A New Era for Robotics in Small Businesses

Robotics offers small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) a powerful tool to boost efficiency, productivity, flexibility and growth. By automating repetitive or labor-intensive tasks, such as welding, painting, and assembly line functions, various types of robots help reduce costs and minimize errors, allowing businesses to allocate resources more strategically. Robotics also enables SMBs to compete more effectively, not just by increasing throughput but by delivering consistent, high-quality results that elevate customer satisfaction. Adopting and using robotics isn’t just about staying competitive today; it positions SMBs to meet the challenges of tomorrow with agility and innovation.

Why Cobots Are Gaining Momentum with SMBs?

As robotics adoption expands, many robotics companies are focusing on cobots, or collaborative robots equipped with artificial intelligence (AI), which are specifically designed to work safely alongside human workers. Unlike traditional industrial robots, cobots require less space, minimal guarding, and can be more easily integrated into existing workflows—making them ideal for small and mid-sized manufacturers.

How Robotics Can Help You Build Your Workforce of the Future

Robotic arms on manufacturing assembly line - SOLIDWORKS

The global manufacturing industry has been plagued by shortages of skilled talent caused by a number of factors. The impact of this shortage is costly. In the U.S. alone, the skills gap is costing the economy $13 billion a month. For SMBs, the problem is magnified, especially when these smaller businesses are located in rural areas with already shallow labor pools. Read this white paper to learn how adding robotics to your production can help you improve efficiencies and build your workforce of the future. 

Robot Programming Academy

3D rendering of manufacturing robot - SOLIDWORKS

Learn how you can build, simulate, validate, and program industrial robot workcells to perform tasks efficiently in-house and under budget with Robot Programmer, a solution in the SOLIDWORKS Manufacturing portfolio. Join Tony Karew, SOLIDWORKS Robotics Expert, as he walks you through the lessons that will take you from workcell and plant layout, to device building and kinematics, to robot teaching and simulation, and onto validation and also offline programming. 

Industrial Robot Programming Simplified

3D model of robot part - SOLIDWORKS

Today, almost every robot comes with its proprietary robot programming language. This has been a long-standing issue in industrial robotics that has been exacerbated by the long delivery times for new robots. Companies are forced to mix and match brands based on availability. This results in manufacturing teams having to learn a new language every time they utilize a new robot brand within their facility. Watch this on-demand webinar to learn how Robot Programmer, a role in the SOLIDWORKS Manufacturing portfolio, simplifies the process by providing programmers with a comprehensive set of capabilities to help layout and program robotic systems more safely and efficiently.

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