Evaluation of Collaborative Robot Sustainable Integration in Manufacturing Assembly by Using Process Time Savings.

Area of Science:

• Robotics and Automation
• Manufacturing Engineering
• Operations Research

Background:

• Collaborative robots (cobots) enhance manufacturing flexibility in dynamic environments.
• Cobot implementation decisions require integrated technical, economic, and workforce assessments.
• Assembly processes face increasing product diversity and complexity.

Purpose of the Study:

• Introduce parametric models to evaluate the economic and social impacts of cobot implementation.
• Assess cobot feasibility across diverse production scenarios using updated techno-economical parameters.
• Establish decision-making thresholds for cobot adoption based on productivity gains.

Main Methods:

• Developed two new parametric models for collaborative robotics.
• Formulated models to assess differential assembly costs (economic) and tax income for workforce displacement (social).
• Utilized updated techno-economical parameters and analyzed influence curves of productivity gain.

Main Results:

• Productivity gains needed for cobot implementation are lower in high-wage scenarios.
• The social dimension (tax income for workforce displacement) requires higher breakeven productivity gains than the economic dimension.
• The gap between social and economic breakeven points is larger in low-wage scenarios.

Conclusions:

• The developed models provide practical tools for evaluating cobot implementation feasibility.
• A joint economic and social approach is crucial for strategic cobot adoption decisions.
• Findings highlight the need for tailored strategies considering wage levels and social implications.