboard

The Communications Wizard

Role: Ghostwriter
Works with the Visionary High Level Manager to develop
communications for the top management in the company.
Designs communication tools to show what are the actual
issues, benefits and costs of the project, as well as setting
expectations at the right level. Makes sure that the message
stays at a management vocabulary level.
Works with Innovative Plant Leader to communicate the
integration of the new robotic cell for the shop floor. The
Plant Leader and the Communication Wizard have to orient
their communications around the issues and benefits of
integrating the new technology that will affect the employees. Communication tools must
be developed to highlight the ergonomic, redundant and boring task issues including the
problems that can result from them, as well as showing what the day to day job of an
employee will look like once the technology is integrated. The idea is to show that the
robot is just another new tool in their tool box and once integrated the employee will
continue to work at their station but on tasks that will add more value to the product.
Works with Corporate Tech Center Engineers to communicate about the first integration to
other plants. Makes sure that other plant managers understand the technology and its
benefits, but also all the processes on both a technical and communications level to make
sure that the integration is a success.
Profile: Team player that can work with technical people, high management and people from
production. Accepts his/her role to be a ghostwriter, not a spokesperson.
Open-minded and quickly capable of having an overview of issues and challenges. Must be
able to foresee what will be the show stoppers in peoples minds.
Must be able to work with people from different backgrounds, mindsets and attitudes.
From the experience that we've seen, having these 5 leaders working together really increases the
likelihood of rapid adoption of collaborative robots in global companies. Typically, we see the
leadership coming from the Tech Center. This is great, you need expertise at that level. But to really
speed things up, you need the rest of the team. The real catalyst is usually the Innovative Plant
Leader. Once you have a first practical example, the internal buzz starts building both at a
management and plant levels. Adding collaborative robots can improve productivity, ergonomics
and the bottom line. If you're serious about it, you must have the right people to make it happen!
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3 GATHER YOUR INFORMATION

Use whatever information management platform already exists in your company. Put this content
there. Follow up with key people to make sure they read it. Get their feedback, enhance the FAQ.

What is a collaborative robot? Even if you have a good idea of what collaborative robots
are all about, you may want to develop the details a little more. Stuff like safety features,
vision systems, force torque sensor sensibility and other devices can be really useful when
it's time to identify a specific application or simply to get data on the robot. To see the
different collaborative robot models and specifications, we have put together a document
regrouping the most popular models all in one place.

Success stories: You are (probably) not the first one to automate a given application with a
collaborative robot. Look for case studies of other companies or robot manufacturers and
get ideas here and there to build your final solution. Trust me I have spent a lot of time on
YouTube to get a general idea of what was going on in the industry, you may want to start
there.
Collaborative robot FAQs :
Suppliers: Depending on your
region/country you will have
different suppliers for robots,
grippers, vision systems and other
devices.
Specifications: Look at the payload,
speed, repeatability, IP rating and
safety features of the robot to
have a comprehensive idea about
it. This will guide you in selecting
your top choices. Remember to
establish your needs before exploring the different robots or you may end
up with stuff you don't need.
Pricing: This will also depend on your region and supplier. Some robot
manufacturers/distributors will have price variations depending on the
region you are in.
Safety and standards: Integrating a collaborative robot often means that
you will not need fencing. However, it is not because the robot is safe that
the application is safe. Make sure to consider all the different aspects of
your robotic cell before stamping it as safe.
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 What it can/can't do: I have heard, several times, people discussing what
they want to do with a robot, and sometime the technology is just not there
yet. Make sure to have applications that can be done with your collaborative
robot. Remember to keep it simple. You can also expose its functionality to
your workers so they can have a better idea of what it is meant for and
maybe promote ideas for future applications.
Company specific risk assessment template: As you (or your company) may
be familiar with the risk assessment process, you should use the same
template and method you have used in the past. Collaborative robots are
machines just like all the other ones in your plant. Remember that it's not
because the robot is safe that the application is safe. You should also
consider the possibility of exporting the cell to other plants, but remember
the cell must still be approved there although perhaps only with minor
changes.

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4 COMPANY VIBE WITH WORKERS

Your employees are your most valuable resource. Adding a robot to the loop can sometimes
appear threatening or strange for your workers. Some will totally refuse the introduction of the
robot and some will accept it as a new challenge. You'll have to figure out the best way to
introduce a robot without adding extra worry for your workers.
The worst thing you could do is to put a robot on the floor before communicating with your team!
In many instances deployment is pushed back because of unclear communications. Doing it right
means waiting until most everyone is cool with the fact that the robot is good for them and for the
company. Most integration fails come from a lack of information to some layer of the enterprise.
Remember that the Universe hates a void. If there is an information void, it will be filled with all
sorts of questionable information. Is it here to steal my job?, A robot without a fence, it must
be dangerous!

If the people on the shop floor want the robot not to work, it will not work. They need to be part
of the process for success and then there will be success. Show them an environment where its
safe to learn, (perhaps individualized training, no one watching their mistakes, someone to answer
questions) that it is simple, that they can learn and that its fun. And after all it is a collaborative
robot that is meant to work alongside humans. It definitely must be accepted within the company
for it to work. You could also identify who are the most important skeptics capable of imposing
their ideas. Youll need to convert them with hands on experience working with the robot.

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To begin the implementation of the robot on the work floor you need to start training people with
a certain skill set. They first have to be open-minded and ready to use new technologies. They also
have to be good with ''computer'' stuff and be good communicators. With all these little tips, you
can select people that will be able to learn at a fast pace and will be able to make it look easy.

5 RANK TOP APPLICATIONS

Looking at your plant layout and worker operations, you have probably seen a couple of spots that
you think would be great candidates for the introduction of a first collaborative robot. To rank your
top application(s) you can look at the following aspects.
Get people on your side: You should focus your energy on jobs that are dull, dangerous,
repetitive, or have ergonomic problems, basically the jobs that nobody wants to do. Most
of the time, if no one is very motivated to do them anyway; everybody will give you a hand
on finding a solution.
Understand the robot capabilities and limitations: Can this job can be done by the robot?
Even if you don't have a huge robotic or automation background, you can judge the
feasibility of certain applications. Keep in mind that certain applications have a proven track
record, these are mainly automated with collaborative robots. They include: pick and place,
machine tending, dispensing and packaging. Most of the time, these tasks involve simple
motions and do not require too much programming, sensing or force control. This is really
where you want to begin your
collaborative robot process. Make
sure to document the process you
want to automate. How are the
parts presented? What do they
look like? What needs to be done
with them? Take photos and videos
of the current scenario. This can
give you ideas and can be helpful
later to show before & after, as
well as to share the knowledge
with colleagues within your plant
or more globally in your
corporation.

Start Small: KISS applies here Keep it simple, stupid (no insult intended, this is really what
the acronym means). Find a stand-alone application that does not need to be integrated
with sensors or that must communicate with other machines or conveyors. Never
underestimate the time and complexity of integrating machines together: It always takes
longer than expected, especially the first time! Find an application that you can do with
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simple part presentation on a tray, using only the robot and an easy to use end effector. If
you realize that at some point you need something different, then add it. Do not start with
a bunch of different tools or a complex vision system that you may end up not even
needing or using.

6 MAKE SURE ITS SAFE

Once you have identified your application, you will have to figure out if it is safe enough to be
done in your plant. Even if the cobot arm is considered ''safe'' or collaborative this doesn't mean
that your application is automatically safe.

Risk Assessment: Just like any other machine that you install in your manufacturing
workplace, you must do a risk assessment. If you are working in a big factory, you have
probably already done risk assessments for other machines. In this case, it is a bigger
concern since a cobot is normally used without safety guarding. This means that humans
are exposed to the movement of the robot and the consequences of what comes with this.
So even if the collaborative robot is certified as ''safe'' to work alongside humans, if it
carries a sharp part, it suddenly becomes dangerous and needs to be guarded. If you can
do a ''pre-risk assessment'' before introducing the robot, this will give you an idea of
whether or not a cobot can be successfully introduced into your factory with relative ease.

Refer to Standards: Safety standards are a very regional thing. People in Germany do not
use the same norms as people in the United States or people in Canada. Even if we share a
lot of things in common, little exigencies are required by each individual legal system. So it
is critical to make sure to follow the required norms and regulations in your region.
However, if you are working in a global company that has several plants everywhere on the
planet, you may want to use the most stringent norms to build your robotic cell. By doing
so, you can export the cell to any other plant worldwide and hopefully very few things will
then need to be altered.
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7 LEVERAGE YOUR FIRST COLLABORATIVE ROBOT SUCCESS

This first installation will be a great learning experience that will come with some challenges. On
top of the productivity gain, this knowledge gain is just as valuable for your company. Make sure
to document it and to share the information.

Bullet Proof: Make sure to build a first collaborative cell that is fully trouble free. In fact, if
the goal is to export the cell to other plants you want to have solved every single problem
that could potentially happen with the robotic cell. Keeping in mind that people will
probably call you to ask questions about different types of problems, you really want to be
''bullet-proof'' and know the most you can.

Success Story: Other plants in your organization will listen to the guys in engineering on
how to introduce collaborative robots, but they are even more interested in how well their
peers succeeded in practice. People often want to see real world examples of what has
been done and what they can do on their side. Document your integration with before and
after pictures, as well as videos, Q&As, plus metrics. Explain how this first experience will
lead to other implementations in your factory.

On the Floor: Now that people on the workfloor have a better understanding of the
benefits and challenges of using a robot, ask them where they would introduce the next
robot. Provide innovation/suggestion cards so they can submit their ideas. Use resources
(interns are great for this) to try out the most promising ideas, show that you listen to
people while building your internal know-how on applications. Put the people who
submitted great ideas under the spotlight so they get the recognition they deserve. Again,
keep before + after pictures, videos, plus notes of all applications so you can share them
globally.

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8 BUILD YOUR GLOBAL TOOLSET

The cell is built, all the bugs have been worked out, you now know what you need and dont need
to make it work correctly. Now that you know how to do it, you need to build a toolset to export
your solution to other plants.

Hardware: Which robot was used? Which gripper or end-of-arm tool worked the best for
this application? Is there any kind of sensor that has been added to the cell to make it
work? All types of questions have to be considered when its time to export the solution. If
you had any issues with the installation or integration of devices you may also want to
document this process so that others wont make the same mistake. In other words build a
complete bundle that will help the next user to integrate the robot flawlessly. Every details
should be considered, even things like, how you attached the robot to the ground or what
kind of screws are needed between the robot and the gripper.

Software: Most collaborative robot software is really easy to use and the visual interface is
normally easy to understand for people that have minimal to non-existent knowledge in
robotics. However, when planning to optimize a global integration process, sharing your
programming path(s) can be a welcome helping hand for your colleagues in other plants. Of
course, you can rarely do a plug and play with a robot, but if the application is similar, the
path(s) will only need a couple of adjustments and you will be good to go. Software settings
can also be a good way to easily replicate a setup from one plant to another.

Safety: As this part of the integration is quite important in a large company, you want to
share as much information as possible with the next user/integrator of the cell, so they will
have pre-established references and will be able to orient their risk assessment process.
Always remember that even if the robot is safe this doesnt mean that the application is
safe. You must still do a risk assessment for every application you will be doing with the
robot.

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Create a document that will contain all the different details you have listed. This will increase the
speed of integration for the next collaborative robot cell. Remember to list tests or trials that went
well and also the ones that went wrong.

9 SPREAD THE WORD, SHARE BEST PRACTICES

Organize a one day event on collaborative robots. Bring people together from various plants so
they can see and ask questions directly to the plant leader who tried it, together with the tech
center. Bring industry experts who can answer questions on technology, safety requirements and
other interesting examples your enterprise needs.

Keep sharing information after the event. Local plant managers should take the ball from here and
run with it.

10 CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
Just because it works well, this doesnt mean that it cant work better. In fact, dont remain in your
comfort zone. Come out with new applications and new ideas that can help your co-workers and
eventually help the whole company. Remember this: The more applications, the more information,
the more know-how, the more benefits.

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CONCLUSION
Even though collaborative robots offer a lot of different features, they are all part of the same
family and have one goal in common, which is to work alongside humans helping them with their
tasks. They are generally safe and very flexible. This new kind of robot arrives just in time for
manufacturers, because manufacturing industries are evolving. Production tends to be more
versatile and flexible today than it used to be. Even for large manufacturers, collaborative robots
can have major benefits on production output and on worker ergonomics.
Building a strong team and having the right resources can make the difference between a smooth
or a rough integration. To get more specific information on the different types of collaborative
robots available, you will want to take a look at our comparison sheet on collaborative robots.
Come visit our website: www.robotiq.com

ABOUT ROBOTIQ
Robotiq makes tools for agile automation; flexible Robot Grippers to handle a wide variety of parts
and a robotic teaching device that makes robot programming easier.
Our goal is to enable all manufacturers especially those dealing with a high mix of products to
take full advantage of robotics.
Robotiq has sold product in more than 30 countries, through our global network of distributors.

TO LEARN MORE
For any questions concerning robotic and automated handling or if you want to learn more about
the advantages of using flexible electric handling tools, contact us.
Phone (USA and Canada): 1 888 762-6847 extension 122
Phone (Anywhere in the world): 1 418 380-2788 extension 122
Email: info@robotiq.com
Website: www.robotiq.com
Blog: http://blog.robotiq.com/

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