Collaborative robot

How it is used

Usually shortened to cobot (KOH-bot). Cobots are popular for machine tending, screwdriving and packaging, especially in smaller plants. Engineers stress that the application, not only the robot, must be collaborative: a cobot carrying a sharp part still needs a risk assessment.

Example sentences

1. We put a collaborative robot on the CNC machine so the operator can load trays right next to it.

2. Even with a collaborative robot, the knife on the gripper made a fence necessary.

Common collocations

• collaborative application
• cobot arm
• collaborative workspace
• deploy a cobot

Related terms

• industrial robotA programmable machine, usually an arm with several axes, that does production tasks such as welding, painting, handling or assembly on its own and with high repeatability.
• risk assessmentA structured review of a machine or task that identifies hazards, estimates how likely and how serious harm could be, and decides which safety measures are needed.
• collision detectionA function in the robot controller that compares expected and actual motor torques and stops the robot quickly if it hits something unexpected.
• guardingPhysical barriers such as fences, covers and doors that keep people out of the dangerous area of a machine or robot cell while it is running.
• protective stopA stop triggered automatically by a safeguard, such as an opened guard door, a light curtain or a cobot sensing contact. Unlike an emergency stop, it is part of normal safeguarding and usually allows a quick restart.

More terms: Robot Types and Components

• robot arm
• end effector
• gripper
• joint
• payload
• reach
• vacuum gripper
• articulated robot
• SCARA robot
• gantry robot