Economic analysis of robotic operations: A case study of a thermal spraying robot

There is growing interest in the industrial applications of computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM) and robotic technology. The economic analysis methods which are currently available to assess the cost effectiveness of robotic systems are, however, limited. This paper presents a methodology to address this issue. To demonstrate the methodology, a case-study is presented which uses a thermal spraying robot in a rapid tool manufacturing system. The interdependencies between tolerance, robot accuracy, and the probability of a successful spraying operation are demonstrated. The economic effects of using robots in the spraying process are analyzed. Analytical models are developed to estimate the productivity of components without any defects and the improvement in tool life attributable to robotic spraying. The economic analysis method presented in the paper is also applicable to other operations such as robotic assembly and robotic welding.