Collaborative robot solutions

Collaborative robots are versatile, incredibly safe and the workforce of the future.

At Mills CNC Automation, we are an agent for Doosan Robotics, part of the Doosan Group. We supply Doosan’s range of advanced, high-performance collaborative robots in the UK and Ireland.

Doosan’s collaborative robots are suitable for a huge range of industries, including but not limited to automotive and defense, pharmaceutical, food and drink, electronics, packaging, healthcare, warehouses and logistics.

What are collaborative robots?

Collaborative robots, or cobots as they are otherwise known, are robots designed for direct human-robot interaction. Like industrial robots, they were created to carry out repetitive, error-prone tasks, however, they operate in more of an assistant role in creating a safer and more efficient workplace.

Cobots are well-suited to manufacturers with low-volume, high-mix production. They are able to perform a range of tasks such as:

• • CNC machine tool tending, testing and inspection
  • Packaging
  • Palletising
  • Assembly
  • Pick and place operations
  • Welding
  • Polishing and deburring
  • Gluing and bonding
  • Press forming
  • Plastic injection support

Benefits of collaborative robots

The cobot industry is set to boom as more and more companies recognise the benefits of this kind of automation. These benefits include:

Versatility

Cobots offer unlimited potential. As a fairly new but fast-moving industry, the possibilities that these robots can bring to the shop floor are set to grow exponentially.

Easy to install and use

When compared to industrial robots, collaborative robots are much easier to install and use, leaving them to integrate seamlessly into your workspace with little disruption and minimal programming.

Increased safety

In the manufacturing space, safety is paramount. Potentially dangerous tasks that were once left up to a human worker can now be passed on to a cobot, ensuring your workforce are safe at all times and free to concentrate on more valuable tasks. Cobots themselves are also incredibly safe to work around, due to the highly sensitive torque sensors that detect changes and cause them to stop.

Increased efficiency

Collaborative robots are designed to take on repetitive tasks that have a high risk of human error, such as incredibly intricate work for example that requires a precise and steady approach. Collaborative robots also leave human workers with more capacity to focus on more value-adding tasks, reducing human-idle time.

Cost-effective

It’s no longer exclusively large-scale companies that can afford this kind of automation. Collaborative robots come competitively priced and are an affordable option for small and medium-sized businesses. Not only this, but they also offer an increased return on investment by upping workforce productivity whilst reducing labour costs.

Doosan cobots

Doosan cobots are equipped with 6-axis articulated arms, and individual models feature highly-sensitive torque sensors that detect changes in force and pressure, causing them to stop.

Alongside having different capacities (payloads and reaches), all cobots are supplied with a state-of-the-art controller, a sophisticated Teaching Pendant and a number of options that include a dress pack, a water jacket and a mobile base unit.

The Doosan cobot range available at Mills CNC Automation comprises of three different series – the A-series, the M-series and the H-series. There are 10 different cobots available in total across these three series.

The A-series: Tell me more

The M-series: Tell me more

The H-series: Tell me more

FAQs

Will cobots replace human workers?

No, collaboration is a key part of cobot technology. Cobots are designed to support and optimise the efforts of human workers, encouraging job shifts – not losses. Their role is to make up the resource difference and allow human workers the time to focus on innovation and driving your business forward.

There are many jobs that cannot be fully automated and will always need to be carried out by a human worker.

What is the lifespan of a cobot?

Cobots generally have a lifespan of at least 20,000 hours, so you can expect a cobot working 40 hours a week to last at least 10 years.

Are cobots easy to programme?

Yes – one of the reasons that cobots have become so widespread and popular is due to their simple but effective technology. Simple tasks can be programmed with little knowledge of coding. Doosan cobots come with a Teach Pendant. Via the Teach Pendant, just about all of your cobots capabilities are accessible through a well-written programme.

Can my company afford a cobot?

The price of a cobot varies depending on many variables, such as payload and intended use. Cobots are, however, designed to be accessible and cost-effective for businesses of all different sizes, with minimal upfront costs and low maintenance costs. It’s also important to note that the return in investment is relatively fast due to the increase in production.

What’s the difference between cobots and industrial robots?

Industrial robots are designed to efficiently complete repetitive and potentially dangerous tasks in the same way as a collaborative robot, however, an industrial robot does not require any help or intervention from human operators. They are usually larger, more complex and expensive and are often kept in a caged area on the shopfloor away from human workers.

Cobots, on the other hand, are by definition designed to work alongside humans in a safer way, requiring regular human intervention in order to carry out tasks. Both have their benefits and which is best for your business will depend on your needs and the type of business.

Will my Doosan cobot need servicing?

Over time, your Doosan cobot will need servicing. At Mills CNC Automation, we offer our customers best-in-class and competitively-priced servicing for your Doosan machine. We provide two different machine tool servicing options: Mills CNC Servicing Agreements and Fixed-Price Servicing.

Do Mills CNC offer spare parts?

Mills CNC holds over £1.4m of OE parts at our Technology Campus facility which, alongside our sophisticated service & logistics operations, ensures fast same-day or next-day delivery of parts to our customers.

Whilst you won’t need replacement parts very often with Doosan machines, Mills are on hand to provide immediate assistance if you do. Find out more about our spares and parts service.

To find out more about Doosan Cobots and how they can benefit your business, please get in touch with Mills CNC Automation on 01926 736736 or visit our contact page.