1 Introduction
Industry 4.0 has become a popular concept in manufacturing. However, what exactly is "Industry 4.0 "? It is defined as the electronic computing of manufacturing, including higher levels of interconnectivity, smarter devices, and machine-to-machine communication. As we know, human society has experienced three industrial revolutions: the first was mechanization brought about by water and steam power; the second was the use of electricity enabling mass production; and the third was the adoption of electronic engineering and IT technologies, leading to production automation. "Industry 4.0 " is defined as the fourth industrial revolution.
One of the key terms of the Fourth Industrial Revolution is the smart factory, which relies on the powerful data processing capabilities of machinery and equipment to make production more efficient and energy-saving by utilizing information, statistical data, and dynamic analysis provided by the system. "Human-machine collaborative" robots, as a new type of robot, possess both the "precision" of robots and the "flexibility" of humans, and have recently attracted much attention and favor from the industry. In the context of Industry 4.0 , where will "human-machine collaborative" robots go?
The Past and Present of Human-Robot Collaborative Robots
For a long time, the international robotics market has been dominated by heavy, expensive, and cumbersome robots designed by engineers for specific manufacturing industries. However, in practical applications, not all industrial processes require large robots to lift heavy loads. Instead, lightweight and agile robotic arms are increasingly taking over assembly and retrieval tasks. More flexible robotic arms have thus become a viable solution for handling daily work. Small, low-noise, and low-power robots are the simplest and most reasonable solution to meet the automation and rationalization needs of industrial enterprises. Responding to market demand, "collaborative robots" have quietly emerged. These new robots can work directly alongside human employees without the need for safety barriers and are expected to bridge the gap between fully manual assembly lines and fully automated production lines. To date, some companies, especially SMEs, still consider robotic automation too expensive and complex, and therefore never consider its application. However, lightweight and flexible "collaborative" robots have become a boon for SMEs.
Since its founding in 2005, Universal Robots has been dedicated to developing widely applicable robotic technologies. The company's UR3, UR5, and UR10 robots enable automated and streamlined human-robot collaboration across all industrial production sectors, offering advantages such as cost-effectiveness, high flexibility, ease of use, and safety, making them highly popular in the industry. These 6-axis industrial robots are small, lightweight, and easy to use, offering significant advantages in terms of financial resources, human resources, and technology. For example, they are easy to program, quick to install, flexible to deploy, enable human-robot collaboration, are safe and reliable, and have the shortest return on investment period in the industry. Of particular note is the UR robot's exceptional flexibility: it can be programmed on-site by employees and quickly reconfigured to perform diverse tasks. Its lightweight design allows for easy movement within the factory, breaking down workspace limitations.
3. How can collaborative machines achieve coexistence between "humans" and "machines"?
Collaborative robots possess two key characteristics: firstly, they facilitate interaction and cooperation between machines and humans; secondly, their programming and maintenance are highly convenient. Universal Robots robots feature sensitive force feedback, stopping immediately upon reaching a pre-set force. This eliminates the need for safety barriers after risk assessment, enabling collaborative work between humans and robots. Universal Robots' newly launched collaborative UR3 robot, due to its small size and low power consumption, operates virtually silently during production, unlike other robots that generate significant noise. Therefore, this collaborative robot creates a safe and comfortable working environment for customers, allowing employees to quickly integrate and collaborate with the robot. Programming is very easy for ordinary operators and non-technical personnel, making the robot an easy-to-use tool. Universal Robots robots are also quick to install and deploy, and their flexibility allows for easy movement to new projects. Furthermore, they can operate independently without additional personnel for supervision. These features significantly reduce personnel costs, saving manufacturers money and improving economic efficiency. Collaborative robots, as loyal work partners, have a broad application market and can be found in the electronics, automotive parts, and food industries.
Collaborative robots in the Industry 4.0 era
With the advent of Industry 4.0 , manufacturing companies worldwide are about to face various new challenges. Some of these challenges have already been addressed through the use of robots in increasingly mature automation and automation solutions. In the past, human and robot processes were isolated in production lines and assembly lines; this will change. Collaborative robots will become increasingly prevalent.
The importance of robots is increasing. While some areas and production lines still require human operation, others can be partially automated using robots to optimize production lines. Introducing collaborative robots will open up new opportunities for production and assembly lines to meet challenges, find better solutions, and maximize the advantages of both humans and robots.
"Smart factory" and "unmanned factory" have become buzzwords in the Industry 4.0 era and are considered the pinnacle of automation. Does this mean that humans will be replaced by machines in the future? Not necessarily. We should understand it this way: the future factory world will be created by the harmonious coexistence of humans and machines. Collaborative robots, as a new type of robot, are bringing a new era of automation applications such as small-part assembly, allowing workers and robots to work together to complete a task.
5. Conclusion
Of course, Industry 4.0 is still just an idea, a vision. Achieving true full automation, whether in large or small factories, will take a long time. During this transition period, there will be increasing automation and more robots involved in the production process. In the future, we hope to leverage human creativity and the stability of machines, making good use of the strengths of these two types of employees to jointly create a better and more harmonious industrial environment.
