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1. W H A T T O D O
BEFORE YOU AUTOMATE
PATRICK | FACTORYFIX.COM

2. FORWARD:
In your manufacturing facility, maintaining
a streamlined production process is
important. Whether you’re engaged in
assembly, manufacturing or distribution,
you have the opportunity to automate every
process step with well-thought-out
industrial robotics solutions. Industrial
robots are an investment that need to be
nurtured, and should not be purchased on a
whim.
With a successful installation, your factory
can expect optimized tasks, reduced
variable labor costs, and less workman’s
comp issues. While industrial robots are
incredible versatile tools, making the wrong
vendor selection can hinder your processes
and limit overall flexibility. It’s important to
understand the various liabilities, safety
measures, features and benefits of
industrial robotics before purchasing one.
Check out the guide below and secure your
investment by putting in the work before
you start...
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3. 1: WHAT DO YOU
WANT TO AUTOMATE?
The absolute first step to buying an
industrial robot system is to choose what
process you would like to automate. You
probably already have a bunch of ideas as
to what processes you would like to have
automated. I am afraid to say that most of
the tasks you thought were good
candidates for automation are probably not
the best choices to begin with. We need to
be realistic about what the technology can
do today. Some applications are easier to
automate than others and as a first
integration you should start small and
simple.
Ideal tasks for your first robot system are
tasks that are highly predictable and
repeatable.
Tasks that are highly repetitive, predictable
and structured are the easiest to automate
with a collaborative robot.
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4. Easy to Automate:
Part presentation
Part drop-off
Harder to Automate
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Complex logic or decision-making
Sensors
Vision
Force-torque sensor
Always dropped in the same place
Little part changeover or changeover
among similar parts
Always picked in the same place
Ordered parts and workpieces
If many parts, structured in a matrix or
tray
Repetitive tasks not requiring the robot
to apply force
Pick and place
Dispensing

5. Parts
Part presentation
Force controlled processes
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Grinding
Polishing
Drilling
Fine assembly
Processes requiring specialized tools or
human know-how
Welding
Painting
Moving conveyors
Unstructured presentation (bins)
Integrating communication with other
machines
High changeover rates of parts with
divergent properties (size, shape)
Deformable parts

6. So what should be included in a custom
quote from a robot integrator? It is your job
in this stage to eliminate the “risk factor”
that integrators build into their quote if all
the factors of a project are not 100% clear.
I’ve seen a lot of projects go wrong because
this initial step was not followed. The best
thing to do is to write out a formal RFQ
document. I’m not talking about page and
pages of T’s & C’s, just a simple one page
document that lays out the following items:
PAGE 5
What products are being handled in the
system?
What is the weight?
What type of material?
What is the desired cycle time?
What other machines are going to be
involved in the system?
Where will the system be installed?
Getting all this down on paper makes it
super clear for the integrators quoting the
job. This allows them to sharpen their
pencil and give you their best price. If you
get three prices that are way out of whack,
it probably means that your RFQ is not as
clear as it should be.

7. 3: SET CLEAR RUN-
OFF EXPECTATIONS
AND NEGOTIATE
PAYMENT TERMS
Next, you’ll need to determine the viability
of your selected equipment. It’s important
to be confident that your purchased
equipment can meet project standards,
meet changing goals and fully automate
projects. Not all industrial robot systems
are created equal. If this is your first robot
system, it’s best to start with a simple
application. During the pre-purchase phase,
establish your automation path clearly.
To do so, set clear and measurable
acceptance metrics for the system run-off.
Make sure the integrator meets these
targets before you accept the system and
release the final progress payment to them.
And speaking of payments, you need to
negotiate a progress payment structure
with your robot integrator.
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8. The industry standard is 30% down
payment with the purchase order, 30% at
design review, 30% on successful run-off at
the integrator’s facility, and the final 10% is
usually paid 30 days after the system is
installed at your facility. Obviously these
checkpoints can be tweaked, but you want
to keep it fair for both sides so that your
integrator does not run into a cash-crunch
that delays them from ordering any
materials needed to complete your project.
PAGE 7
4: WHICH
INTEGRATOR IS THE
RIGHT FIT?
Your industrial robot, in all likelihood, will
become one of the main focuses of your
factory floor. For this reason, it’s highly
important that you keep it running day in
and day out. While industrial robots are
incredibly reliable, it is a mechanical device
so it’s inevitable that you’ll need support
and annual preventive maintenance.

9. Does your vendor offer on-site support?
Are they well-connected and familiar
with the robot’s manufacturer?
How quickly can support personnel
become available?
Does your vendor offer spare parts?
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An integrator’s ability to provide timely
service should be a major consideration
when purchasing your industrial robot
system.
Your vendor can’t be only a vendor. Even if
your company has comprehensive
resources and maintenance staff
availability, issues will most likely pop up
that can only be resolved by your integrator
or other industrial robot expert. Before
settling on a robot integrator, consider the
following questions:
If your provider offers can honestly answer
yes to the above questions, they’re likely a
credible provider. You should consider
company size, too. Large robot integrator
focus on winning large projects, so you
need to make sure the company size of

10. 5: COMMIT TO
PROPER PREVENTIVE
MAINTENANCE
Every robot needs preventive maintenance
to ensure top-level performance and
consistency on the production line. When
robots do not have regular preventative
maintenance checks performed, it can
cause parts and components to break down
or malfunction, which can cause a
slowdown or shutdown of your production.
Industrial robots that are properly
maintained can last for many years, even
decades, before needing to be replaced.
PAGE 8
your robot integrator matches the size and
complexity of your project. If you’ve hired a
large integrator to do a simple and small
project, you’re likely paying too much. On
the flip-side, you can get in trouble if you
hire a small integrator to do a large and
complex system. These companies can get
in over their heads and do not have the
resources to properly support your system.

11. Backing up the controller memory
Monitor robot in regular motion,
inspecting robot, harness and cables
Inspection of brake operation
Check robot repeatability
Listen for excessive audible vibration and
noise
Grease joints, according to specific robot
manual (or analyze grease if already
performed)
Visual inspection of teach pendant and
controller cables
Check cable connections, cooling fans,
power supplies, safety equipment, and
other equipment for functionality
Test and replace RAM and APC batteries.
PAGE 9
By keeping a regular preventative
maintenance schedule, you are extending
the life of your robot exponentially.
While planned maintenance may shut
down production for a short time, it is
nothing compared to the production time
you may lose if your robot stops working.
What gets done during annual preventive
maintenance appointments? Here are some
procedures suggested by major robot
manufacturers:

12. 6: COMMIT TO
SAFETY STANDARDS
You should examine the many rules and
intricate regulations surrounding
workplace safety standards. In fact, all
parties associated with robotic automation
projects need to adhere closely with these
standards. In every case, your workplace’s
decision makers will need to provide
necessary training to secure the safe use of
cell operations, maintenance, check-ups,
installations and prolonged use.
Installation should be handled in
accordance with a manufacturer’s
recommendations as well as conformance
to industry standards. Any of your
workplace’s temporary safeguarding
devices, practices or installation supports
should be implemented to minimize any
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If any further action is required and the
robot needs repairs, the technician should
report the issues so arrangement can be
made to make the needed repairs.

13. Physical facilities
Installation specifications
Electrical facilities
Identification requirements
Peripheral equipment action and
integration
Emergency stop processes and
requirements
Special robot operaqting conditions
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workplace hazards associated with new
equipment installation. Above all, cover
your state’s safety standards regarding the
following areas:
Your education of safety standards should
similarly include in-depth risk assessment
coverage. Any safeguarding devices should
be similarly regarded in worker awareness.
Operational safeguards, awareness devices,
safety training and in-depth repair
guidelines, too, should be included.
Examine the United States Department of
Labor’s Section on Industrial Robots and
Robot System Safety to streamline your
workplace’s safety education.

14. 7: HOW YOU CAN
EXPAND YOUR
ROBOT SYSTEM
The future of industrial robotics is bright,
and integration possibilities are continuing
to expand. Robot systems can be incredibly
simple—such as a simple pick-and-place
system. But they can also become fully
integrated systems performing secondary
operations that deliver even more return on
investment.
I always suggest that your first robotic
automation system should be as simple as
possible. Keep it to an application that is
consistent and ideally involves only one
type of product. Once you introduce
different products into the system, the
system demands multiple programs and
additional peripheral equipment that
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workplace hazards associated with new
equipment installation. Above all, cover
your state’s safety standards regarding the
following areas:

15. IF YOU NEED EXPERT
LABOR RESOURCES TO
FULFILL ANY WORK
ORDERS, EMAIL US
TODAY:
INFO@FACTORYFIX.COM
PAGE 13
needs to identify which part is being run at
that particular time.
Now that you have a simple industrial robot
system running in your facility. You can
start to look at ways to expand upon that
system. For example, if you have a robot
doing machine tending on one of your CNC
machines, it might be a good idea to add
an automated part inspection station. This
can be a rather simple upgrade for an
integrator, but only if the initial design
accommodates it. It is always a good idea
to think about future plans before you
purchase your initial robot system.