The owner asks ROI, procurement asks payback, engineering asks “please do not blow commissioning.” Those are rarely the same number—because the arm line on the quote is easy to remember and the below-waterline work is easy to forget.
We do not sell a magic “12-month payback.” Every station differs. What helps before PO is naming every cost line and every gain line—whether the math lands at eight months or three years, the team shares one ledger.
Gains: do not stop at “save one person”
| Gain | How to rough it | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Direct labor | Released hours × loaded labor rate | Rarely a full headcount delete—often backfill + less overtime |
| Quality / rework | Defect drop × cost per defect | Programmed place often cuts end-of-shift drift |
| Ergonomics | Repetitive bends per shift | Palletizing and tending cells feel this first |
| Asset utilization | Extra spindle or analyzer minutes | → CNC tending guide |
| Changeover | Program edit vs hard-automation retool | Matters when SKUs rotate |
Costs: above and below the quote
Above the waterline — arm, controller (integrated or cabinet), teach pendant, baseline cabling, freight
Below the waterline (often missing on first quote)
| Bucket | Typical scope | Ask |
|---|---|---|
| EOAT | Gripper, vacuum, valve stack, fixture | → End-effector guide |
| Mechanical | Base, bench, guarding, dress | → Workcell layout guide |
| Electrical / I/O | PLC handshake, e-stop, sensors | → Safety & I/O guide |
| Integration labor | Commission, tune, acceptance | → Integration timeline guide |
| Downtime window | Orders not shipped during install | Owners feel this first |
| Training + spares | Who teaches, year-one kit | Who owns month one? |
Why the below-waterline work gets skipped → Hidden cost of robot integration
Pre-PO ROI checklist
Gains (pick at least two with numbers) - [ ] Releasable direct hours - [ ] Quantified quality/rework improvement - [ ] Asset utilization uplift - [ ] Changeover time saved - [ ] Ergonomics / injury risk (qualitative + goal)
Costs (above quote) - [ ] Arm + control + baseline accessories quoted - [ ] Freight, duty, insurance (cross-border)
Costs (below quote) - [ ] EOAT + fixture quote or TBD cap - [ ] I/O / PLC / safety scope in SOW - [ ] Integration labor + day estimate - [ ] Downtime window aligned with production plan - [ ] Trainees + year-one spares named
Technical sanity - [ ] Worst TCP on rated payload → Payload guide - [ ] Stable cycle time segmented → Cycle time guide - [ ] Task readiness run → Automation readiness guide
Common traps
Catalog speed inverted into throughput—4 s in demo, 7 s in production
Arm PO signed, EOAT TBD—the gripper-on-a-truck problem
“Save integration” that moves cost to delay
Three spec stories—one comparison URL before PO → Selection mistakes guide
