What to Ask Before You Buy a Robot Automation Solution (Buyer's Checklist)
The robot arm is the easy part. Every major cobot vendor — Universal Robots, ABB, FANUC, KUKA, Techman — makes reliable hardware. The hard part is everything else: programming, integration, changeover, support, and the hidden costs that appear six months into production.
This checklist is designed for manufacturers who are evaluating robot automation solutions — including both the hardware and the software/integration layer. Use it in every vendor conversation.
1. Programming & Setup
1.1 Who does the programming? Ask explicitly: does setup require a specialist robotics engineer, or can a factory worker do it? If the answer involves "our team will be on-site for the first week," ask what happens for subsequent task changes.
1.2 How long does first-task setup take? Get a number. "Quickly" is not a number. "Hours" vs. "weeks" is the critical distinction. Ask for a reference customer who did their first task setup without the vendor on-site.
1.3 How long does task change take? This matters more than first-task setup for any manufacturer changing tasks more than once a year. Ask specifically: what does the process look like when I need to change from task A to task B? Who does it, how, and how long does it take?
1.4 What happens when I need a novel task? Can I add a task my team has never done before, without calling the vendor? What is the process?
1.5 What robot programming languages or formats does the output use? URScript for UR, RAPID for ABB, INFORM for Yaskawa — confirm the platform exports to your robot's native language. Ask to see sample output programs, not just the UI.
2. Multi-Step Tasks and Complexity
2.1 Can it handle multi-step sequences? Ask for a demo of a sequence with at least 5 distinct steps, including at least one conditional (if-then) and one signal wait. If the demo only shows a single pick-and-place, it is not production-ready.
2.2 Can it read and write digital signals? Every real manufacturing task involves I/O: waiting for a machine signal, commanding a gripper, sending a cycle-complete signal to a PLC. Confirm the platform handles this — and ask how signals are configured (UI vs. code).
2.3 What happens when a step fails? What is the default error behaviour? Can I define custom error handlers (retry N times, move to safe position, alert operator)?
2.4 Can programs be reused or composed? If I set up a "load CNC" sequence once, can I reference it across multiple programs? Or does each new task require defining it from scratch?
3. Gripper and Hardware Compatibility
3.1 What gripper types do you support? Confirm specifically: pneumatic (two-finger, three-finger), electric (servo), and vacuum. If the platform only supports electric grippers — which account for roughly 35–40% of installed industrial grippers — it cannot serve the majority of real factory environments.
3.2 Which gripper brands have you tested? Generic "supports pneumatic grippers" is different from "has been tested with Schunk PGN, FESTO DHPS, and SMC MHZ2." Ask for specifics.
3.3 Does the demo use the same gripper I will use? This is the most important practical check. Many demos use branded electric grippers because they are easy to integrate cleanly. Ask the vendor to show the platform working with a pneumatic gripper — including grip-verify logic.
4. Robot Brand and Model Support
4.1 Which robot brands are supported today? Get a clear list. "We support Universal Robots" and "we support all major cobots" are very different claims. Ask for the specific models they have tested, not a marketing statement.
4.2 What is on the roadmap vs. available today? This is non-negotiable. If you buy a platform that "supports FANUC" but FANUC is actually 6 months away on the roadmap, you have bought on a promise. Require working demos for the brand you are buying for.
4.3 How do you handle multi-brand environments? If your facility runs UR and ABB, does one interface handle both — or do you need separate tooling per brand?
5. Safety
5.1 Does Aurevix replace your safety PLC or risk assessment? This question matters for any automation platform. The correct answer is no — a programming tool outputs programmed trajectories that your safety engineer validates, but it does not replace your safety PLC, light curtains, or formal risk assessment under ISO 10218 / ISO/TS 15066. Any vendor claiming to eliminate the need for a safety assessment is wrong and potentially dangerous.
5.2 Is there an emergency stop? Confirm E-stop functionality and ask how it is integrated — is it a software stop or a hardware-wired stop?
5.3 Can the program be validated at low speed before production speed? This is standard practice. Confirm it is possible and easy to do.
6. Integration with Your Facility
6.1 What is the installation process? How long does it take to go from receiving the platform to having the first program deployed? What infrastructure is required (network, PC, additional hardware)?
6.2 Does it integrate with my MES or ERP? If you need to log cycle counts, part IDs, or quality data from the robot to your manufacturing execution system, ask how this is done. API? Direct OPC-UA connection? Manual export?
6.3 What network requirements does it have? Many factories have segmented networks for security. Confirm what connectivity the platform requires — and whether it can operate in an air-gapped environment if needed.
7. Support and Ongoing Relationship
7.1 What is the support SLA? When something goes wrong at 2am on a Monday, what happens? Is there 24/7 support, or business-hours-only email?
7.2 What happens when the vendor is unavailable? If the vendor's service goes down, what is the fallback? Can you still run existing programs, or is the robot dependent on a cloud connection?
7.3 What is the total cost of ownership over 3 years? Include: software subscription, any per-task or per-minute fees, on-site setup, ongoing support, training, and any infrastructure (PC, network, additional sensors). Compare this to the equivalent integrator cost over the same period.
7.4 What does pricing look like for multiple robots? If you scale from 1 robot to 5, does pricing scale linearly? Are there volume tiers?
8. Trial and References
8.1 Can I run a paid pilot on a real task in my facility? A vendor confident in their product will offer a real pilot — not just a controlled demo at their facility on their chosen task. The pilot should use your actual part, your actual robot, and your actual worker doing the setup.
8.2 Can I talk to a reference customer with a similar application? Not just "here is a customer who liked us." A reference customer in your industry, with similar task complexity, similar robot brand, and similar team experience.
8.3 What did the reference customer struggle with? Ask this directly. Every platform has limitations. A vendor who cannot answer this question honestly is one to treat with caution.
Red Flags
Watch for these signals in vendor conversations:
- Single-move demos only — the demo shows one pick-and-place but cannot show multi-step sequences
- Vague claims about robot support — "we support all major brands" without demonstrating specific brands
- No electric or pneumatic gripper specificity — "we support grippers" without specifying which types have been tested
- Pricing that is unclear — hidden per-task or per-minute charges that add up in production
- Safety claims that overstep — "replaces your safety assessment" or "no safety barrier required" without a proper risk assessment
The Bottom Line
The right automation platform is the one that works in your factory on your tasks with your team — not the one that looks best in a controlled demo. Use this checklist to move past marketing claims and get to the information that matters.
The vendors who can answer these questions with specificity and honesty are the ones worth buying from.
See also: