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The key differences between industrial robots and their rival technologies are their design, application, and cost. Industrial robots are typically larger and more powerful than their rival technologies. The design is mainly for manufacturing such as welding, painting, or assembly. Cobots, on the other hand, are smaller and more flexible, designed to work alongside human workers.

Industrial robots are best suited for high-volume production in large manufacturing firms. The best solutions for repetitive tasks with high levels of accuracy and precision Cobots are mainly meant for SMEs with a focus on high-variety, low-volume production.

It is mainly programmed for a wide range of tasks and works alongside human workers to improve productivity. Cost and safety are important aspects of Industrial robots, especially for companies with limited budgets, which face a strong struggle and obstacles to counteract the issue.

Industrial robots are autonomous and can complete manufacturing processes on their own to reduce labour costs, but in the case of Cobots, human input, and supervision are needed to perform the tasks effectively.

The rival technologies that got the potential to replace industrial robots:

1. Collaborative robots, or cobots, are mainly designed to work alongside human workers. The boundaries are well maintained with strong policies to monitor the programming of machines to perform a wide range of tasks. Cobots are smaller and more flexible than industrial robots and are suited for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), focusing on high-variety, low-volume production. Cobots are not as powerful as industrial robots but are suitable for high-volume production.
2. Autonomous mobile robots are suitable for the factory floor and perform tasks such as material handling, inventory management, and quality control. AMRs are equipped with sensors and cameras, allowing them to navigate around obstacles and avoid any sort of collision with other objects. It is not as powerful as industrial robots but is suitable for tasks requiring high levels of accuracy or force.
3. Artificial Intelligence: A rapidly developing technology with the potential to revolutionize manufacturing AI is also used for analyzing data from sensors and other sources to optimize production processes, predict maintenance needs, and identify quality issues. AI is not a replacement but a complementary technology to enhance its capabilities.

The technology widely used in Industrial Robots for automating manufacturing processes is likely to provide new and innovative solutions to changing needs in the manufacturing industry.

Source: Sp-automation, workofthefuture, robotsdoneright, wipfli