5 Facts About Using Industrial Robots For Your Manufacturing Business

If you have a manufacturing company, you may be considering installing some robots to do some of the work for your employees. While robots can't do everything, they are great at some of the repetitive and more dangerous tasks. If you aren't sure if installing industrial robots is right for you, check out these five facts regarding industrial robots.  

They Provide Maximum Productivity and Quality

Robots, like most machines, are simply more productive than humans because they don't require breaks. While your employees can only work a few hours a day and need to take breaks, robots can work continuously. This means you get more work done in a shorter amount of time. Similarly, humans can lose productivity for many reasons, but machines keep working. Even if you have a plant that works 24/7, you'll waste time with shift changes. Robots can simply keep working through it all. Plus, because they are designed to perform one specific task, they do it quickly, getting more work accomplished in the same amount of time than the average worker.

Robots Boost the Quality of the Product

Because manufacturing robots usually only do one task, you may also see a boost in the quality of the manufacturing. It may take some time to initially program the robot to perform the task properly, but once it does, making the new part is a breeze. Much like a cookie cutter cuts the same shape cookie, the robot will continue to do the same job again and again. This ensures each finished product is exactly he same as the last because there is less room for error.

You'll Save Money on Labor Costs

One of the best reasons to install industrial robots is to cut money on labor. If you have people doing all the tasks a robot can do, you have to pay for their wages, insurance, workers' compensation if they get hurt, etc. However, by letting a robot do the work of several people, you can cut back on payroll. Similarly, you may not need to let anyone go. Instead, these employees can be relocated to other areas of the business that may be lacking in employees. The initial cost of the robots will be expensive, but you'll recoup the money in reduced labor costs.

Robots Mean More Safety

Humans are prone to accidents, and a lot of the jobs robots can perform are dangerous because they are so repetitive. This makes it easy for employees to become distracted, leading to increased accidents. Of course, the more employees you have getting hurt while performing these tasks, the more you need to pay in workers' compensation insurance. Having robots do the work removes this risk, so employees can focus on less dangerous tasks. The robots will need routine maintenance and repairs to keep them in working condition, but it's still much safer and cost effective to have robots handle these dangerous tasks.

You'll Need Robot Training

The robots will only be safe, however, if your employees have the proper fFANUC training. Even though the robots perform the manufacturing tasks, they still may need maintenance, repairs or other interaction with employees. Luckily, fatalities involving robots and employees is rare. In fact, between the years 1984 and 2013, there were only about 27 fatalities associated with robots according to OSHA. However, the people most likely to get injured are people performing programming, maintenance, testing, adjustments, etc. Ensuring employees know how to safely interact and use the robots is essential to the safety of your company.  

Industrial robots have gotten a bad reputation, but they can actually make it possible for businesses to manufacture local again. If you want to start installing industrial robots in your manufacturing company or if you already have purchased some, get started today by ensuring you start educating your employees on how to safely use the robots.


Share