A collaborative robot workcell integrating the AUBO i5 cobot with a Doosan Lynx 220 LM CNC lathe and XI-BOX laser marker — replacing all manual handling for in-house NPT thread production.
WIKA purchases NPT-threaded stainless steel pipe nipples (½" & ¾" NPS) from a vendor with steadily increasing prices and inconsistent thread quality. They have an underutilized Doosan Lynx 220 LM lathe — but every part currently requires four separate manual operator interventions.
Six cobots evaluated on ten weighted criteria. The AUBO i5 scored highest — the only option within budget that carries full ISO 10218-1 safety certification.
| Cobot | Score / 5 | Price (CAD) | ISO Cert. |
|---|---|---|---|
| igus ReBeL 6 | ~$5K | ✗ | |
| xArm 6 | ~$16K | ✗ | |
| xArm 850 | ~$18K | ✗ | |
| Doosan A0509 | ~$55K | ✓ | |
| UR5e | ~$52K | ✓ | |
| AUBO i5 Selected | ~$24K | ✓✓ |
| Specification | AUBO i5 | xArm 850 | UR5e |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reach | 886.5 mm | 850 mm | 850 mm |
| Payload | 5 kg | 5 kg | 5 kg |
| Repeatability | ±0.02 mm | ±0.02 mm | ±0.03 mm |
| Speed | 2.8 m/s | 1.0 m/s | 1.5 m/s |
| IP Rating | IP54 | IP54 | IP54 |
| Metric | AUBO i5 | xArm 850 | UR5e |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rated Lifetime | 30,000 hr | ~20,000 hr | 35,000 hr |
| MTTR | 7–14 days | 14–21 days | 3–7 days |
| ISO 10218-1 | Full ✓ | None ✗ | Full ✓ |
| Safety Level | PLd CAT3 | — | PLd |
| Item | AUBO i5 | xArm 850 | UR5e |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arm + Controller | ~$24K CAD | ~$18K CAD | ~$52K CAD |
| Total Cell | ~$47K CAD | ~$41K CAD | ~$75K CAD |
| Within Budget? | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✗ Over |
| ISO Certified? | ✓ Yes | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Est. Payback | ~18 months | ~16 months | ~24 months |
The AUBO i5 is mounted at the NW corner of a 900×550mm fabricated steel table, reaching the CNC chuck, raw stock fixture, XI-BOX laser station, and output tray from a single fixed base — all within 886.5mm.
A 9-part custom fixture stages pre-cut pipe blanks for cobot pick. V-groove rails self-centre both ½" and ¾" NPS pipe ODs automatically — no changeover needed between pipe sizes since both share the same 12.7mm bore ID.
| Part | Material | Qty | DMC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Plate | 6061-T6 Aluminum | 1 | $87.65 |
| V-Groove Rail | 6061-T651 Aluminum | 12 | $108.94 |
| Locating Plate | 304 Stainless Steel | 2 | $283.00 |
| Mounting Plate | A36 Mild Steel | 2 | $108.13 |
| L-Shape Brackets | A36 Mild Steel | 8 | $13.51 |
| Locating Bushing | 6061-T6 Al Tube | 8 | $9.00 |
| Total Fixture DMC | $604.23 | ||
All pricing from Metal Supermarket Edmonton (South) · Cut-to-size service · CAD
The cobot handles every part transfer. The key efficiency gain: laser marking and blank pickup run in parallel with CNC machining — they happen inside the 120-second CNC window at no added cost to cycle time.
Automation eliminates operator bottlenecks, reduces direct labour cost, and removes vendor dependency — WIKA produces to their own quality standard.