Sawyer is an advanced collaborative robot (cobot) designed by Rethink Robotics. Standing at around 3 feet tall, it offers exceptional flexibility and safety for working alongside humans in manufacturing and automation tasks. Sawyer is equipped with high-resolution cameras and sensors for precise, adaptive movements. Its user-friendly interface allows for easy programming and reconfiguration, making it an ideal choice for a wide range of industries seeking to enhance efficiency, quality, and worker safety through automation.

Origin: Rethink Robotics, the company that developed the Sawyer robot, was founded in 2008. Sawyer was one of their key products.

Timeline: Sawyer, the collaborative robot (cobot) by Rethink Robotics, had the following timeline:

• 2015: Sawyer was introduced by Rethink Robotics, designed for various industrial applications, offering precise and safe automation capabilities.
• 2018: Rethink Robotics, the company behind Sawyer, ceased operations and closed, leading to the discontinuation of the Sawyer robot.

Developing Sawyer’s Goal: Companies utilize the Sawyer robot product to drive automation, enhance precision, and ensure safety in their operations. Sawyer streamlines manufacturing and quality control processes, reducing labor costs and errors. It offers the flexibility to adapt to changing production requirements and maintain efficiency. Collaborative robots like Sawyer also improve worker safety by handling repetitive or hazardous tasks. Adopting Sawyer provides companies with a competitive edge in meeting market demands, increasing productivity, and fostering innovation in the rapidly evolving field of robotics and automation.

Purpose: The purpose of Sawyer is to facilitate human-robot collaboration and automation, enhancing productivity, efficiency, and safety in various industries.

Industry Applications: Sawyer, the collaborative robot developed by Rethink Robotics, offers immense value across various industries. Its ability to work alongside humans and perform tasks with precision and agility makes it a versatile solution. In manufacturing, it streamlines assembly, machine tending, and inspection processes. In logistics and warehousing, it enhances material handling and inventory management. Industries like electronics, pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, aerospace, and automotive benefit from its efficiency and accuracy. Its adaptability also extends to healthcare, research and development, and educational settings, contributing to increased productivity and quality.

Market Value-Industry Wise: Sawyer, being a collaborative robot (cobot) designed for diverse industrial applications, doesn’t have a specific market value in the traditional sense. Its value lies in its ability to enhance efficiency and productivity in various industries. The market value of Sawyer varies depending on the specific use cases and customization required by different industries, such as manufacturing, logistics, electronics, healthcare, and more. Its impact is measured by the cost savings and productivity improvements it brings to each sector, making it a valuable asset in the broader robotics market.

Targeted Customers: Sawyer, as a versatile collaborative robot, can be adopted by a range of customers, including:

• Manufacturers: Seeking to automate tasks in production and assembly processes.
• Electronics Manufacturers: To improve precision in assembly and testing.
• Pharmaceutical Companies: Streamlining packaging and quality control.
• Food and Beverage Producers: Enhancing packaging and quality inspection.
• Aerospace Manufacturers: For precise assembly tasks.
• Healthcare Institutions: Utilizing it in laboratories and healthcare settings.
• Educational Institutions: Training students in robotics and automation.
• Research and Development Facilities: To aid in experimentation and prototyping.

Sawyer’s adaptability makes it suitable for a broad customer base seeking automation and improved efficiency.

Target Audience: Sawyer’s target audience includes manufacturing, logistics, electronics, and other industries seeking collaborative robots for automation, efficiency, and productivity.

Key Benefits: Sawyer, the collaborative robot by Rethink Robotics, offers several key benefits. It enables seamless human-robot collaboration, enhancing productivity and worker safety. With its advanced sensors and precision, Sawyer ensures precise and efficient task execution. Its user-friendly interface simplifies programming, reducing downtime for task reconfiguration. Sawyer is adaptable across various industries, streamlining manufacturing and logistics operations. Overall, its cost-effective automation, agility, and safety features make it a valuable addition to industries seeking increased efficiency and quality.

Technical Specifications: Certainly, here are the technical specifications for the Sawyer collaborative robot:

• Physical Specifications:
  • Weight: 19 kilograms (42 pounds)
  • Reach: 1260 millimeters (49.6 inches)
  • Degrees of Freedom: 7 (seven joints)
  • Payload Capacity: 4 kilograms (8.8 pounds)

• Performance Specifications:
  • Positional Repeatability:± 0.1 millimeters (0.004 inches)
  • Angular Repeatability: ± 0.1 degrees

• Speed and Movement:
  • Max Joint Speed:1.05 radians per second
  • Max Linear Speed:1.0 meters per second (39.4 inches per second)

Technical Operations: Sawyer’s technical operations involve advanced sensors and precision to perform various tasks collaboratively with humans. It employs computer vision and force feedback to navigate and interact with its environment, ensuring safe human-robot interaction. Its user-friendly interface simplifies task programming and reconfiguration, making it adaptable for different applications. With precise control over its movements and torque limits, Sawyer executes tasks with accuracy and agility, enhancing productivity and efficiency in industries like manufacturing, logistics, and electronics.

Environmental Factors: Sawyer operates in controlled indoor environments with moderate temperature and humidity, minimal contaminants, proper ventilation, safety barriers, and reduced electromagnetic interference.

Regulatory Requirements: Regulatory requirements for Sawyer may include adherence to industry safety standards, compliance with local robotics regulations, and certification for specific applications.

Safety Requirements

• Collision detection and avoidance: Sawyer is equipped with sensors to stop if it encounters people or unexpected objects.
• Force limiting: Its joints limit applied force, minimizing injury risks in accidental contact.
• Safeguarding: Usage guidelines recommend maintaining safe distances and implementing barriers for additional protection.

Use Cases: Sawyer’s use cases span across industries, including automotive, electronics, pharmaceuticals, and food and beverage. It excels in tasks such as machine tending, material handling, and packaging. In healthcare, it aids in laboratory automation. Additionally, it plays a crucial role in research and development, where its versatility shines, enabling experimentation and innovation.

Company Investors, Founders & Co-Founders:

Competitive Products: Sawyer, a collaborative robot by Rethink Robotics, faces competition from various robots in the collaborative robotics market. Universal Robots (UR) offers user-friendly cobots suitable for a wide range of tasks. ABB’s YuMi provides dual-arm precision for delicate assembly operations. KUKA’s LBR iiwa focuses on sensitivity and safety. FANUC’s CR Series offers diverse models for varying payload and reach requirements. In addition, Rethink Robotics’ own Baxter and other cobots from manufacturers like Techman, Doosan, and Yaskawa Motoman provide alternatives for collaborative automation, catering to specific industry needs.

Success Story: Sawyer has found success in diverse industries, particularly manufacturing and logistics. Its user-friendly interface and adaptability have resulted in increased productivity, reduced errors, and saved labor costs for companies. As a collaborative robot, it has helped streamline various tasks, from product assembly to quality control, leading to improved operational efficiency.

Website Link: https://www.rethinkrobotics.com/sawyer

Key Words: Sawyer