ROBOTICS · 2 HOURS
Collaborative Robots at Work
Collaborative Robots at Work teaches operators, team leaders and technicians who work alongside a cobot to start, stop and recover it in the right order, and to know when to call for help. You finish with a shift handover note the next shift can trust, so the robot runs safely between teams.
About this course
A collaborative robot, usually called a cobot, is a robot arm designed to share a working space with people under certain conditions, because it limits its speed and force and stops when it meets unexpected resistance. Whether it is safe to work beside depends on the whole task, including the tool, the part, and where people stand, and most everyday problems arise at the start of a shift, at a stop, during a recovery, or at handover.
This course teaches the order and the reasons behind a good start, the right stop for each situation, and a recovery that finds the cause before the reset, together with a clear line on when to call a person. You finish with a four-part shift handover note that the next shift can act on without having to find you.
What you will take away
- You will be able to explain why collaborative describes the whole application and not only the arm, and to give more weight to what makes the whole task safe to work near.
- You will be able to carry out the five-step start in the right order, beginning with the last handover and ending with a watched first cycle, and say why each step comes where it does.
- You will be able to choose between an emergency stop and a pause at the pendant according to the situation, and recognise a protective stop triggered by the robot or its safeguards.
- You will be able to recover from a protective stop by finding and clearing the cause and checking the path before the reset, and to recognise the repeating stop that should be handed to a person.
- You will leave with a signed shift handover note that records the robot's state, each stop and its cause, what was recovered or called in, and what the next shift must watch.
Who this course is for
- Operators who work alongside a cobot, or are about to, and have completed their site induction and been shown their own robot by someone their employer has authorised.
- Team leaders who brief shifts on a cobot cell and want every operator to start, stop, and recover it in the same order for the same reasons.
- Technicians who are called to cobot stops and want operators to hand over a clear account of what happened, what was cleared, and what keeps recurring.
- Supervisors whose handovers between shifts are thin and who want a note format that carries the robot's state, its stops, and what to watch.
What you will do
Each lesson teaches one part of the method, works through a realistic example, and ends with a check on a case you have not seen. The course closes with an assessment and then the piece of work you sign.
- 5lessons with a worked example and a check
- 8scenario questions in the course assessment
- Signedthe shift handover note, with a record anyone can verify
- 2 hoursat your own pace, with progress saved
- 01
Lesson
What a cobot is for
This lesson explains what a collaborative robot is and why the word describes the whole task, including the tool, the part, and where people work, rather than the arm alone. You read a team leader's shift briefing, then mark statements about a jar-packing cobot as about the arm or about the whole task.
- Before you start this course
- What a collaborative robot is
- Collaborative describes the whole task
- Two labels for what you are told
You mark 4 statements from a realistic case and receive an explanation for each one.
- 02
Lesson
Drill one, the start
This lesson teaches the five steps of a good start, from reading the last handover to watching the first cycle, and explains why each step protects the next. You compare the same operator's start on two mornings, then put the start steps for a palletising cobot into the correct order.
- What a start is for
- The five steps, in order
- Why the order matters
- The usual mistake
You put 5 steps in the order that holds up in practice, with feedback on the sequence.
- 03
Lesson
Drill two, the stop
This lesson separates the emergency stop, meant for danger to a person or serious damage, from the routine pause at the pendant, and introduces the protective stop the robot triggers itself. You review two stops from one week, then mark which stop you would use in each situation at a labelling cobot.
- The emergency stop
- The pause at the pendant
- The protective stop
- Match the stop to the situation
You mark 4 statements from a realistic case and receive an explanation for each one.
- 04
Lesson
Drill three, the recovery
This lesson teaches the five steps of a recovery after a protective stop and explains why resetting first leads to repeated stops or motion while the cause is still in the path. You improve a poor recovery log from a test rig, then order the recovery steps for a gripper that lost its part.
- What a recovery is
- The five steps, in order
- Why the reset comes late
You put 5 steps in the order that holds up in practice, with feedback on the sequence.
- 05
Lesson
When to call a person
This lesson draws the line between stops you recover yourself and those you hand to a supervisor or engineer, and explains why a repeating stop matters more than any single one. You read three notes from one night shift, then mark each problem at a machine-tending cobot as recover it myself or call a person.
- The stops that are yours
- The stops that are not
- Why a pattern matters more than a single stop
- Calling is part of the job
You mark 4 statements from a realistic case and receive an explanation for each one.
- 06
Course assessment
The shift assessment
This lesson recaps the five moves and shows how they depend on one another, then works through one complete shift at a packing cell. You then apply the method to eight new situations at cobot cells, with feedback on every option, and you need six correct answers to pass.
- The method in one place
- How the moves connect
- How the assessment works
You judge 8 new workplace situations, with feedback on every option, and need 6 correct to pass.
- 07
Final work and signed record
The handover
This final lesson sets out the four parts of a handover note and the test it must pass, which is whether the next shift could start from it without finding you. You compare a thin note with a useful one, then write and sign a handover note for your own cobot.
- What a handover note is
- The four parts
- What a handover is not
- Write it for someone who cannot find you
You write the shift handover note for your own work, part by part, and sign it as your record.
GOOD WORK.THE SHIFT HANDOVER NOTE, SIGNED.
WHAT CHANGES
What the course changes for you and your organisation.
- 01
The same routine on every shift
Operators learn one start, one choice of stop, and one recovery, each with its reason, so the cell is run the same way by every team. That consistency matters most on the day the night shift changed the gripper fingers or left a tray in the robot's path.
- 02
Repeating problems reach the right person
The course draws a clear line between the stops an operator recovers and the ones that must be handed to a supervisor or engineer. A worn finger or loose fixture that causes four dropped parts an hour is then reported, instead of being recovered quietly eight times a shift.
- 03
Handovers the next shift can use
The handover note gives the next operator the facts they need to start well, including stop times, causes, and anything still unknown. Your organisation gains a written trail of stops and causes that engineers and supervisors can read the following morning.
- 04
Cobots now share the floor
The International Federation of Robotics reports that cobots made up 10.5% of new industrial robots worldwide in 2023, so more operators now work beside one every shift. Teams that start, stop and recover a cobot in the right order keep the line running and give employers a safer, more predictable handover between shifts.
QUESTIONS
Questions about Collaborative Robots at Work
- What is Collaborative Robots at Work about?
- A collaborative robot, usually called a cobot, is a robot arm designed to share a working space with people under certain conditions, because it limits its speed and force and stops when it meets unexpected resistance. Whether it is safe to work beside depends on the whole task, including the tool, the part, and where people stand, and most everyday problems arise at the start of a shift, at a stop, during a recovery, or at handover. This course teaches the order and the reasons behind a good start, the right stop for each situation, and a recovery that finds the cause before the reset, together with a clear line on when to call a person. You finish with a four-part shift handover note that the next shift can act on without having to find you.
- Who is Collaborative Robots at Work for?
- Operators who work alongside a cobot, or are about to, and have completed their site induction and been shown their own robot by someone their employer has authorised. Team leaders who brief shifts on a cobot cell and want every operator to start, stop, and recover it in the same order for the same reasons. Technicians who are called to cobot stops and want operators to hand over a clear account of what happened, what was cleared, and what keeps recurring. Supervisors whose handovers between shifts are thin and who want a note format that carries the robot's state, its stops, and what to watch. No specialist background is assumed, and every term is explained before it is used.
- What will I be able to do after Collaborative Robots at Work?
- You will be able to explain why collaborative describes the whole application and not only the arm, and to give more weight to what makes the whole task safe to work near. You will be able to carry out the five-step start in the right order, beginning with the last handover and ending with a watched first cycle, and say why each step comes where it does. You will be able to choose between an emergency stop and a pause at the pendant according to the situation, and recognise a protective stop triggered by the robot or its safeguards. You will be able to recover from a protective stop by finding and clearing the cause and checking the path before the reset, and to recognise the repeating stop that should be handed to a person. You will leave with a signed shift handover note that records the robot's state, each stop and its cause, what was recovered or called in, and what the next shift must watch.
- How long does the course take, and how is it taught?
- The course takes about 2 hours and is studied online at your own pace. It has 5 lessons, each with a worked example, a practice exercise, and a check on a new case, followed by a course assessment of 8 scenario questions in which you need 6 correct to pass. Your progress is saved to your account.
- Do I get a certificate?
- Yes. When you pass, you sign a record that names you, the course, and the shift handover note. Anyone you share it with can verify it online and download it as a PDF. The record confirms what you completed and does not claim compliance with any regulation.
- How much does it cost, and when can I start?
- The course costs £99, paid once by card through Stripe. Access begins as soon as payment is confirmed, and you can save a sign-in to return to the course from any device.
- Can my organisation train a whole team?
- Yes. Individuals can buy any self-paced course online, and organisations can book trainer-led courses for teams, in person or online, through the Experrt Academy.
More robotics courses are listed on the self-paced robotics and automation courses for non-engineers page.
THERE IS A NEXT CHAPTER.
Start today, and finish with
the shift handover note your organisation can use.
Checkout takes an email address and a card, and access begins as soon as payment is confirmed. When you finish, you sign a record that names you and the shift handover note, which anyone you choose can verify online. The record confirms what you completed and does not claim compliance with any regulation.