Online Programming requires the robot to be physically present and connected to a computer during programming.

• Advantages include:

  • Immediate feedback & opportunity for adjustment/improvement of the program

  • Can be used for tasks that require manual manipulation of the robot's movements

  • Easier to program complex tasks that require human intuition and decision-making

• Disadvantages include:

  • Requires the robot to be physically present and connected to a computer during programming, resulting in costly system downtime

  • Requires the operator/programmer to have knowledge/experience/training of proprietary teach pendant interface(s) and robot programming languages

  • Difficult to program long or repetitive tasks due to operator fatigue

Methods that fall under this category include:

Offline Programming does not require the robot to be physically present and connected to a computer during programming. Instead, the programming is done on a computer entirely separate from the robot system.

• Advantages include:

  • Allows for easy modification, testing, & iteration of robot programs without risk of damage to the robot, other systems, or the operator

  • Reduces programming time and increases efficiency

  • Programs/applications can be researched, developed, simulated, & "proven-out" for efficiency, speed, ROI, & other metrics before even purchasing the physical robot(s)

  • If coming up with new programs for an existing robot, these programs can be made while the robot is actively running other programs, resulting in little-to-no downtime of the system

  • If programming for multiple, duplicate robot applications, you can utilize the same program for all of them

• Disadvantages include:

  • May not account for real-world conditions or variations that can impact the robot's movements

  • Difficult to program tasks that require human intuition and decision-making

  • Requires CAD models or other virtual representations of the robot's workspace, that can take time to model accurately

  • If using software, these can incur addition licensing/costs/hardware separate from & in-addition to the robot system itself

  • Requires the operator/programmer to have knowledge/experience/training of proprietary software and/or robot programming languages

Methods that fall under this category include:

• Robotic CAM

• Scripting

• Parametric/Modular Programming

Hybrid Programming does not require the robot to be physically present and connected to a computer during the majority of programming. In practice, this typically starts with offline programming and then transitions to online programming for fine-tuning & dealing with unaccounted-for variation.

• Advantages include:

  • Combines the strengths of both online and offline programming methods

  • Allows for more efficient and comprehensive robot programs

  • Can reduce operator error and improve safety

• Disadvantages include:

  • More complex and time-consuming than using a single programming method

  • May require additional hardware or software to facilitate the combination of different programming methods

  • May require additional training/cross-training between robot operators and programmers

• You can usually tell what company makes a robot just by the coloring/construction of the robot

  • However, oftentimes end-users of robots will change the coloring of the robots they buy to match their desired aesthetic or to try to hide which tools they use in their factory

• There are many different Robot manufacturers around today, but some of the most common ones used in industry today are: