The use of the two-handed collaborative robot in non-collaborative application

Abstract

The article deals with possibilities of using of a two-handed collaborative robot in automated production. The introductory part of this paper is about robot manufacturers' proposed ways of use of collaborative robots and a consideration of correctness of this stance. In this matter, an alternative point of view is proposed and tested, where a collaborative robot does not cooperate with a worker but replaces him/her completely. The main part of the study focuses on a specific installation of the YuMi collaborative robot into an already existing production line of a leading Czech supplier in the automotive industry. This real application is verified in simulations with an alternative solution consisting of two traditional industrial robots ABB IRB 120 instead. These data are evaluated and the advantages of deploying the collaborative robot and the industrial robots in the specific assembly application are compared. Economic return and productivity in high production cycle applications are considered. The article then describes the difficulties caused by the low load capacity of the YuMi collaborative robot and an alternative approach using the FEM methodology and topology optimization in the robot grip jaws design.