How to Implement an Autonomous Mobile Small Industrial Robot Successfully

With the robotics industry evolving, decision-makers in various companies should beware that these systems can enhance efficiency within their operations. However, establishing practical options can be a difficult task especially, with the numerous systems available today. 

Some of these systems are complex, large, and deeply connected with your Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, staff, and network. To get the best out of automation, experts opine that businesses should tread carefully before implementation. 

Autonomous mobile small industrial robots are a huge investment that requires proper planning and system deployment. Let us discuss the steps you should follow when deploying a small industrial robot. 

Appoint a Robotics Committee

Deployment of a small industrial robot is a huge undertaking. You require a competent robotics committee to represent all the departments in your company. Depending on the structure of your company, these departments can be accounting, management, procurement, IT, and manufacturing. The committee should be appointed on a long term basis to handle the consistent changes that may occur within the company.

Define a Budget 

Companies should define the total cost of deploying a small industrial robot system. The cost of a robot ranges between $30,000 and $100,000. Your committee will need to establish the number of robots you need and calculate the costs involved. Having a designated budget helps prevent additional charges or budget overruns. It is crucial to consider other expenses that may arise, like consultancy fees, software, service contracts, and updates.  

Identify Potential Retailers and Platforms

With your needs and budget defined, you need to start identifying robotics platform retailers that complement your needs. This step involves searching for your preferred small industrial robot, identifying integration consultants, and choosing a maintenance company. You may also want to consider hiring permanent in-house staff to handle the robotics system. The maintenance process, in this case, involves monitoring infrastructure, conducting repairs, and implementing system or software updates.

Do Your Due Diligence

After selecting your preferred suppliers, take time to establish their reputation, history, and the relationships they have with their existing customers. Read reviews online and have discussions with their existing customers. Pursue all the information you require to help you make an informed choice. 

Place Your Orders

You want to acquire the necessary components of your system and manage logistics and the lead times. To achieve this, you will need to work with retailers that offer specialized services in core areas. These include:

• Contracts and consultation including long term contracts
• Physical robotic platform
• Software, licenses, packages, updates, and annual renewals
• Service providers to conduct electrical works and supply WiFi networks when required. 

Prepare Your Working Environment

Preparing your working area for a small industrial robot implementation may involve initiating and supervising modifications like:

• Rearranging the floor to accommodate your small industrial robot
• Signal integration
• Enclosing designated areas for the robots
• Communicating regularly with the teams on the ground to understand the progress

Analyze and Validate

When you complete the above steps, you will be ready to begin analyzing. Further, you will need to ensure that they are efficient enough to cater to your needs. First, you need to consider your expected savings and compare the same to the efficiency of the new process to establish the return on investment. Other tests to consider include:

• Software analysis to ensure functions and programs function seamlessly and employees are trained adequately. Check software integrations to ensure they operate accordingly
• Hardware analysis to ensure robots run as intended
• Safety analysis to ensure employees collaborating in the same area as robots understand protocols
• For overall maximum effectiveness, you want to combine your analysis with a continuous feedback loop that targets the performance and safety of the system. 

Outline Continuous Maintenance Needs

You will require consistent services for every element of your software updates, hardware upgrades and repairs, and process development. Consider upgrading your system regularly to achieve your targeted return on investment and profitability. 

Take Away

Some of these steps may be more applicable than others depending on your business needs. However, all of them play a crucial role in the long term and overall success of your small industrial robot implementation.