Robotics in production - How quickly are industrial robots or cobots ready?

Robots have become an integral part of modern manufacturing. With increasing automation, efficiency and flexibility can be increased - from assembly to loading and unloading to quality control. The key question is: How much time does commissioning take before cobots or industrial robots can produce reliably? We answer this question here. ⚙️

[Find and compare robots and cobots on the Unchained Robotics marketplace]

Contents

1. Requirements for the use of robots
2. Find and compare robots
3. Ordering and delivery
4. How to install
5. Conclusion
6. FAQs
   
   

Requirements for the use of robots

Today, the requirements are usually straightforward - especially for cobots. What is important is

• Space and a suitable safety concept (often integrated for cobots, e.g. with a cell/fence for industrial robots).
• Clearly defined application such as assembly, packaging, welding or testing.
• Basic infrastructure: power, compressed air if necessary, gripper/tools, camera or image processing and connection to higher-level systems.

Once these points have been met, companies can get started quickly - from SMEs to large corporations.

Find and compare robots

The choice is huge. Marketplaces such as Unchained Robotics help with filters, data sheets and direct expert advice.

First decision: cobot or industrial robot?

• Cobots (collaborative robots) are particularly flexible, easy to program and quick to deploy. Typically 1-5 days, for preconfigured applications even less than 1 day.
• Industrial robots score highly in terms of cycle time, accuracy and payload - ideal in standard cells or lines. Commissioning usually takes a few days, or even several weeks for complex projects.

Tip: Check the requirements for grippers, sensors and possible extensions (e.g. camera for position detection) at an early stage. This shortens subsequent integration.

Ordering and delivery

Once the model has been selected, the order is placed. Delivery times depend on the manufacturer and the configuration, but are often just a few weeks. At the same time, the safety concept, gripper and layout should already be prepared - this saves time on site.

Installation

This is where it is decided how quickly robots are ready:

Typical commissioning times:

• Cobots: 1-5 days to stable operation; preconfigured applications sometimes < 1 day.
• Industrial robots (standard cell): a few days including programming and safety acceptance.
• Complex lines: several weeks, depending on scope, peripherals and acceptance tests.

What determines the duration

1. Complexity of the task: "Pick & Place" is faster than e.g. welding.

2. Safety and environment: proximity to people requires additional protection; cobots can offer advantages here.

3. Programming & interfaces: Templates, low-code modules and clear interfaces to ERP/MES accelerate.

4. Peripherals & validation: Grippers, conveyor technology, image processing systems and process and quality verification take time.

5. Training: Short training courses ensure that the team can operate the system independently - and that production can run around the clock 🙂

Summary: Today, it often only takes a few days from delivery to production, several weeks for large lines - predictable and with a rapid impact on productivity and quality.

Conclusion

Commissioning has never been so fast: from the first comparison to the start of production, implementation within a few weeks is realistic. Anyone who clearly defines the application, selects peripherals in good time and clarifies safety at an early stage will get cobots and industrial robots up and running particularly quickly.


(Image: Dobot)

FAQs