How To Choosing Between a Robotics Integrator and Manufacturer

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When a factory wants to employ robotic palletizer, he may have two choices: one is to buy the robotic palletizing system from a robotics integrator; the other is to buy directly from the robot manufacturer. Different people may have different choices depend on the situation he is in.

Here we would like to conclude some advances so that people can make a better decision.

Why using an integrator:

•       Experience – Most robotic integrators are not jack-of-all trades.  They usually specialize in one or a few areas of expertise and become the experts in those areas.

•       Depth – Since integrators aren’t tied to any particular robotic manufacturer, they are able to help you select the best product mix for your application.  Whether you need palletizing robots, machine tending robots, or accustom End of Arm Tool (EoAT), an integrator can provide you with the best combination of equipment to fit your application and budget.

•       Partnerships – Many integrators have one or more preferred vendors in each product category, so they will get volume pricing discounts. Plus, they have alternative vendors to choose from should problems arise (i.e. long lead times).

•       Support - Larger integrators have professional support and sales people in your local area.  Some even have regional offices that can handle simple problems, and bigger problems are usually taken care of within a day or so.

•       Training – As part of buying a robotic solution, there is usually some amount of customer training that goes along with operating the system.  Since nearly every system is somewhat different, receiving training on how to use it from the people who put it together is very beneficial.

Why buying direct from the robot manufacturer:

•       Single source support - Some people like the idea of dealing with one company–the robot manufacturer (i.e. ABB, Fanuc, or KUKA, Vanta).  They feel that if something goes wrong, they won’t have a bunch of vendors pointing fingers at each other.

•       Large company – Most robot manufacturers are large companies or divisions of larger parent companies.  For some, working with larger companies provides peace of mind in knowing that company will be around for years to come.

•       Multi-faceted – If you have multiple automation projects you’re trying to tackle, such as material handling and welding, you might be able to find a manufacturer that has standard solutions for both, which reduces the need to bring in additional companies.

•       Standardization – Although standardization doesn’t always offer the best solution or cheapest price, it can cut down on the number of support personnel and training you have to do for your people.