Currently, achieving return on investment (ROI) is easy, due to the developed skills of robotic systems and the advancement of the industrial sector. In addition, with the growth of robots, they have become less expensive and easier to program without having to hire highly qualified control programmers.
For a company that is going to automate with industrial robots, cost is important. The progress we’ve witnessed this year has shown that companies that work with these different types of robots (articulated, collaborative, etc.) have made inexpensive investments and profitability has been achieved faster.
It’s important to take into account that the cost of the robot is only a part of the total expense of the robotic system that is to be integrated. Typical expenses include those related to equipment transportation, system integration, required maintenance and accessories, and the final tool. There are also operating expenses to be taken into account, such as those related to the process that is currently managed (no. of workers and annual benefits, shifts to have a total labor cost and make a balance). The expenses of the robotic solution to keep in mind include who will operate the robot, shifts, annual benefits and the electric cost. The above will always vary depending on the type of robotic solution that is required and its variables.
For large companies that have already been automating for some time, the demand for industrial robots in their production lines has increased for repetitive and dangerous work, thus generating new jobs (especially in the logistics sector) thanks to the significant technological and economic advances that have been made. Last year, there was an increase of around 32% over the previous year.
The opportunity has arrived for medium and small-sized companies, that can now implement industrial robots in their manufacturing processes in an objective and specific way, allowing them to make a detailed calculation of the return on investment (ROI) and allowing them to automate and compete in the market and generate employment. Resorting to this type of analysis is necessary in order to have a deeper understanding of the importance of the investment and to have an accurate assessment of the profits, efficiency and cost savings, to ensure the development, sustainability and competitiveness of their business.
Today there are companies that specialize in industrial robots that offer advice and guidance on the factors that should be taken into account when calculating return on investment with online ROI calculators, such as Universal Robots and Yaskawa, among others.