This two-part report from WTiN provides an in-depth analysis of intelligent collaborative robotics (cobotics) for the textile and apparel industry.

Part I: This report will focus on the most well-recognised cobot technology: the cobot arm. To understand the full extent and capabilities of cobot arm technology, the report will begin by looking in detail at cobot structure and how particular components are fundamental to its operability. Complementing this section, the report will provide an overview of key suppliers of cobot arm technology and a price comparison. This leads onto the next section: accessories for cobot arms ie. grippers, as grippers are not classified as part of cobot arm technology and must be purchased separately. The latter part of this report will include how cobots operate and why they heavily rely on artificial intelligence.

In the forthcoming part of this series we will cover the following:

Part II: The focus of first half of this report will be on mobile cobots ie. self-driving cobots and autonomous vehicles. As all types of collaborative robots will have been analysed by this point, the report will then bring together the technologies from both part I & II and look at the safety, security issues and standards. The report will close by discussing business indicators of how cobot use can affect business costs, strategies and what the textile industry should expect when investing in cobot technology.