5. They see the same benefits as smaller companies
Finally, large businesses are turning to cobots for the same reason as businesses of any other size: because cobots can help even the biggest businesses to improve productivity and output and enhance quality. Cobots can enable companies to reduce downtime and sometimes even to run 24/7 production. Whether or not production time is extended, robotic precision means cobots can improve the consistency of throughput and create more stable output quality. These factors mean that the return on investment tends to be fast.
For example, by leveraging a UR5 cobot equipped with a custom gripper, Melecs EWS in Austria was able to significantly improve the packaging process for printed circuit boards, increasing productivity by 25%. The cobot, handling several steps simultaneously and working flawlessly in three-shift operations, has allowed the company to package two million circuit boards annually, underscoring the effective role cobots can play in enhancing manufacturing productivity.
We are actively working with manufacturers in deploying cobot technology that both simplifies and digitizes automation in their production environments. In collaboration with our strong ecosystem partners, we are managing fleets of cobots on factory floors to improve productivity and alleviate labor shortage issues. It is very clear that cobot technology continues to hold great promise for large manufacturing companies.