Electronics
Testing, inspection and handling of boards and small products, in varied batches and with care against electrostatic discharge.
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Link to the SDGs SDG 9 SDG 12
- SDG 9 Industry, innovation and infrastructure Shows how collaborative automation and traceability help electronics plants produce small, varied batches.
- SDG 12 Responsible consumption and production Automated inspection and test data help catch defects early, reducing rework and scrapped boards.
Written with AI assistance. Still under review by the team.
In electronics, small components are already placed by dedicated high-speed machines. Cobots appear around those machines: in testing, inspection, final assembly and packing, where there is still a lot of manual handling and products change often.
Why cobots here
- Small batches, many models: a cobot cell can switch products by changing the program and the fixture.
- Monotonous tasks: loading and unloading boards into test equipment for hours is tiring and error-prone.
- Limited space: cobots usually fit on existing benches, without fences around them.
Where IoT and the digital twin come in
- Serial-number traceability: each board carries its test and inspection results.
- Real-time test data: failure patterns show up quickly and can point to a problem in an earlier process step.
- Line balancing: the digital twin helps decide how many stations and cobots each product mix needs.
Watch out for
- Electrostatic discharge (ESD): grippers, suction cups and surfaces touching the boards must be suitable for ESD-protected areas.
- Precision: fitting connectors and components requires repeatability within tolerance; sometimes computer vision or force sensing is needed to guide the insertion.
- Risk assessment: even with light parts, the tool and the cobot’s motion must be assessed for people working at the bench.