The first collaborative robot was invented in 1996. This new concept was designed to bridge the gap between workers and traditional robots, allowing them to work side-by-side.
Collaborative robots have come a long way since the mid-1990s and are commonplace in any manufacturing environment. Some of the top-of-the-line fixtures used with collaborative robots allow them to perform even the most complex jobs with high tolerances, which helps to increase production capacity.
Collaborative robots have many grippers for a variety of functions, but it can be overwhelming when choosing the best gripper for a task.
In this article, we'll take a look at the most popular grippers for collaborative robots in the manufacturing industry and summarize some of the main choices manufacturers make when selecting a gripper.
What is a collaborative robot?
Collaborative robots, also known as collaborative bots, are the latest technology in robotics. They are changing the way manufacturers automate processes . This subgroup of robots is different, mainly because they are designed to work alongside humans, more like assistants to their work, hence the name collaborative robots.
Collaborative robots are equipped with sensors that allow humans and machines to coexist in a small space. If a collaborative robot senses that something is in its path and interrupts the signal from the sensors, it automatically goes into safe mode.
Collaborative robots also allow employees to delegate monotonous or tedious repetitive tasks and free up time for them to improve their skills or work in more creative areas of the company.