What’s the future of industrial robot?
Introduction
Industrial robots are essentially programmable mechanical devices engineered to automate, augment, and further assist in manufacturing processes along with other industrial applications. Unimate, which was the first industrial robot, was installed in 1961 by General Motors to lift hot pieces of metal from a die casting machine. Ever since then, industrial robots have transformed the manufacturing sector, by improving quality, maximizing productivity, and decreasing costs.
In these modern days, industrial robots provide mature technology used in nearly every industry. Over 2.7 million industrial robots are currently in operation worldwide, with the majority being in Asia and Europe. Electronic assembly and automotive manufacturing are still the predominant users of industrial robots. Nevertheless, robots are also widely used in other sectors such as plastics, food, beverages, and pharmaceuticals.
The high precision, repeatability, and speed allow industrial robots to perform hazardous tasks more efficiently and comparatively more efficiently than humans. Thus, they can work 24/7 with no loss of performance.
Benefits of industrial robots
Industrial robots provide various advantages over human labor in manufacturing and other industrial settings. Some of these advantages include:
Improved quality and precision: Robots perform repetitive tasks with a high degree of accuracy and consistency. This reduces errors from human factors like fatigue and restlessness. Moreover, robots also enable more precise operations like micro-welding and intricate assembly which then leads to higher quality products.
Increased productivity and efficiency: Robots can carry out operations continuously without the need for any breaks. Furthermore, they can often work quicker and handle higher workloads than human workers. Many robots work around the clock further maximizing production capacity. This results in dramatic productivity gains, often 3-5x over manual work.
Reduced costs: Despite the high initial costs, industrial robots offer attractive ROIs and payback periods thanks to these productivity and efficiency benefits. Long-term savings come from reduced labor expenses, waste, scrappage, and downtime. Robots also optimize material consumption and energy use, further cutting costs.
Improved worker safety: Robots handle dangerous and physically strenuous tasks like lifting heavy objects and operating in extreme environments. This protects human workers from injuries and accidents. Robots also minimize human exposure to toxic materials like chemicals or radiation during manufacturing processes. Their use creates safer working conditions.
Industry adoption trends
The use of industrial robots is rapidly increasing around the world. Some key trends in adoption rates include:
Manufacturing industries like automotive, electronics, metal & machinery are the biggest adopters of industrial robots globally. According to the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), these industries accounted for over 70% of industrial robot sales in 2021.
Industrial robot sales have been growing at double digit rates over the past decade, indicating their increasing importance in manufacturing and other industries. In 2021, global robot installations increased by 27% to a new record of about 517,000 units.
The countries with the highest use of industrial robots are South Korea, Japan, Germany, China, and the United States. South Korea has by far the highest robot density with 932 robots per 10,000 human workers in the manufacturing industry.
While industrial robot adoption has been highest in developed economies, emerging markets are rapidly increasing their use as well. For example, in 2021 China continued to have the largest expansion of robots installed accounting for about 44% of global growth.
Regional differences in adoption relate to varying manufacturing strengths, labor costs, productivity needs, and economic conditions between countries and regions. Europe and Asia lead in automating many manufacturing processes.
New capabilities
When it comes to their capabilities and abilities to take on new tasks, industrial robots are becoming increasingly advanced. This includes:
Collaborative robots
Also known as “cobots”, collaborative robots are designed to work safely alongside humans, without the need for safety fencing. Using a combination of sensors and software, cobots can detect when a human enters their workspace and automatically stop or slow down. This allows for more flexibility in production environments. Cobots can be quickly reprogrammed to perform new tasks, making them ideal for small batch manufacturing.
Artificial intelligence
Advances in artificial intelligence and computer vision are enabling industrial robots to perform more complex tasks that previously required human intervention. This includes the ability to visually identify parts, inspect quality, and make changes based on visual input. With AI, robots can continue to learn and improve at tasks over time without being explicitly reprogrammed.
Mobility
Traditionally most industrial robots have been fixed in place, attached to the floor or ceiling. Mobile robots are now being adopted that can autonomously navigate factory floors and flexibly move between different stations or workflows. This allows a single robot to perform diverse tasks and offers more dynamic production capabilities.
By combining strengths in areas like collaboration, AI, and mobility, the next generation of industrial robots will take on more human-like capabilities in adaptable manufacturing environments. This innovation is key to wider robot adoption across industrial sectors.
Use cases
Industrial robots are deployed in a number of various industries and environments, in which they bring many benefits. These include improved efficiency, quality, and safety.
Manufacturing
The manufacturing industry was an early adopter of industrial robots, using them for tasks like welding, painting, assembly, pick and place, packaging, palletizing, and more. Industrial robots excel at repetitive tasks and working in hazardous environments. Their precision and consistency improves quality while reducing errors and waste. Major manufacturing sectors adopting robots include automotive, electronics, metals, plastics, and food and beverage.
Warehouses and logistics
Industrial robots are playing an increasing role in warehouse and logistics operations. Mobile robots can automate inventory management and material handling. Robot arms assist with packing and unpacking. Collaborative robots work safely right alongside people to sort, pack, and organize inventory. Vision systems guide robots to locate and select the right items. Robots improve warehouse productivity, order accuracy, and on-time shipments.
Healthcare
The healthcare sector is beginning to adopt industrial robots for roles like disinfecting rooms, handling hazardous medical waste, assisting in surgeries, preparing medications, and transporting supplies around facilities. Their consistent precision is well suited for environments that demand high levels of safety, cleanliness and accuracy. Robots also enable telemedicine by allowing doctors to remotely interact with patients.
Future outlook
The future of industrial robotics looks bright as robots become cheaper, more flexible and easier to use. According to the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), worldwide sales of industrial robots reached a record high in 2021 and are projected to grow significantly in the coming years.
Several key trends will shape the growth of industrial robotics:
Continued declining costs – As technology improves, industrial robots are becoming less expensive. This will enable more small and mid-sized companies to adopt automation.
Growth in collaborative robots – Also known as “cobots”, collaborative robots can safely work alongside humans. Their flexibility makes automation feasible for more applications.
Improved ease of use – Setup and programming of industrial robots is becoming faster and easier through more intuitive software interfaces. This will lower barriers to adoption.
Expansion into new sectors – Growth of robots will accelerate in areas like electronics, food and beverage, logistics and healthcare. Automation is no longer confined to auto manufacturing.
AI integration – Combining robotics with AI and machine learning will enable more intelligent and autonomous systems. This includes advances in computer vision, motion planning and decision making capabilities.
Many experts forecast industrial robot installations to grow 10-15% per year over the next decade. This will lead to millions of new robot deployments in factories and warehouses globally. Increased productivity and automation will transform manufacturing, logistics and other industries. While robots will not completely replace human workers, they will take over more routine and dangerous tasks. The future workplace will see closer collaboration between humans and machines.
Overall, ongoing innovation in robotics technology along with declining costs will drive wider adoption across industries. This transformation will create opportunities as well as challenges for companies and policymakers in the years ahead.
Conclusion
All in all, industrial robots will eventually become more intelligent, flexible, and ubiquitous across manufacturing sectors. There are still many challenges that remain unresolved but the benefits are clear. Thus, industrial robots will continue to advance and transform production internationally.
