7 Top Benefits of Using a Robot Arm in Production

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A robot arm does not require rest, leave days, sick offs, or any other benefit that accrues to a human worker. Businesses across all sectors are achieving outrageous levels of productivity fast and with a great degree of accuracy at a minimal cost.

This has largely been due to the automation of vital processes through the use of robots such as robot arms. It has not only enhanced production and productivity but also improved workers’ safety in production rooms.

The robot arm helps in completing tasks that are tedious to human workers. These are repetitive tasks, they require picking, selecting, and sorting of commodities. It also helps farmers to store ripe fruits in storage baskets after picking them.

Robot arms are a great addition to any organization that is intent on generating products that are of superior quality. If you’re curious to learn how a robot arm can be beneficial to your company, read on.

Benefits of Using a Robot Arm in Production

1. Workplace Safety

There are many injuries associated with working in a production center. These include injuries linked to repetitive tasks such as painting, heavy lifting, and others that need attention to the minutest detail.

On the other hand, industries lose a humongous amount of money as they have to compensate their workers for these injuries.

Man hours are also lost as the staff has to take time off to recuperate. Automating these repetitive jobs and assigning them to a robot arm will mitigate the injuries and the time lost.

A robot arm is inbuilt with characteristics that feel a human presence and so it’s safe for the workers to operate.

2. Consistency in production quality

A robot arm has to be fed with instructions on how to execute tasks. This ensures that they complete tasks consistent with the programmed instructions. The consistency in the high quality of goods and services that a company provides gives it a good standing with its customers.

This in turn gives a company the much-needed competitive advantage.

3. Clears hurdles in the production procedures

Bottlenecks in an organization slow the production processes. A key area littered with them is at the tail end of production involving the conveyor belt. A human performing the task of picking, placing and packaging can make numerous errors.

The robot arm on the other hand is automated to pick goods from the conveyor belt and package them accurately as they await shipping. This ensures the clients on the receiving end get their goods as ordered.

4. Heavy lifting for long durations of time

The time it takes for a product to be termed as complete in manufacturing can be excruciatingly long. The manufacturing worker may be required to have the product on his hands as he works on it or place it strategically in a way that allows him to see it from all angles.

The robot arm helps the worker by holding the product that is being worked on while allowing him to work with his two hands. This ensures an end product that is of high quality.

Finished products that are ready for shipping also require to be palletized and depending on the packaging used, they can be quite bulky and heavy. A robot arm can be used in the process of palletizing as well as holding and lifting heavyweights.

5. High Production Speed

As earlier discussed, a human worker is limited on how much he can produce at any given time. A robot can put in more work, works fast while maintaining high-quality products. The speed allows an organization to keep up with the production requests which enhances profitability.

6. Cost-Effectiveness

A robot arm helps you to save on the wage bill. This is because, once the automation is done, the required number of human workers goes down allowing you to save on wages and other expenses associated with having a big workforce.

Granted, the initial setup cost can be daunting more so for a startup. But once the processes are harnessed it only takes a short while to realize a good return on investment. Moreover, they produce top-notch products fast allowing you to sell and make your profits just as fast.

7. Versatility

A robot arm is a great multi-tasker. It can perform a wide range of jobs without crumbling under the weight of the demands.

In the past, it would take ages to train a worker on how to execute tasks and work with some machines. However, all that effort goes down the drain if for instance, a worker leaves the organization or in worst-case scenarios gets injured or dies.

With the advent of a robot arm, however, this is no longer a headache that you need to deal with.

Cons of a Robot Arm

So, are there cons associated with having robot arms in your production factory? Let’s figure it out.

a. Initial Investment cost

When you decide to automate your systems, you must be having the financial muscle to foot the initial bill. To acquire the robot arms is pricey.

There are also other costs that you must factor in such as hiring qualified personnel to work with them and training the staff handling them. The entire procedure can put a huge dent in your capital.

b. Availability of Space

Some of the robot arms are big and need enough space for them to maneuver around. Before installing them, ensure there’s enough room for them to move around.

c. Expensive Maintenance

Unexpected disruptions to production can happen if they get a bug or run into disrepair. To avert this, you should ensure routine check-ups are done as per the schedule.

d. Expertise

The level of expertise needed is dependent on the type of robot arm installed. It may not be easy to get a highly skilled employee to operate it and when you do, the compensation benefits may be enormous.

Conclusion

Previously, automation was frowned upon and shunned as it was seen as a threat. It was viewed as a process that takes away much-needed jobs from human workers. However, in the past decade, the narrative has changed and there has been a steady increase in its popularity.

Demand for high-quality commodities delivered promptly is huge around the globe. To keep up with this demand, organizations need to embrace automation. As we have seen, robot arms are your answer to increasing productivity and thus profitability.