Association for Advancing Automation

Collaborative robots

Collaborative robots

Collaborative robots are robots built to work safely alongside human workers in a shared, collaborative workspace. Typically, a collaborative robot is responsible for menial tasks while a human worker completes more complex tasks on the manufacturing floor.

Collaborative robot designs feature rounded edges, force limitations, and light weights, to emphasize safety for their human counterparts. Most collaborative robots are equipped with a series of sensors to avoid collisions with human workers, as well as safety protocols to shut down if any form of unplanned contact occurs.

The market for collaborative robots is expected to experience exponential growth in the coming years across multiple industries, including:

• automotive
• electronics
• general manufacturing
• metal fabrication
• packaging and co-packing
• Plastics
• food and agriculture
• furniture and equipment
• pharmaceutical and chemical
• scientific research