In traditional industry, robots are often bolted to the floor, programmed once, and then perform exactly the same movement for years. This is worthwhile—but only for huge quantities.
But the reality in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is different: small batch sizes, changing orders, and diverse tasks determine everyday life. A machine that can only do one thing often stands idle here. And downtime costs money.
Universal Robots' cobots were developed precisely for this dynamic environment. They are not specialists for just one niche, but flexible all-rounders for your entire production.
Welding in the morning, palletizing in the afternoon
The biggest advantage of a cobot is its mobility. It does not have to be confined to a fixed cage. Mounted on a rollable base or a mobile workbench, the robot becomes a "mobile employee":
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In the morning: The cobot loads a CNC machine to process rush orders.
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At noon: He is pushed to the packaging station to fold boxes.
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At night: He takes over the palletizing of the finished goods in a ghost shift.
The relocation often takes only a few minutes. Plug in the power, calibrate the reference point, and you're done.
The robot's memory: learn once, never forget
There is no need to worry about long setup times with cobots. The Universal Robots controller allows you to store an unlimited number of application programs.
Did you manufacture a product three months ago?
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No problem. Just load the saved file.
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The cobot immediately "remembers" the movement sequences.
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Production starts at the touch of a button.
The time-consuming process of re-teaching for recurring small series is completely eliminated. This makes automation profitable even for batch sizes of 1.
Tool change in seconds
Not only can the location and program be changed, but the robot's "hand" is also flexible. Thanks to the extensive UR+ ecosystem, gripper, suction cups, welding torches, or camera systems can be exchanged in a flash.
Most end effectors work according to the "plug & produce" principle: plug it in, and the software automatically recognizes the new tool.
Conclusion: Maximum utilization for your business
A conventional robot waits for work. A cobot goes where the work is. This extreme flexibility allows you to achieve a level of utilization that would never be possible with rigid automation in SMEs. The cobot becomes a universal tool that helps out wherever it is needed most.
Want to see how quickly you can convert a cobot? We would be happy to demonstrate this live at your premises.
Contact us for a free cobot demo.
Learn more about the other advantages of cobots:
