By now, the concept of collaborative robots that can easily, flexibly, and safely work side-by-side with human workers is well-understood among many manufacturers. But what about the cobots that are implemented in after-hours shifts to keep production humming even when employees aren’t working? Or when the robot is integrated directly with other machines or equipment while human workers are focused on tasks elsewhere in the plant?
When there are no humans nearby, are cobots still collaborative?
Absolutely. With built-in Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) capabilities, UR robots keep on collaborating—even in situations with remote human workers.
UR COBOTS ARE IIOT-READY
Cobots from Universal Robots are interoperable for any IIoT factory environment, with built-in support for EthernetIP, Profinet, MODBUS, and TCP/IP protocols. We also provide a secure framework for accessing robot state data for data collection and analysis to improve productivity and quality. Users can download a free, robust SDK (Software Development Kit) through the UR+ developer platform for secure custom networking applications. Many IIoT systems have already been developed and deployed using products in our UR+ showroom. Here are a few great examples of collaborative IIoT robotics applications and capabilities: