Cobots are designed to work alongside and interact with humans in shared space.
They differ from traditional robots in that they are safe around people, rather than having to be caged or in other ways separated. Electronics Weekly covered these safety aspects in an article on ABB’s YuMi.
Hanover first cobot, in this case a Techman from Absolute Robotics in Bristol, was installed in September 2018. It is used to assist the testing of processor and power supply boards produced by Hanover for its display systems.
“The cobots are transforming the way we deliver our testing service,” said Hanover’s operations manager Sean Winter,who led the installation. “They work to 50 microns repeatability and produce a report giving Hanover full traceability, detailing when the product was tested and its test results.”
“Our staff have been freed up to operate in roles which bring more innovation and support to the business,” said product test manager Gaurav Bijlani.
Hanover employs 200 people in Lewes, near Brighton, and >100 staff in other parts of the globe.
Founded in 1985, it designs and makes audio and visual passenger information equipment for the transport industry, as well as equipment for automatic vehicle positioning, geo-localisation and fleet management.
Hanover’s website is here
Absolute robotics is another UK manufacturer