Plymouth automation specialists, Applied Automation will be showcasing the many applications a collaborative robot can be used for as it exhibits at a major tradeshow in April.

This will be the second time the company has taken part in the Drives and Controls trade show which is the biggest of its kind in the UK.

A number of products have since come to market that integrate with the robot arms which has further increased the number of applications they can be used for.

A collaborative robot, commonly referred to as a cobot, can work alongside people without a protective cage. With grippers to pick items up and a sensor that brings the sense of touch to the robotic arm, these cobots are extremely versatile and can be used for tasks such as gluing, welding and assembly.

Managing Director David Rowe said: “It is astonishing when you consider the range of applications collaborative robots are being used for today, especially when paired with sensors and grippers. This is especially welcome for SMEs who not that long ago found similar devices prohibitively expensive. Now they’re affordable, our job is to show customers how to integrate them into their existing production environment. This will be evermore critical for many manufactures who feel pressure to increase productivity and reduce costs in an effort to stay competitive.”

The use of industrial robots, particularly among SMEs, is seeing good growth, although the UK lags behind many of its European neighbours and is below the world average in the use of industrial robots, suggesting Britain must automate more if it wants to stay competitive.