14 March 2025
The International Federation of Robotics recently published a cobot position paper that looks at the changing technologies and areas of application that are driving the adoption of collaborative robots in the manufacturing sector.
Put simply, collaborative industrial robots (cobots) are robots with power and force limiting functions designed to allow them to perform tasks in collaboration with human workers. Collaborative applications differ from traditional industrial robot applications which requires robots to be isolated from human contact behind fences or other protective barriers.
The International Organization for Standards (ISO) does not provide an individual definition for collaborative robots, only for collaborative operations. Safety requirements for such operations are described in ISO 10218-1 and ISO 10218-2, with additional guidance for collaborative robot applications provided in ISO TS 15066.
The International Federation of Robotics (IFR) considers there to be two types of robots designed for collaborative use – the first type includes robots designed for collaborative use that comply with the International Organization for Standards norm ISO 10218-1. This specifies requirements and guidelines for the inherent safe design, protective measures and information for use of industrial robots. The second type covers robots designed for collaborative use that do not satisfy the requirements of ISO 10218-1. These robots follow different safety standards, for example national or in-house standards.
Levels of collaboration
The IFR further classifies four levels of collaboration between industrial robots and human workers. These are:
• Coexistence: Human and robot work alongside each other without a fence, but with no shared workspace.
• Sequential collaboration: Human and robot are active in shared workspace, but their motions are sequential; they do not work on a part at the same time.
• Cooperation: Robot and human work on the same part at the same time, with both in motion.
• Responsive collaboration: The robot responds in real-time to movement of the human worker.
IFR members have identified that a substantial share of cobot applications today are not used for human-robot-collaboration. The most common cobot applications are shared workspace applications, where robot and employee work alongside each other, completing tasks independently or sequentially (Co-existence or sequential). They perform jobs that are either tedious or unergonomic – from lifting heavy parts to performing repetitive tasks such as tightening screws.
Experts predict that a step towards true co-operation – Robot and employee work at the same time together both in motion – will become commonplace within five years.
Examples of applications where cobots respond in real-time to the motion of a worker are likely to appear on a larger scale in 10 years’ time, as this is the most technically challenging level of collaboration.
Trade-offs
Cobots typically have some trade-offs when compared to traditional industrial robots, due to their design and purpose to safely work alongside humans. Cobots, for example, are currently not applicable for use in for processes that require high payloads and high speeds. They are, however, finding applications in many setups where a direct human-robot interaction is not required. Traditional industrial robots can be an alternative in those cases. However, cobots do have additional safety functions and ease of use capabilities that are considered to be useful in many applications. Manufacturing industries have been early adopters of cobot technology – typically in industries that require low volume high mix production. The IFR considers this to be due to ease of use of cobots.
Trends driving development
It is believed that the shortage of skilled workers will drive the development of automated solutions. New applications are being developed for cobots which is expanding their potential fields of use – from simple handling, through welding, to painting, dispensing and assembly.
Cobot manufacturers are developing machine learning systems so that cobots can ‘learn’. This modular technology and learning approach is expected to open further doors to expand what a cobot can do while unattended. In future, new sensors, vision technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) looks set to enable robots to respond in real-time to changes in their environment and thus work safely and more responsively, alongside human workers.
Like industrial robots in general, cobots can help improve productivity, product quality and consistency by executing tasks with a high level of precision and accuracy and repeatability. They are less prone to errors or variations compared to human workers, leading to fewer defects and higher customer satisfaction. Cobots can also be used to automate parts of a production line with minimal changes to the rest of the line.
For some companies, cobots provide an economically-viable entry-point to robotic automation, particularly when they are easy to program. Companies that have not yet automated production processes may use a cobot as a low barrier starting point.
Cobots can work alongside human workers augmenting their capabilities. They enable individuals to collaborate on complex tasks that are difficult to fully automate. Cobots can undertake repetitive tasks or heavy lifting, for example, allowing human workers to focus on more complex or creative tasks.
It is important to consider, however, that a safe cobot does not guarantee a safe collaborative application in practice. An application in which a cobot wields a sharp tool will still be unsafe no matter how slowly the cobot operates. A risk assessment of the intended application by the user is obligatory to comply with ISO 10218-2 and workplace health and safety requirements. The risk assessment covers the entire application, including the robot, end-effector, tools, workpieces, other machines plus equipment and components in the workplace.
While traditional industrial robots and cobots serve different purposes, they can sometimes be alternatives depending on the specific application. For tasks with high production volumes and minimal need for human interaction, traditional industrial robots are an alternative to consider. There exist several options to outfit industrial robots with safety devices when processes require human intervention. These include dedicated sensors using skin like haptic sensors on traditional robots, force feedback control for manipulators as well as laser or radar scanners, emergency stop buttons, and physical barriers. In each case, the robot may perform normal highspeed operation until the safety area is breached by a human.
Today, cobots are commonly used for pick-and-place operations, where they can efficiently move objects from one location to another with accuracy and speed.
They are also being utilised in packaging processes to automate tasks including product packaging, case packing, labelling, and palletising. They can handle a variety of packaging materials and shapes, making them versatile solutions is such applications.
Cobots are also being deployed for assembly processes and machine tending tasks, where they can assist in loading and unloading parts from CNC machines, injection moulding machines, or other automated equipment.
They are also finding applications in quality inspection and testing tasks, where they can perform visual inspection, dimensional measurement, and defect detection with high accuracy and repeatability.
Future trends and drivers
Digital technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and Cloud computing play a crucial role in enabling and enhancing the capabilities of cobots, which are increasingly being equipped with advanced sensing technologies such as 3D vision systems, depth cameras, and lidar sensors. These sensors enable cobots to perceive and understand their environment, allowing them to interact with objects and humans more intelligently and safely.
The trend of using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning keeps growing. Cobot manufacturers are developing generative AI-driven interfaces which allow users to program robots more intuitively by using natural language instead of code. The impact of AI on the use of cobots is multifaceted. AI algorithms can enable cobots to learn from human demonstrations and adapt to new tasks. Another example is predictive AI analysing robot performance data to identify the future state of equipment.
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