Proxinnov wants to democratize the use of cobots in industry

Beneteau teste le cobot d'Isybot pour poncer les coques de bateau. Installé sur une desserte à roulettes, doté de seulement 2 boutons, il est simple d'usage pour les opérateurs, même ceux n'ayant aucune formation en robot.

Posted Sep 29, 2022, 10:03 AM

“Being pragmatic and not aiming for the moon is the first step in taking advantage of industrial robotics,” breathes Jade le Maitre, director of Proxinnov. The Vendée technological resource center, which leads the sector and supports regional industries in the use of robotics, is organizing a full day on September 29 devoted to agile robotics. Objective: to show the concrete use cases of cobots in the company and the simplification of their management which allows a handling even to the uninitiated.

“Now, thanks to simpler applications, all you have to do is accompany the arm of the cobot so that it memorizes the trajectory to be performed and reproduces it”, assures the director. This new human-machine relationship has many advantages if it is used for its strengths: its small size, reinforced security, ease of programming and use for certain repetitive and simple tasks such as supplying a line of production. The employee concentrates on the operations with the highest added value and thus sees his interest in the work carried out increase. The repeatability of the movement performed by the cobot also contributes to reducing musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).

Improve business attractiveness

For the manufacturer of Atlantic boilers and radiators in Vendée, the cobot is the 3rd arm of the conveying operator. Placed on a table, he puts the electronic cards in boxes. Another advantage of the cobotic solution installed is the simplicity of reprogramming which allows the diversity of tasks in the same day, authorizing small series. At Atlantic, the cobot can thus wrap large cards in the morning and small ones in the afternoon.

Cobots are also used for very technical tasks such as welding or sanding. This is the case at Beneteau. The Vendée-based builder of pleasure boats has the operators of its factories test a cobot for deburring, sanding and polishing the hulls of boats. If adopted, it could equip all of the group’s sites. “This transfer of skills can make up for the shortage of labor and contributes to the attractiveness of the company”, estimates Jade le Maitre.

And these machines have become accessible. It takes between 10,000 and 50,000 euros for the simplest cobots depending on their lifting capacity and the amplitude of the work. Dedicated regional subsidies have been set up in Pays de la Loire. “The key is to be well advised on the choice of robot. This is the role of Proxinnov”, concludes Jade the Master.

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