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4 easy ways cobots reduce assembly line injuries

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The fastest way for any business to increase its production capacity is to embrace automation. While this was an option that was previously only available to large companies that had the capital to purchase and install specialized and bulky traditional automated systems, this is no longer the case. This is thanks to the invention, development, and availability of collaborative robots.

Using cobots in an assembly line comes with a lot of benefits. Next to the ability to easily increase output and to maximize productivity, is the reduction of incidences of injuries. Here is what you should know about how adopting robot assembly and other forms of automation in your production line will reduce cases of employee injuries.

Repetitive task avoidance

Tasks like nut driving, screw driving, and pick-and-drop processes that are necessary in an assembly line operation are quite repetitive. While these tasks may not involve a lot of exertion, the constant repetitions that executing them requires, tends to strain both muscles and the skeletal structure of employees. With time, it typically leads to strains and tears that are a leading cause of chronic pain in the workplace.

Instead of risking the health of your employees by letting them handle these repetitive tasks, you can program a cobot to relieve your employees from these tasks. Doing this will free your employees to participate in the assembly line by doing tasks that are less taxing to the musculoskeletal structure.

Lifting heavy objects

Improper lifting techniques are a common cause of severe back pain. Even in cases where one uses the proper lifting techniques, if the load is too heavy, you will still end up experiencing muscle strain and other back problems. This can compromise your employees’ health and their ability to be productive.

Instead of letting your employees lifting heavy parts during the fitting process or during insertion, you can always assign these tasks to the cobot. Employees can then work on the components or parts, and then leave the robot to do the moving or repositioning work. This can go a long way towards preventing serious back, hip, and joint injuries.

Improved accuracy and precision minimizes accidents

One of the most common causes of injuries in the workplace is accidents. These accidents may happen due to employee error. They may also be as a result of defective machinery. Whichever the case, the resulting effects are almost always devastating since they can cause lifelong injuries. There is also the fact that these injuries can have a negative impact on the morale of the employees working on the assembly line.

Collaborative robots are extremely precise. They never get bored or tired. And they never lose focus. All of these things increase the likelihood of improved safety due to the fact that they minimize the odds of accidents happening. Given that they come with additional safety features like the ability to use minimal force when working with human beings or to slow down as soon as a human worker approaches them, they are the best option for any business that wants to reduce incidences of accidental injuries.

Handling inherently dangerous and risky tasks

Some tasks in the assembly line are inherently dangerous. With these tasks, it really doesn’t matter what a company does in terms of risk assessment. They are simply dangerous by nature. For example, if an employee’s work involves feeding raw materials to a crushing machine or furnace, there is always a risk of an injury.

Instead of exposing your employees to the risk of injury that comes with certain tasks or working in certain environments, you can assign these tasks to a cobot. Doing so will allow you the freedom to assign your employees to roles that pose less danger to their wellbeing. It will make your workplace safer, something that will definitely go a long way as far as boosting morale is concerned.

It is important to note that the injury-reducing effect that automation has is also good for a company’s balance sheet. This is so especially when you consider the healthcare and legal costs that workplace injuries cause.

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