A cobot, or collaborative robot, is a robot designed to work in the same space as operators, without a physical safety barrier. Sensors slow down or stop its movement when there is a risk of contact. It takes on repetitive or arduous tasks, such as palletising, screwdriving or welding, alongside the teams.
Cobot and industrial robot: what is the difference?
- The conventional industrial robot works in an enclosed cell, separated from operators by barriers. It remains better suited to very high speeds.
- The cobot shares the operator's space. It is generally smaller, is often programmed from a tablet or by guiding the arm by hand, and moves from one workstation to another when production changes.
For INRS, the French occupational safety institute, it is the application that is collaborative or not, not the robot: a cobot fitted with a cutting tool, or handling a heavy part, may need guarding like a conventional robot.
The four collaboration modes
The ISO 10218-1 and -2 standards describe four principles, which can be combined:
- Safety-rated monitored stop: the robot stops when the operator enters its area, then resumes when they leave.
- Hand guiding: the operator moves the arm by hand.
- Speed and separation monitoring: the robot slows down as the operator approaches.
- Power and force limiting: the robot is designed so that any contact stays below set thresholds.
Safety and regulation
- The ISO 10218 standard (part 1 for the robot, part 2 for its application and integration) was revised in 2025 and replaces the 2011 edition. It makes functional safety requirements more explicit, incorporates the requirements for collaborative applications previously detailed in the technical specification ISO/TS 15066, and adds cybersecurity requirements.
- ISO/TS 15066 gives force and pressure values for possible contacts between robot and operator.
- EU Machinery Regulation 2023/1230 applies from 20/01/2027 and replaces Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC.
- Responsibilities: the robot manufacturer supplies partly completed machinery; the integrator declares the conformity of the final machine; a user who designs their own application becomes its manufacturer, with CE marking and the technical file.
INRS recommends a risk assessment from the project stage, confirmed in real conditions: crushing, impact, burns, but also musculoskeletal disorders and psychosocial risks, with operator training.
What cobots are used for in plants
- Palletising at the end of the line, a task still often manual and arduous.
- Assembly and screwdriving.
- Welding.
- Quality inspection, often with a camera: our machine vision guide covers this part.
A cobot can also be mounted on a mobile robot: our AMR and AGV robots guide presents these robots.
The market
According to the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), 66,000 cobots were installed worldwide in 2025, or 11% of industrial robot installations. For the first time, the segment grew more slowly (7%) than industrial robots as a whole.
What manufacturers said at Tech for Industry Show
At Tech for Industry Show 2026, at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, Renault explained that cobots, which arrived in its plants about ten years ago, did not bring a large-scale transformation. The group, which has more than 11,000 industrial robots, is now betting on humanoid robots designed with Wandercraft, tested in production in Douai for tyre handling. Read the article
The talk is available as a replay: From factory digital twins to the integration of humanoid robots.
Other examples in France
- Champagne Gosset, in Épernay, installed a collaborative palletiser with a Universal Robots arm with a 20 kg payload. Operators previously lifted cartons of up to 11.5 kg by hand; they have been redeployed to quality control, traceability and finishing. The low ceiling height drove this choice, as a cobot needs no cage (L'Usine Nouvelle, 05/10/2026).
- Inventec and Stego, French subsidiaries of German groups, announced their cobot projects in spring 2026: end-of-line palletising for Inventec, assembly and welding for Stego, which highlights the ability to reprogram it when production changes (L'Usine Nouvelle, 31/03/2026).
How much does a cobot cost?
Most manufacturers quote prices on request or through their distributors. The price depends on payload, reach, the tool mounted at the end of the arm (gripper, suction cup, screwdriver) and integration. One published example, read on 04/11/2026: UFactory lists its xArm arms, with a 3 to 5 kg payload, from 5,299 dollars. This is not the price of a complete palletising or welding cell, which includes the tool, safety and commissioning.
How to run a cobot project
1. Choose the workstation: a repetitive or arduous task, or one causing musculoskeletal disorders, with stable parts and speeds.
2. Check feasibility: payload, reach, speed, precision, available space.
3. Assess the risks of the whole application, including the tool and the part, in view of ISO 10218 and the Machinery Regulation.
4. Choose the manufacturer and the integrator, and know who declares conformity.
5. Involve and train operators from the start.
6. Start with one workstation, measure, then extend.
Frequently asked questions
What is a cobot?
A collaborative robot, designed to work next to operators without a physical barrier, with sensors that limit or stop its movement in case of contact.
What is the difference between a cobot and an industrial robot?
The industrial robot works in an enclosed cell, at high speed; the cobot shares the operator's space, at the cost of limited speed and force.
How much does a cobot cost?
Usually on request; entry-level arms are listed from a few thousand dollars, excluding tool, safety and integration.
Which standard applies to cobots?
ISO 10218 (revised in 2025), ISO/TS 15066 for contact values, and EU Machinery Regulation 2023/1230 from 20/01/2027.
Is a cobot safe?
Not by default: the whole application must be safe, which requires a risk assessment.
