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Business 20 min read

How to Choose a Robot for Your Business

A practical framework for evaluating robotics solutions—from needs assessment through vendor selection to successful implementation.

Contents: Assess Your NeedsRobot TypesROI AnalysisVendor EvaluationImplementationChecklist

Step 1: Assess Your Needs

Before exploring robot options, understand what problem you're solving. The best robotics investments target specific pain points with measurable outcomes.

Questions to Answer

What task do you want to automate?

Be specific: "pick and place parts from conveyor to bin" is better than "improve manufacturing." The more precise, the easier to evaluate solutions.

Why automate this task?

Common drivers: labor shortages, quality issues, safety hazards, throughput limitations, or cost reduction. Your "why" shapes the solution.

What does success look like?

Define metrics: units per hour, defect rate, labor hours saved, safety incidents reduced. These become your ROI calculation inputs.

Task Suitability Assessment

Not every task is a good fit for robotics. Ideal tasks for automation:

Good Candidates

  • • Repetitive, predictable motions
  • • High volume, consistent products
  • • Hazardous environments
  • • Precision requirements beyond human capability
  • • 24/7 operation needs

Challenging Tasks

  • • High product variability
  • • Unstructured environments
  • • Tasks requiring human judgment
  • • Very low volumes
  • • Frequently changing processes

Step 2: Understand Robot Types

Match your task to the right robot category:

Industrial Robot Arms

Best for: Welding, painting, heavy material handling, high-speed assembly.
Considerations: Require safety caging, fixed installation, programming expertise.
Cost range: $25,000 - $400,000+ (plus integration)

Collaborative Robots (Cobots)

Best for: Light assembly, machine tending, quality inspection, small batch production.
Considerations: Slower than industrial arms, limited payload (typically <16kg).
Cost range: $20,000 - $75,000 (plus end effector and integration)

Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs)

Best for: Warehouse transport, material delivery, inventory management.
Considerations: Need clear floors, WiFi infrastructure, fleet management software.
Cost range: $25,000 - $150,000 per unit (often deployed in fleets)

Robotic Picking Systems

Best for: E-commerce fulfillment, bin picking, palletizing/depalletizing.
Considerations: AI vision systems, product variability handling, integration with WMS.
Cost range: $100,000 - $500,000+ for complete systems

Browse companies by type on our categories page.

Step 3: Calculate ROI

A rigorous ROI analysis separates good investments from expensive experiments.

Cost Components

One-Time Costs

  • • Robot hardware
  • • End effectors / tooling
  • • Integration and installation
  • • Safety equipment (caging, sensors)
  • • Infrastructure modifications
  • • Initial training

Ongoing Costs

  • • Maintenance and repairs
  • • Software licenses
  • • Consumables (grippers, tips)
  • • Energy
  • • Ongoing training
  • • Support contracts

Savings & Benefits

Direct Savings

  • • Labor cost reduction
  • • Reduced scrap/rework
  • • Lower injury costs
  • • Decreased overtime

Indirect Benefits

  • • Increased throughput
  • • Improved quality consistency
  • • 24/7 operation capability
  • • Ability to redeploy workers

Simple Payback Calculation

Payback Period = Total Investment / Annual Net Savings

Example: A $150,000 cobot system saves $75,000/year in labor and reduces defects by $15,000/year.
Payback = $150,000 / $90,000 = 1.67 years

Most companies target payback periods under 2 years. Faster payback indicates lower risk.

Step 4: Evaluate Vendors

Choosing the right vendor is as important as choosing the right robot.

Evaluation Criteria

1

Technical Capability

Can their solution actually perform your task? Request demonstrations with your actual products. Beware vendors who over-promise.

2

Industry Experience

Have they deployed solutions in your industry? Reference customers you can contact? Industry-specific expertise speeds implementation.

3

Support & Service

Response time commitments, local vs. remote support, spare parts availability. Downtime costs can dwarf equipment costs.

4

Financial Stability

Will the vendor exist in 5 years? Startups may have cutting-edge tech but uncertain futures. Check funding history on our funding leaderboard.

5

Total Cost of Ownership

Look beyond purchase price. Include integration, training, maintenance, and support over 5+ years. Cheaper upfront often costs more long-term.

Red Flags to Watch For

  • • Unable to provide reference customers
  • • Promising unrealistic cycle times or reliability
  • • Vague about integration costs ("we'll figure it out")
  • • No local support or service capability
  • • Pushing proprietary systems that lock you in

Step 5: Plan Implementation

Successful robotics implementations follow a structured approach:

Phase 1: Pilot Project

Start small with a contained pilot. Choose a task where failure won't disrupt operations. Use the pilot to validate assumptions, train staff, and identify integration challenges. Typical duration: 2-4 months

Phase 2: Optimization

After pilot success, refine the solution. Tune cycle times, improve reliability, address edge cases. Document procedures and train additional operators. Typical duration: 1-2 months

Phase 3: Scale

Roll out proven solutions to additional lines, shifts, or facilities. Leverage lessons learned. Consider standardizing on vendors for volume discounts. Typical duration: Ongoing

Change Management

The human side often determines success or failure:

  • Communicate early: Explain the "why" to affected workers. Address job security concerns honestly.
  • Involve operators: Workers who will use the robot should participate in selection and setup.
  • Invest in training: Budget 10-15% of project cost for training. Underskilled operators cause failures.
  • Redefine roles: Position robotics as elevating workers to higher-value tasks, not replacing them.

Buyer's Checklist

Needs Assessment

  • ☐ Specific task defined with measurable outcomes
  • ☐ Task suitability evaluated (repetitive, predictable, safe)
  • ☐ Success metrics established (throughput, quality, cost)
  • ☐ Stakeholder buy-in secured

Financial Analysis

  • ☐ Total cost of ownership calculated (5-year view)
  • ☐ ROI analysis completed with realistic assumptions
  • ☐ Payback period acceptable (<2 years preferred)
  • ☐ Budget approved including contingency (15-20%)

Vendor Selection

  • ☐ Multiple vendors evaluated (minimum 3)
  • ☐ Demonstrations completed with your products
  • ☐ Reference customers contacted
  • ☐ Support and service terms reviewed
  • ☐ Vendor financial stability assessed

Implementation Planning

  • ☐ Pilot project scope defined
  • ☐ Integration requirements understood
  • ☐ Safety assessment completed
  • ☐ Training plan developed
  • ☐ Change management approach defined
Getting Started Robot Specifications