Robots are among the most efficient machines available to manufacturers and can be part of any company’s strategy for green manufacturing. Faster cycle times, improved quality and less scrap contribute directly to a greener footprint, and robots are well known for these advantages. If you use robots you have a green manufacturing story already.
Here are 5 ways robots are green:
- Robots reduce cycle time thus saving energy
- Robots can multi-task and eliminate the need for extra, less energy efficient equipment
- Robots improve quality which means less energy used for re-work
- Robots can be “recycled” for new applications unlike most hard automation (a used robot is the first robot for some companies)
- Makers of sustainable energy products in solar, wind and hydroelectric markets need robots for some tasks that people and hard automation don’t do well.
— Excerpted from “A Little Green in Every Robot,” by Brian Huse, Robotics Industry Association, October 19, 2009. Copyright © // 2008 Robotic Industries Association