Kevin Gavin of KUKA Robotics Corporation says: “Calculating the total life cycle cost of a piece of equipment, such as a robot, is an effective approach that takes into consideration not only the initial cost, but also the production throughput and all costs associated with maintaining the robot to calculate its true cost.
Gavin suggests consulting with on-site production managers, maintenance managers, programmers and any other staff members who help define the specifications of the robotic application as part of this total cost of ownership (TCO) study. It is essential to gather this data to calculate the total cost of ownership based on the robot’s capabilities.
With many companies ignoring total cost of ownership and instead selecting robots based on price alone, Gavin and KUKA emphasise the importance of incorporating total cost of ownership into robot purchases.
The cheapest robots may not have the performance, payload or reach capabilities needed, but the best ones will, according to Gavin. But giving up core competencies is a bad approach to reducing costs. Any robot that does not fully meet a company’s requirements will end up costing more in the long run.
The line between expensive and cheap robots often follows the line of collaborative/industrial robots. It is essential to understand that collaborative robots can only work at speeds that will not cause damage in the event of an accident. Industrial robots are less constrained, but contain sensors that cause a delay when a person approaches the workstation. These technologies combine performance with safety, as well as increased payload and longer reach.
It is necessary to calculate the total cost of ownership of a robot and not just compare collaborative and industrial use. Industrial robots are naturally more robust, as they are built with durable castings, gears and joints. Over the course of their careers, they tend to require less maintenance and are often better equipped to recover from an accident, which significantly reduces repair costs and production losses. This is an essential consideration, as prolonged robot downtime adds significantly to the total cost of ownership. According to Gavin.
KUKA’s my.KUKA digital customer portal allows users to access technical data, manage licenses and access individual support for their robotic applications. Due to widespread misunderstandings about certain types of robots, such as the idea that all robots use grease in their gears, which makes maintenance difficult and time-consuming, this aspect is crucial in the purchasing choice. However, some robot manufacturers, such as KUKA, use oil instead of grease, which prolongs the time between robot maintenance. When it does need to be changed, it is a quick and easy procedure that users often carry out themselves.
According to a survey of Automation World readers, 45% of those surveyed use robots on a daily basis. The remaining 65% use only industrial robots, while 35% have incorporated collaborative robots (cobots). Investments in robots continue to have potential returns, so it is essential to assess the return on these investments.
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