Lakeside Casting has implemented a Universal Robots UR-5 collaborative robot arm to our manufacturing facility. Collaborative robots are different than traditional industrial robotic arms in that they are designed specifically to work along side people on the manufacturing floor, automating dangerous, dirty or otherwise boring jobs and reducing repetitive strain and accidental injuries to associates. These robots, or “Cobots” as UR refers to them, do not require a safety fence like traditional robot arms. This process is made safe by utilizing a safety laser scanner to detect motion near the robot. The scanner operates by slowing the robot when a person comes near and stopping the robot altogether when someone gets too close. Lakeside plans to add more automation to our facility in the future.