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This section provides an overview for cooperative robots as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 11 cooperative robot manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked cooperative robot companies as of December, 2024: 1.Trossen Robotics, 2.TERADYNE, 3.Stäubli International AG..
Table of Contents
Collaborative Robots are robots that allow humans and robots to work in the same work area.
Conventional robots are mainly industrial robots that perform assembly and transportation at manufacturing sites for automobiles, for example, but they are installed in dedicated automation lines, and human access is limited to maintenance.
While such dedicated automation lines can dramatically improve productivity compared to manual operations, they tend to require a large initial investment, including design, and are less flexible compared to manual operations in case of minor problems or changes in production items.
In this situation, deregulation in 2013 made it possible to introduce Collaborative Robots, which work side-by-side with humans. Collaborative Robots can work in the same work area as humans without safety barriers, thus helping to alleviate labor shortages. Compared to conventional dedicated automation lines, the initial investment can be reduced and additional robots can be introduced without stopping the operation of the line, making it easier for small and medium-sized companies to adopt these robots.
Currently, cooperative robots are used in a variety of manufacturing sites, including food, automobiles, and electronic components, and catering robots have also been developed and are increasingly seen in our daily lives.
Collaborative Robots are relatively small and can perform detailed work in a small workspace. Since they are generally equipped with cameras and image processing capabilities, they are used in a wide range of industries.
In particular, until now, parts have been manually inserted and supplied to the line with their orientation, position, etc. set, but with the acquisition of image processing capability, robots are now able to determine the color, shape, orientation, etc. of large numbers of parts, pick them, and supply them to the next process, making a significant contribution to productivity improvement.
Collaborative Robots are more flexible than conventional industrial robots, with 5-axis and 6-axis joints, and are capable of high-speed, high-precision work. Equipped with cameras and sensors, they can recognize not only objects but also the surrounding environment through image processing. Some models are equipped with buttons attached to the arm to control the robot's movement instructions.
In addition, safety measures are taken to ensure that they work cooperatively in the same work area as humans. Many Collaborative Robots are rounded in shape to prevent injury to humans, and most of them have sensors that detect and stop operation when touched by a human.
Some robots are equipped with LED lights on the robot arm, for example, to indicate the robot's status so that the operator can check the robot's operation. Although the robots are designed with safety in mind, it is necessary to ensure safety through risk assessments by the companies that introduce the robots themselves.
When introducing a robot, whether it is an industrial robot or a Collaborative Robot, teaching is required to define the work operation and set the robot's control system. There are several teaching methods as follows. 1.
Off-line teaching involves creating a program and installing it on the robot. Although a program can be created if a PC is available, it is not created while checking the actual operation and environment, and there is a possibility of programming errors, making it more difficult to program complex movements and cases where multiple robots work simultaneously. In response to this, the digital twin technology is being applied to reproduce realistic motions.
Online teaching is a method of constructing a program based on the robot's operation history while operating the remote control at the actual site. Since various cases are assumed and implemented on the actual site, it is necessary to stop operation during this time.
In direct teaching, a person directly moves the robot by hand to make the robot learn the operation. The robot arm has a built-in force sensor, torque sensor, or servo motor capable of torque detection. This method automatically calculates the externally applied force, speed, and angle of rotation to compose a program, and is often used in Collaborative Robots in particular.
In recent years, technologies have been developed that utilize AI to automatically create programs by providing only work targets, making it possible to create work programs easily and in a short time.
*Including some distributors, etc.
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Trossen Robotics, founded in 2005, and located in Downers Grove, Illinois, is a manufacturer of robotics. The company specializes in robotic manipulators / arms, used by major universities and research institutions in the USA along with fortune 100 tech companies in all variety of industries. Offerings are an array of products including robot kits for hobbyists and students, encompassing frames, motors, sensors, and controllers. Additionally, the company also produces RFID products like tags, readers, and antennas, facilitating RFID-based systems for inventory management, access control, and tracking purposes.
Teradyne, founded in 1960, is an American automatic test equipment designer and manufacturer based in North Reading, Massachusetts. The company provides wireless test solutions for the development and manufacturing of wireless devices such as notebooks, laptops, tablets, smartphones, and other Wi-Fi-enabled devices. These enable efficient and accurate testing processes during the production of these devices. Their products are used in computing, communications, consumer, identification, and internet applications, and are certified by ISO 9001:2015 industry standards.
DENSO WAVE INCORPORATED was established in 1976 in Aichi, Japan provides industrial solutions through its manufacturing technology by developing and producing automatic identification equipment, industrial robots, controllers, and system solutions. The company is known for creating QR codes and cloud services, which are registered trademarks of DENSO WAVE Inc. These codes and services are used for anti-forgery measures and in business cards or catalogs. Their AUTO-ID products include terminals, scanners, RFIDs, and software that enables various operations. These products are supported by customized system solutions such as QR code solutions and IoT solutions (Internet of Things).
Stäubli began in Horgen, Switzerland in 1892. Stäubli designs, produces, distributes, and provides support for products for numerous industries including aerospace, alternative fuels, medical devices, packaging, photovoltaics, and semiconductors. Stäubli has 4 primary product lines including electrical connectors, fluid connectors, robotics, and textile. Electrical connector products include cable couplers, modular connectors, and test and measurement connectors. Fluid connectors include mold clamping systems, quick and dry disconnect couplings, and safety breakaway couplings. Robotics include industrial robots, collaborative robots, and mobile robots. Textile includes weaving preparation and frame weaving.
Conzorio Macchine Utensili (Comau), established in 1970, is a manufacturer in Grugliasco, Italy, specializing in the production of industry 4.0-enabled systems, products, and services. The company offers joining, assembly, and machining solutions for traditional and electric vehicles, and robotized manufacturing systems, including collaborative and wearable robots. The offering also extends to project management and consultancy, IoT services, and maintenance and training for vehicle manufacturing, heavy industry, railway, renewable energy, and various general industries. The company owns its international network in 13 countries.
WiredWorkers, founded in 2016 and headquartered in Doetinchem, Gelderland, is an automation machinery manufacturer specializing in collaborative robots and automation solutions. The company offers automation components like grippers, end-of-arm tooling, software solutions, safety features, and feeding systems. It aims to make these collaborative robots accessible to businesses across various industries such as food, plastics, packaging, electronics, and more. The company has a track record of serving companies like Signify, Ubbink, Ovotrack, Gunnebo, Keter, and many others.
Universal Robots was founded in 2005 in Odsense, Germany as a manufacturer of collaborative robots known as Cobots. The company provides automation solutions by designing flexible industrial collaborative robotic arms that are implemented for faster production, and increased accuracy. They are light in weight so they can be easily relocated and can be reprogrammed for different applications. Besides Electronics and Technology, numerous industries benefit from Cobots including Education and Science, Food and Beverage, Medical and Cosmetics, and even Metal and Machining.
KUKA AG was founded in 1898 in Augsburg, Germany. The company is a subsidiary of GD Midea Holding Co., Ltd. and is an automation developer, designing and manufacturing robot-based automation solutions for medical, automotive, warehousing, and distribution industries. The company’s product segments include robot systems, production machines, and systems, mobility as a driver of Industry 4.0, and process technologies that provide special welding processes to factories. The company’s services include repair and servicing for robots and machines and engineering services for designing and programming robotic systems.
ABB E-mobility provides electric vehicle charging solutions for customers around the globe. ABB E-mobility offers DC fast chargers as well as AC chargers with focus on reliability and uptime. Since 2010, ABB E-mobility has sold over 50,000 DC fast chargers and over 1 million total AC chargers. ABB E-mobility offers home single and multi-charge units, retail, workplace, and hospitality charge units, electric vehicle fleet sales, as well as public transportation. Additionally, numerous digital solutions and software services are available.
Yaskawa Motoman, founded in 1989, is a manufacturing company which offers industrial automation and robotics solutions in the Americas. With more than 540,000 industrial robots, 18 million servos and 30 million inverter drives installed globally, the company provides automation products and solutions for virtually every industry and robotic application including arc welding, assembly, packaging, dispensing and more. Their product line includes more than 150 distinct industrial arm, a full-line of pre-engineered "World" solutions that are complete application-specific robotic systems that include robot, process and safety equipment. They are backed by a powerful parent, Yaskawa Electric Corporation of Japan.
FANUC Corporation was established in 1956 and is headquartered in Japan, manufacturing of industrial robots, CNC systems, and related automation technologies. The company produces products that include industrial robots, CRX Cobots, Lasers, IoT Solutions, and various CNC systems for machine tools. These systems and technologies find applications in a broad range of industries, including automotive manufacturing, aerospace and defense, electronics production, and metalworking. They also help with automated repetitive tasks, performing complex assembly operations, and handling hazardous materials for medical device manufacturing, consumer goods products, and many more industrial applications.
Ranking as of December 2024
Derivation Method| Rank | Company | Click Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trossen Robotics |
50.0%
|
| 2 | TERADYNE |
25.0%
|
| 3 | Stäubli International AG. |
25.0%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the cooperative robot page as of December 2024. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
Newly Established Company
Company with a History
*Including some distributors, etc.
*Including some distributors, etc.
| Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
|---|---|---|
|
United States of America
|
2 | 22.2% |
|
Japan
|
2 | 22.2% |
|
Switzerland
|
1 | 11.1% |
|
Italy
|
1 | 11.1% |
|
Netherlands
|
1 | 11.1% |
|
Denmark
|
1 | 11.1% |
|
Germany
|
1 | 11.1% |
