What To Know About Using Industrial Robots

If you have a manufacturing plant, you may be considering purchasing industrial robots to do some of the work. While these robots can't do everything, they can perform the repetitive but necessary tasks in the production process. If you are still trying to determine if industrial robots are the right choice for your business, check out these five facts you need to know.

You May Save Money

Industrial robots are expensive to install, but they are an investment for the business, so you'll recoup the money over time, particularly in payroll because you'll need fewer employees. Of course, employees don't just cost a lot of money in labor. They also cost the company money for workers' compensation insurance, health insurance, etc. You can reduce your staff to cut payroll, or you can relocate employees to departments that need additional help. This may prevent the need to hire additional employees or boost productivity in other departments of the company.

You'll Need Specialized Training

The robots handle the production tasks, but you'll still need employees to maintain the robots, and these employees should have proper training in industrial robots to help reduce the risk of accidents and keep robot-related fatalities low. Employees who perform maintenance, programming, testing and adjustments on the robots are at higher risk for accidents because they come in contact with the robots regularly, so they may need the most training. This training will increase the overall price of the robots' installation and implementation, but with well-maintained robots, you'll quickly see a return on your investment. Contact a company that offers services like FANUC training to learn more.

Robots Boost Productivity

One way robots make your business more money is by being more productive. Humans are not able to work non-stop. They take breaks/lunches and have shift changes. Robots, however, do the same work without the need for extra expenses, breaks, or shift changes. This allows them to generate more product in the same amount of time. They also can't get distracted like humans. For example, an employee may be struggling to sleep at home, which slows their work during the day, affecting productivity. A robot, however, has no distractions from its job.

They Provide Consistent, Quality Production

In general, an industrial robot does one task repeatedly. You'll need to program the robot to do the task, and there may be some fine tuning to perfect the end-result. However, once the settings are perfect, you get high-quality, consistent production. This is particularly important if you produce several pieces that fit together because it reduces the risk of inconsistent sizes, shapes, and similar mistakes. Overall, however, it reduces the risk of mistakes, which saves time and money.

Robots Reduce the Risk of Workplace Injuries

Many of the jobs robots do have high accident rates. This is because they are repetitive, and humans who perform repetitive tasks are more likely to become distracted. This often happens to people who take the same route to and from work. They arrive at home and have no memory of the drive. This occurs because the task is familiar, so your mind wanders. This, however, increase the risk of an accident. By letting robots handle these repetitive tasks, you reduce the risk of workplace injuries. Fewer workplace injuries means less that you have to pay in workers' compensation insurance. It also means less risk of employees missing work (and affecting productivity) due to injury.

Industrial robots can benefit many companies, especially those with repetitive production tasks. They are expensive to install and implement; however, with proper training, industrial robots will save your company money and reduce the risk of workplace injuries. If you would like more information about industrial robot training, find a program in your area or online today.

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