Current technological developments in industrial robotics are seen as an investment opportunity and a highly productive and efficient tool in the different areas of the industrial sector.
Today, having industrial robots in production processes provides a competitive advantage, as automation with robots requires lower levels of investment that allows and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to acquire them; over time, the prices of hardware and software have decreased, allowing them to be more affordable. The return on investment (ROI) is achieved in less time.
The effects of investing in automation with industrial robots in a company are:
- Increased productivity in the initial stage
- Improvements in cycle times in product manufacturing
- Optimization of product quality
- Minimum margin of error
- Increased amounts of money invested
- Increased safety for operators
- Continuous development of new technologies to integrate with other applications
The vast majority of industrial tasks are performed by robots, leading to big changes in the market, increasing productivity and obtaining more significant profits; the sectors in which robotic automation has generated a greater impact are as follows: 79% heavy and medical industry; between 60% and 64% the pharmaceutical industry, food, aerospace, automotive, manufacturing machinery; with 58 and 50% corresponding to the electronic, metallurgical and textile sector; and 33% in packaging and printing technology.
As robots become more affordable and easier to program, thanks to the development of robotic systems, vision sensors and information technology, they can be integrated with a wide variety of useful applications in the different production areas, the most demanding of which include: assembly, packaging, loading machines, palletizing, parts handling, and quality control, among others.
Thus, the benefits that are obtained by investing in the integration of industrial robots is not only the time of the return on investment, but also the low operating costs, the optimization of the product’s quality, greater precision and flexibility in the manufacturing of the product, savings in space, improved safety and quality of work for employees, reduced capital costs and a higher level of protection, thus obtaining higher performance.
Not only is there a positive impact on the economic side, but there is also an increase in the competitive advantage, generating new employment opportunities in the different industrial areas by providing flexible solutions. Therefore, automation introduces a culture of satisfaction where people and robots work side by side, benefiting the company and everyone’s economy.