Robotic Assembly in Action: Seamless Integration of Automation in Modern Production

Reaching back into history as far as the Cro-Magnon Man, human beings have been constructing tools for use in their everyday lives. Once man moved out of caves and into structures and cities, manufacturers started to pop up in the form of craftsmen like wood workers, cobblers and tailors. Humans have always assembled tools and other items. Now, assembly robots are joining in also.

With the industrial revolution came manufacturing on a larger scale with the introduction of not only factories, but also the assembly line. Assembly lines allowed workers to focus on putting one piece of an item together over and over, as opposed to completely assemble each item themselves.

While manual assembly applications were exploding onto a large scale to begin filling the needs of the growing population’s demand, manufacturers continued to look for the next big thing that would increase production on their assembly lines.

That next “big” thing came with the Unimate robot in the 1960s. This first industrial robot was the beginning of industrial automation. In the 1980s, assembly robots began to take off, and things have never been the same for manufacturers.

Robot manufacturers from Fanuc to Motoman to KUKA have developed models for robotic assembly. These companies have been pressing forward and innovating to bring manufacturers all the advantages of robotic assembly.

Assembly robots construct items faster and more accurate than human workers could ever imagine. By decreasing cycle times for manufactured items, robotic assembly automation gets products out to the consumer sooner, while keeping production and labor costs down.

RobotWorx, a certified integrator for Fanuc, ABB, Motoman, and KUKA robotics, has several new and refurbished assembly robot models available for purchase and customization. RobotWorx works with customers to design the layout and system to meet all their unique specifications.