Leave ergonomically unfavorable tasks to the cobots:

Although the need for flexibility is steadily gaining importance for manufacturers, it is not the only reason why leading automotive companies opt for cobots. The opportunity of releasing human employees from strenuous and health-damaging activities is also an important factor. The India-based company Bajaj Auto Ltd., third-largest motorcycle manufacturer worldwide, recognized early which way the wind was blowing. In 2010, they were not only aiming for more standardized production processes but for meeting challenges that arose from a large share of tasks still performed manually.. “Two-wheeler assembly lines are highly labor-intensive, spatially challenged and they have physically taxing movements that require high-end precision”, explains Vikas Sawhney, General Manager Engineering (Robotics and Automation) at Bajaj. These were the main reasons behind their decision towards integrating more than 100 cobots into their production. The workers are pleased as well: “Thanks to the high-quality output I achieve with the cobots, I feel very proud of my accomplishments,” says Rameshwari, assembly line operator at Bajaj Auto Ltd. “Operating this advanced technology is very interesting and easy, and all the physically challenging parts are taken care of... The other female employees and I enjoy working with these cobots.”

Cobots in the automotive industry - automotive manufacturing