Basic Data Required

Introduction

Before you do an economic analysis, you must collect some basic information about the project.

The information includes:

• the type of project
• the cost of the robot installation
• the production cycle time
• the savings and benefits from the project

Types of project

There are two types of robot installation:

• New application: the robot is one possible way to satisfy a new need
• Replacement: the robot replaces a current method of operation, usually a manual operation done by human workers

For both types, you need the cost data below.

Cost data

The costs are in two groups.

A. Investment costs (the initial cost, paid one time)

1. Robot purchase cost
2. Installation costs
3. Engineering costs, for example the design of the work cell
4. Special tooling, for example a vacuum gripper
5. Miscellaneous, for example other equipment

B. Operating costs and savings (paid each year)

6. Direct labour cost
7. Indirect labour costs, for example administration that is shared by several products
8. Utilities, for example electricity
9. Maintenance
10. Training

Tip

A good robot project lets the company get its investment back in a short time. The time at which the investment is recovered is the payback period.