For materials handling or assembly, businesses should first pilot a clearly defined, repeatable task using the intended parts, grippers, routes and handovers. It only makes sense to assess a purchase once the platform has completed that task at the actual workstation. If performance or integration questions remain, a supported pilot is a more cautious way to proceed. The DGUV points out that, when work takes place near people, the risk assessment should also cover the tool, moving objects and intended workstation.
You want to trial repeatable routes and handovers between the warehouse, trolley and workstation, rather than assume a demonstration will translate to your own materials flow. Fraunhofer IPA identifies materials transport as a potential application; X-Tech Robotics says that familiar routes and defined handover points are prerequisites for its logistics applications.
You need to pick up parts of different shapes with a suitable hand or gripper and position them within the available workspace. The key is to test the system with your own workpieces and intended process—not simply count its joints.
You are planning to use the robot near people and need to take the intended workstation, tools, moving workpieces and protective measures into account. The DGUV and the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health assign the assessment of specific working conditions to workplace health and safety management.
| Consideration | What to look for when buying | Who is it most relevant to? |
|---|---|---|
| Materials flow and handovers | Test the route, floor and handover points using the intended containers and goods. | If I want to deliver materials between fixed stations, the route and handover need to work with my process. This is a priority for around 31% of business buyers whose main concern is materials supply. |
| Picking and positioning | Trial the workpieces, gripper option and required cycle time together. | For assembly or kitting, I want to know whether the robot can handle my specific parts. This is a priority for around 25% of business buyers who prioritise picking and positioning. |
| Safe operation near people | Include the robot, tool, moving goods and workstation in the risk assessment. | If staff and robots work at the same workstation, I need to clarify the protective measures for the actual process. This is a priority for around 25% of business buyers whose main concern is safe integration. |
| Pilot and ongoing support | Define the pilot scope, acceptance criteria and responsibilities for commissioning and support. | If performance or integration effort is still uncertain, I want to test the task at my own business before making a final investment. This is a priority for around 19% of business buyers who prioritise pilot and purchasing risk. |
The stated payload does not automatically prove that a particular workpiece can be gripped in the required position and moved within the required cycle time.
Ask for the complete task to be demonstrated using your parts and the intended gripper configuration.
Additional grippers, programming and further task testing may need to be factored into your plans.
If contact is possible, the end effector and moving objects can also create collision hazards. The risk assessment must cover the intended workplace.
Assess the robot, tool, goods and workstation together before staff work with the system there.
Adding protective measures later may require the workstation to be redesigned.
As well as the purchase price, productivity and application-specific engineering effort affect cost-effectiveness. The robot alone does not reflect the full cost of putting it to work in a business.
Compare rental and purchase offers based on the same task and the same agreed support services.
Include engineering, commissioning, support, spare parts and potential downtime in your comparison.
G1 variants are relevant for development and research applications; the configuration is key to any assessment.
NEURA Robotics positions the 4NE1 for industrial and logistics applications and lists different mobility configurations.
UBTECH describes the Walker S2 as a humanoid platform for industrial handling tasks.
AGIBOT describes different product lines for service, materials handling and industrial tasks. Each model’s design and suitability should be assessed separately.
The Joybuy products below include humanoid development platforms and a mobile platform that could be used for a materials flow pilot. Product specifications alone do not demonstrate suitability for assembly, your business’s cycle time or operation near people.
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Described as a development platform for AI and robotics applications; this does not demonstrate suitability for a specific assembly process.
48 TOPS AI; 22 degrees of freedom (DoF).
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Described as a development platform for education and research; check that the configuration on offer suits your application.
117 TOPS AI; 22 degrees of freedom (DoF).
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The product specifications list autonomous navigation and obstacle avoidance; assess a materials flow pilot using your actual routes and handovers.
The stated payload is up to 3 kg in certain postures and no more than 1 kg across the full range of motion, in both cases excluding the end effector. The product description warns that transparent or thin obstacles and drop-offs may not be detected reliably, and advises against unsupervised operation; it specifies a minimum distance of 2 m. Before use, refer to the specific manufacturer documentation and your workplace risk assessment.
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The product description lists education and exploration as intended uses; this does not establish suitability for industrial materials handling.
26 degrees of freedom; dual cameras; integrated AI language model.
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The product description is aimed at developers and technology enthusiasts; assess the specific development task before planning to use it in a business process.
20 degrees of freedom; monocular camera; integrated AI language model.
Choose a repeatable process with defined parts, routes and handovers, and an outcome you can observe. Test the movement and handling together; the Fraunhofer IPA survey of potential applications is not evidence of the performance of any individual robot model.
No. It does not replace an assessment of how the robot will be used at the intended workstation. If contact is possible, the end effector and moving objects must also be considered. Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 will not replace the current Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC until 20 January 2027; until then, the requirements in force at the time must be taken into account.
Plan for training, defined handovers, procedures for faults and checks on protective measures. Agree in writing which tasks are the supplier’s responsibility and which belong to the business operating the robot; a service offer does not replace the employer’s responsibility for the risk assessment.
If gripping performance, route, cycle time or integration effort is still uncertain, a limited, supported pilot can help you make a decision based on your own process. Then compare engineering, commissioning, productivity and support; this does not mean renting is always cheaper.