Collaborative Robots: 11 Foolproof Tips

Let’s review cobots and the key characteristics you should know to determine if they’re the best solution for you.

The collaborative robot is the innovative solution, presented as the answer to any automation problem.

• But will it be the right choice for my specific situation?
• Will the proposed investment deliver an adequate return?
• What should I prioritize in the initial evaluation?
• Do I risk not achieving the benefits promised by those trying to sell me collaborative robots?

How wonderful it would be if… someone could give me some advice—current (we’re in the second half of 2026), genuinely useful—to guide me through the world of collaborative robots.

In this article, we “remove the conditional” and respond precisely to requests like these.

The title “collaborative robots: 11 foolproof tips” speaks for itself, but we reiterate our commitment to shedding light on many aspects of collaborative robotics.

Effettivamente, negli ultimi anni il robot collaborativo è stato presentato come una specie di panacea. Nel nostro articolo “Robot collaborativi – Cobot” abbiamo già accennato a questo fenomeno. Ma non solo… Basta aprire Facebook, Instagram o LinkedIn per trovare pubblicità che promettono che acquistando un cobot puoi collegarlo e costruirti la tua applicazione collaborativa in poche ore.

Questa è una rappresentazione molto lontana dalla realtà. O meglio è molto lontana dal costruire macchine che rendano davvero e che siano veramente collaborative. Nel nostro articolo “Cobot in fonderia”, dove analizziamo nello specifico alcune problematiche del settore pressofusione e colata, abbiamo affrontato alcuni aspetti quantomeno critici.

A collaborative robot does not automatically make an application collaborative and, above all, building a machine does not simply mean assembling some components. It means designing a safe system, compliant with regulations, and assuming precise technical, civil, and criminal responsibilities.

Building a machine in your home garage is one thing. Putting it into operation within a company, where it will be used by other operators, is quite another. At that point, the Machinery Regulation, harmonized technical standards, risk analysis, technical documentation, and operator training come into play.

For this reason, before purchasing a collaborative robot, it is important to understand some fundamental principles.

I forgot to introduce myself: I am Piercarlo Bonomi, an Engineer by profession and Technical Director of Trebi Srl, a company founded in 1985 that has established itself over subsequent decades as an international reference point for industrial robotics.

As mentioned, I would like to give you eleven tips derived from Trebi’s experience in designing robotic systems that can prevent costly mistakes and, above all, potentially dangerous situations.

Collaborative robots: 11 foolproof tips, as we said—here they are, let’s begin!

Don’t Look at the Robot, Look at the Application

Collaborative Robots: 11 Foolproof Tips – Tip Number 1

The most common mistake is starting with the robot (cobot) instead of the application.

The first question to ask is not “Which cobot should I buy?” but “Can my application truly be collaborative?”

If the robot handles dangerous tools, blades, incandescent parts, or objects that can cause harm, using a collaborative robot may offer no advantage.

It is pointless to have a collaborative robot if the application cannot be collaborative.

And furthermore, are you sure you cannot accomplish the same application with an industrial robot equipped with appropriate sensors?

Here is a fundamental fact that many do not emphasize enough (especially salespeople): collaborative robots work well at low speeds (at least as of today, the second half of 2026).

Our consulting service is at your disposal to clarify these fundamental design aspects. Contact us. Dialogue with the client is the foundation of our work.

Speed Is an Important Factor

Collaborative Robots: 11 Foolproof Tips – Tip Number 2

It is an intrinsic and inherent characteristic of cobots. A cobot that operates at high speeds cannot exist. Some manufacturers advertise that they can build cobots that are as fast as industrial robots, but in reality they are not selling cobots in the strict sense of the term.

You should know that the robot senses external forces through sensors mounted on the robot’s joints. At high speed, high torques are required to move the robot’s axes.

Therefore, the danger is twofold: the kinetic energy is high (so in the event of a collision with an operator, the potential damage is significant), but also the external force required to stop the robot must be high.

If productivity requires very rapid movements, the application is probably not suitable for a cobot. In these cases, an industrial robot, properly protected, often represents the best choice.

Trebi is able to analyze the specific situation and propose simulations, customized projects, and the best available robotic solutions.

Beware of External Forces

Collaborative Robots: 11 Foolproof Tips – Tip Number 3

As mentioned, cobots detect collisions by measuring torques on the motors and joints.

This means that if external forces are applied during the process—for example, vibrations, pressures, or tools exerting a thrust—the robot may have difficulty distinguishing a normal working force from contact with a person.

Current collaborative robots do not have “sensitive skin”: they interpret what is happening through the motors. For this reason, some applications are, by their nature, incompatible with collaboration.

For example: have you seen a collaborative robot sanding an aluminum part? It certainly has collaboration disabled. It has the force sensors disabled. Indeed, the external forces generated by the operation (contact force and tool vibrations) do not allow it to determine if it has struck an operator.

Trebi analyzes your application and prepares a precise operational framework, without misleading embellishments and without dangerous compromises. We go straight to the best solution.

Not All Collaborative Robots Are the Same

Collaborative Robots: 11 Foolproof Tips – Tip Number 4

The term “Collaborative Robot” identifies a category, not a product. If I may speak freely, it is a term used more in advertising style than to identify a category or product.

There are small robots, large ones, fast ones, slow ones, with very different payloads and completely different performance characteristics.

Two cobots can have completely different safety characteristics, precision, and behavior.

The choice must be made by carefully analyzing the technical specifications and performing real tests on the application.

If an application cannot be accomplished with a certain brand of cobot, perhaps it can be done with another. Cobots seem all the same, but in reality they vary greatly from one to another.

We put all our knowledge at the service of our clients, translating it into concrete and measurable advantages.

You Don’t Always Need a Collaborative Robot!

Collaborative Robots: 11 Foolproof Tips – Tip Number 5

In recent years, even major manufacturers of “classic” industrial robots have developed functions that enable human-robot collaboration.

Thanks to laser scanners, safety sensors, cameras, and certified software functions, many collaborative applications can be realized even with industrial robots.

Therefore, one should not start with the idea that “collaborative” necessarily means purchasing a cobot.

Simply build a machine with appropriate safety functions and an industrial robot can collaborate perfectly with the operator. Industrial robots can slow down when an operator approaches and stop completely in safety if the operator is too close.

The industrial robot also offers the great advantage of being able to perform extremely fast applications, has maintenance intervals that allow it to last for years, and is much more rigid.

This makes it clear that one must start with the application and the analysis of technical solutions, not with the purchase of a cobot.

Experience gained in the field, seriousness in integration design, and above all, complete transparency in the relationship with the client are required.

If It Costs Too Little, Ask Yourself Why

Collaborative Robots: 11 Foolproof Tips – Tip Number 6

A true collaborative robot requires redundant sensors, safety controls, certifications, and dedicated architectures.

If a robot is sold as collaborative but costs almost as much as a traditional industrial robot (or perhaps less), it is appropriate to investigate further.

Many products are defined as collaborative because they possess certain certifications or software functions, but from a construction standpoint they remain very similar to industrial robots.

How do you know if a robot is collaborative or not? You need experience, you must read the documentation, and perform practical tests.

So first you must understand, evaluate, and decide that you need a cobot and not an industrial robot, and then you must investigate whether the cobot you have selected behaves as you need it to in terms of collaboration (according to your risk analysis).

How can you be sure of your choices? Easy—first ask Trebi. We will never propose “shortcuts” to our clients, neither commercial nor technical.

The Gripper Is Often the Most Dangerous Point

Collaborative Robots: 11 Foolproof Tips – Tip Number 7

This is a well-established problem in every robotic application: gripper safety. Many focus on the robot and completely forget the gripper. An unforgivable mistake that risks being extremely costly.

The catalogs of many integrators abound with photographs that idealize the human-robot relationship, conveying messages that could be misleading. Beyond the scenery dictated by advertising logic, the objective truth remains: to hold a part, force must be applied. If a hand were in place of the part, that same force could cause an injury.

For this reason, the design of the gripper and associated protections is one of the most complex aspects in collaborative applications.

There are obviously many grippers for collaborative robots, but here too it is not enough to choose the product—you must analyze in detail how it is used.

How do you make a safe and collaborative gripper? It is a question that does not have a single answer. It depends greatly on what you are doing. Solving and certifying the gripper is always a major problem in any case.

Take advantage of Trebi’s experience to develop the best robotic solution for your production line. If the best solution is a cobot, we will execute the project… from the base to the gripper!

Know the Standards Before You Design

Collaborative Robots: 11 Foolproof Tips – Tip Number 8

Designing a machine does not only mean selecting components—that is the least of it. You must also be somewhat of a lawyer and know the laws. Certainly, it is a part of the job that risks being tedious, as an Engineer I would prefer to focus on other things. But then you remember, to cite a topic very dear to me, operational safety, and then you tackle it all with renewed spirit. Do you know that I was even interviewed by Rai3 on the subject of safety? Watch the video of the Report investigation here—my interview starts at minute 0:58!

If you build a machine, by law you are a manufacturer and you are responsible for your safety and that of the people who will use the machine.

The Machinery Regulation defines many of the rules you must comply with, and the technical and harmonized standards provide practical applicable guidelines.

These are the standards that explain how to perform risk analysis, how to evaluate risks, how to reduce them, and how to properly design a collaborative machine.

The difficult part is not reading a standard, but applying it to your specific case.

Every application is different, and finding the right balance between regulations, safety, and productivity requires experience.

If you are building a collaborative machine for the first time without knowing the state of the art in the sector, the risk of making mistakes is extremely high.

The problem is not making the cobot work, but all the responsibilities that derive from it.

Choosing Trebi means relying on experts not only in pure technology but also in regulations and guarantees of compliance with the highest standards.

Documentation Is Part of the Machine: Pay Attention!

Collaborative Robots: 11 Foolproof Tips – Tip Number 9

A machine is only complete if it is accompanied by comprehensive documentation.

The manufacturer must prepare all the documentation required by the machinery regulation: technical file, declarations of conformity, operating and maintenance manual, electrical diagrams, risk assessment documentation, and all other required documents.

Anyone who builds a machine “in-house” and neglects this part is not compliant with regulations.

In the event of an accident, the absence of documentation represents a very serious liability.

Machine documentation is important because it explains your competence in building the machine, the studies you have conducted, the risk assessment, the risk reduction. It recounts all the analyses you have implemented and your way of conveying them to the future user. This also applies to collaborative robots.

At Trebi, we believe that writing the manual is something that should never be delegated to an external party. It should, and at Trebi it MUST be part of the machine’s creation, it MUST be written by the team that built the machine.

Train the Operators

Collaborative Robots: 11 Foolproof Tips – Tip Number 10

Machines cannot be 100% safe. Residual risks always exist (if someone says otherwise, it is because they have never thoroughly analyzed a machine).

Operators must be trained on the operation of the machine, correct behaviors, the system’s limitations, and the procedures to follow.

Thus, even if risks exist, they are reduced through training of personnel.

It is not enough to provide training. Training must be structured (what you teach and in what timeframe) and documented (who learned, what they learned).

It is not enough to say that operators have been instructed: you must be able to prove it. Keep records of training activities. Training, even for collaborative robots, is one of the most effective ways to counter unforeseeable dangerous situations.

Always Report Residual Risks

Collaborative Robots: 11 Foolproof Tips – Tip Number 11

There is no such thing as a completely risk-free machine.

Even after eliminating all technically possible hazards, residual risks always remain.

These must be identified during risk analysis, reduced as much as possible, and clearly indicated on the machine through signage as required by standards.

A good machine is not one that promises “zero risk,” but one that makes evident the risks that cannot be eliminated and allows operators to work safely.

Conclusions

The collaborative robot is a machine that can solve certain problems, but it is not the main part of an application.

The process and the application are always at the center. Machine-building competencies are then required to analyze the application and determine how best to solve the associated problems (in the most efficient and economical way).

Do not bring a cobot into your facility thinking you have saved thousands of dollars. You may have brought home an enormous problem, or rather, a source of problems.

Automating means analyzing with broad perspectives, designing analytically, verifying, documenting, and assuming responsibility.

I hope you enjoyed reading this article “collaborative robots 11 foolproof tips,” and for any information requests you need only contact us!