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mouser.com/te 15 sensors guiding these high-performance robotic systems is crucial. For instance, the response time (in milliseconds) of a position sensor can make the difference between a high-strength robotic actuator moving a large manufacturing apparatus or a manufactured part several inches or feet (Figure 1). With very little clearance allowable for manufacturing environments where real estate is at a premium, those inches or feet could be the difference between a safe working environment and injuries to human workers. The following are some of the critical sensor information categories for modern robotic systems in manufacturing: • Linear relative position • Rotational position • Motor position • Torque • Compression • Tilt • Proximity • Navigation • Temperature (surface and internal) Moreover, AGVs and autonomous mobile robots are now often moving throughout manufacturing environments, often handling tasks that humans find excessively repetitive or difficult to perform. Autonomous mobile robots may move through Figure 1: Collaborative robotic example diagram. (Source: TE Connectivity) This article explores the critical role sensors play in enabling these modern robotic technologies that have become vital for modern manufacturing. Role Of Sensors in Automated and Robotic Manufacturing Processes Advanced sensor systems are necessary for modern robotics to operate in manufacturing. Often, the performance and capabilities of the sensor technologies implemented on a robotic system dictate its performance. This is why the speed, accuracy, measurement range, repeatability, resolution, compactness, and ruggedness parameters of sensor technologies used in manufacturing robotics are especially critical. With the increasing use of robotics alongside human workers, the reliability, repeatability, and accuracy of various sensor technologies are also becoming increasingly important. The sensor systems on cobots, AGVs, and autonomous mobile robots measure the motor positions, proximity, torque, compression, temperature, and tilt, which are all essential pieces of information for the processing technology of these robots to use in determining the relative and absolute position of robotic actuators. As robotic response time and speed are key selling points for using these robotic systems in manufacturing, the performance of the