Your Compass in the World of Robotics: How to Write a Specification That Saves You Money and Nerves

Forget boring technical specifications that no one reads!
This isn't bureaucratic paperwork; it's your main trump card in negotiations with integrators. A good specification is like a detailed treasure map: it leaves no room for wrong turns, leads straight to the goal, and protects you from the disappointment of a bloated budget and a non-functioning robot.

Let's be honest: if you write "I want a robot that packs," you'll get three completely different proposals that are impossible to compare, with a price tag "like Boeing's." Our guide is a proven recipe for making technology work for you, not the other way around.

✅ 1. Tell the Story of Your Production (in detail!)
Imagine you're explaining a task to a new, very smart, but completely unfamiliar employee. They can't read minds!

❌ Vague and useless: "Automate the assembly area."
✅ Powerful and specific: "The robot must take a board from a tray, install it into the test stand, wait for the 'OK' signal (2 sec.), carefully remove it, and place it on one of two output conveyors depending on the test result. The entire cycle must be no more than 15 seconds!"

What to write in the spec:

What is happening now? Describe the dance of your workers: what movements they make, what they pick up, where they place it.

Which part of the movements will we give to the robot? Clearly define its area of responsibility.

Dictate the scenario the robot must perform, step by step.

State the target cycle time. This is its KPI!

Philosophy: The clearer you see the process in your head, the more accurately the robot can reproduce it in reality.

✅ 2. Introduce the Robot to Your Product and Its "Personal Space"
The robot needs to know what it's working with and where. This will determine its size, strength, and dexterity.

Fill out a questionnaire for your product:

"Anthropometric data": Dimensions, weight.

"Character": Is it fragile, slippery, sticky, oily, hot?

"Address": Where is it picked up from, and where does it need to be placed? Provide the coordinates!

Describe the work zone: Where can it "walk," and where is it "forbidden to step"? All columns, machines, and passageways are its obstacles.

Philosophy: Don't make the integrator guess. Their assumptions will cost you money.

✅ 3. Set Strict KPIs: Accuracy and Speed
Without numbers, you're buying a "pig in a poke." Not knowing your requirements, the integrator will play it safe and offer the most expensive and fastest robot "with a margin."

Demand numbers:

"Targeting Accuracy": e.g., ±0.05 mm for precision assembly.

"Reaction Speed": Maximum time for one operation.

"Dexterity": Does it need to keep up with a moving conveyor?

Philosophy: Numbers are the language engineers speak. Speak it, and you will be heard correctly.

✅ 4. Introduce the Robot to the Neighbors (Your Existing Equipment)
A robot is not an island. It must become part of your production "orchestra" and play in unison with machines and PLCs.

Provide integrators with:

Models and "names" of your machines (CNC, presses, etc.).

"Language of communication": What protocols do you use? (Ethernet/IP, PROFINET, Modbus). This is critical!

Layout drawings and 3D models of the workshop. Better to show once than explain a hundred times.

✅ 5. Safety is NON-NEGOTIABLE!
We work in the real world with real people. Safety is not a cost-saving item but an investment in your reputation and peace of mind.

For industrial robots:

Cage or smart sensors? Will it be a fence with interlocked doors or a system of laser scanners that stops the robot when a person enters?

Demand compliance with standards (ISO, GOST, CE).

For collaborative robots (cobots):

Clearly describe HOW the person will work side-by-side with it.

Ensure it has no sharp edges or dangerous tools.

✅ 6. Show, Don't Tell! (Photos and Video)
One minute of video is worth an hour of technical meetings.

This is the simplest and most effective way to:

Answer 99% of the "how does it work now?" questions.

Show all the nuances of the manual process.

Help the integrator SEE all the pitfalls and not add extra costs for them.

Shoot 1-2 minutes of video from different angles!

✅ 7. Set Brand Preferences
Don't let the integrator propose what is profitable for them, not for you.

State directly in the spec:

"Consider FANUC, KUKA, ABB robots."

"PLCs - only Siemens or Allen-Bradley."

"Chinese analogs are acceptable only with official service support in our city."

Philosophy: You are the customer. You set the rules of the game.

✅ 8. Describe the "Working Conditions" for the Robot
The robot will work on the shop floor, not in a sterile lab. Its longevity depends on the conditions.

Specify:

Temperature and humidity. Is it hot in summer? Cold in winter?

Atmosphere: Is there dust, metal chips, oil mist, aggressive fumes?

Work schedule: 1, 2, or 3 shifts? The robot must be as resilient as your production.

Ingress Protection (IP) rating: Does it need immunity from splashes or dust?

✅ 9. Request THREE Solution Options! (The Golden Rule)
This is your main tool for making a balanced financial decision.

Ask to provide:

"Economy Class": Minimum functions, but the task is completed.

"The Optimal Choice": The best balance of price, capabilities, and reliability. This is usually the one chosen.

"The Premium Package": Everything possible, with a clear demonstration of what the extra money is buying.

✅ 10. Agree on the Future: Timelines, Warranty, Service
Automation is not a one-time purchase but the beginning of a long-term relationship.

Stipulate in the spec:

Clear deadlines: For delivery, installation, commissioning.

Acceptance procedure: How will you know everything works as it should? (Site Acceptance Test).

Training for your staff. Don't forget this!

Warranty: For both the hardware and the integrator's work.

Service maintenance: What happens if something breaks? How quickly will a specialist arrive?

The Result You Will Get:

When you put your heart and soul into creating such a spec, you won't just get a stack of papers. You will get:

🚀 Transparent and honest proposals that are easy to compare.
🚀 An objective price, without "coefficients for uncertainty."
🚀 Confidence that in a few months, you will get exactly the system you dreamed of.
🚀 A robot that becomes your reliable partner, not a source of headaches.

Don't complicate. Automate wisely!