Watching a SCARA robot quickly assemble several small plastic parts, it’s hard not to think of it as a person—a fast, accurate, tireless person, but a person nonetheless.

In reality, equating the abilities of robots and human assemblers is risky. What’s easy for a human assembler can be difficult or impossible for a robot, and vice versa. To ensure success with robotic assembly, engineers must adapt their parts, products and processes to the unique requirements of the robot.