Transformation From Robots to COBOTS: A Journey Towards Sustainable Manufacturing

Introduction

The advent of collaborative robots, or cobots, marks a significant shift in the landscape of manufacturing, redefining traditional industrial practices towards sustainability and efficiency. This chapter explores the transformative journey from conventional robots to collaborative counterparts, highlighting the technological evolution, enhanced functionalities, and the pivotal role cobots play in fostering sustainable manufacturing. The introduction delves into the fundamental differences between robots and cobots, emphasizing the collaborative nature and adaptability of these advanced machines within production environments. It outlines the key factors driving this transformation, including safety advancements, human-machine interaction, and the seamless integration of cobots into existing manufacturing processes. Additionally, it sets the stage for discussing the broader implications of this transition, such as reduced environmental impact, resource optimization, and the alignment of manufacturing practices with sustainable development goals. This chapter introduction aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the evolution towards cobots, emphasizing their role in revolutionizing manufacturing practices to promote sustainability and operational efficiency.

Collaborative robots, known as cobots, are industrial robots equipped with multiple sensors. They harness the capabilities of industrial robotics, particularly in deploying advanced vision systems within factory and industrial settings. Cobots prioritize placing humans at the heart of processes, liberating workers from mundane, risky, or arduous tasks. They don't replace humans in production but rather operate alongside them, aiming to enhance efficiency and safety. Once installed, cobots typically remain stationed at their initial deployment site. This technology enables robots to seamlessly work alongside individuals within the same workspace, presenting various advantages that make them an enticing prospect for businesses. As the cobot sector continues to rapidly evolve, it is poised to expand significantly in the years to come, finding widespread application in various production scenarios.

Collaborative robots boast smooth, rounded edges and employ a range of smart collision sensors to detect and navigate around human workers. These robots feature arms designed for collaboration, equipped with built-in force limits to ensure that any encounters with humans are harmless. They come with a hand-guided mechanism enabling operators to directly oversee the robot's movements even in automated mode. This hand-guided functionality responds solely to the operator's manual input during automated operation. Cobots are witnessing a surge in popularity across diverse sectors, but they also present their own unique challenges. While similar to standard robots, the success of cobots heavily depends on their initial deployment stages. Their distinctive internal structure, which integrates force-sensing technology, sets cobots apart within the realm of robotics.Top of Form

Until now, sustainability and sustainable development have been focal points for nearly five decades (Haapala et al., 2013), forming the bedrock of smart manufacturing (Kusiak, 2018). The integration of sensing, intelligence, and sustainability has become imperative for enterprises grappling with global challenges (Miranda et al., 2017). As the cornerstone of industries, sustainable manufacturing profoundly impacts the economy, environment, and society.

In the realm of the economy, sustainable manufacturing fosters innovation, transforms business models, opens new avenues for economic expansion, and encourages a comprehensive approach to production life cycles. This approach catalyzes diversified economic models and markets.

Environmentally, sustainable manufacturing curbs the excessive use and wastage of raw materials, amplifies resource utilization, and mitigates pollution and emissions. These initiatives are crucial for nurturing a more ecologically balanced approach to production.

For society, sustainable manufacturing generates fresh human capital and offers enhanced employment opportunities (Farel et al., 2018).