Annual installations of industrial robots more than tripled within the ten years between 2010 and 2019, reaching 381,000 units in factories around the world, according to new data released by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR).
Smart production. Credit: KUKA
Smart production. Credit: KUKA
“The mission to combine traditional production with "go digital" strategies puts robots in a pole position,” said Dr Susanne Bieller, General Secretary of the IFR.
Robots learn new tricks
Artificial intelligence software used in combination with machine vision and other sensing systems is enabling robots to master more difficult tasks than ever before. One such task is litter bin picking, which was previously only feasible by human hand.
New generations of robots are easier to install and programme and are connectable. Advances in communication protocols are integrating robots seamlessly into automation and Industry 4.0 strategies.
Robots working in smart factories
The automotive industry pioneered smart factory solutions utilising industrial robots on assembly lines that have dominated traditional automobile production for more than 100 years. The future, says IFR, belongs to the networked interaction of robots and autonomous guided vehicles - or rather autonomous mobile robots (AMRs).
Equipped with the latest navigation technology, these mobile robots are much more flexible compared to traditional production lines. Car chassis are conveyed via driverless transport systems which can be decoupled from the assembly line flow and then redirected to assembly stations where individually equipped variants can be assembled.
When models are changed completely, it is only necessary to reprogramme the robots and AMRs rather than dismantling the entire production line. As the integration of human-robot collaboration workstations picks up momentum, robot suppliers report robots working hand-in-hand with humans without a need for fencing.
LARA (Lightweight Agile robotic assistant) mounted on MAV (Multi-Sensing Autonomous vehicle) palletising products. Credit: NEURA Robotics GmbH
LARA (Lightweight Agile robotic assistant) mounted on MAV (Multi-Sensing Autonomous vehicle) palletising products. Credit: NEURA Robotics
Robots enter new markets
Connectivity breakthroughs are increasingly contributing to an upswing in the adoption of robots in manufacturing sectors that have only recently turned to automation, such as food and beverage, textiles, wood products and plastics.
IFR predicts that the ongoing digital transformation will lead to completely new business models as producers find they can diversify more easily than ever. In the smart factory, different products are assembled subsequently by the same equipment - the traditional production line no longer exists.
Robots reduce carbon footprint
Investments in modern robotics technology will also be driven by the requirement for a smaller carbon footprint. Modern robots are energy-efficient, thus directly reducing the energy consumption of manufacturing. Through higher precision, they also produce fewer rejections and substandard goods, which has a positive impact on the ratio of resource input over output. In addition, robots help in the cost-efficient production of renewable energy equipment, such as photovoltaics or hydrogen fuel cells.
Robots help to secure supply chains
The pandemic situation has highlighted the flaws within global supply chains, offering manufacturers the opportunity to rethink supply with a completely different outlook. When productivity is levelled through automation, manufacturers have increased flexibility that may not have been available in high-wage countries like most of those in the European Union and North America, as well as Japan or South Korea. Robotic automation offers productivity, flexibility and security.
“Advances in robot technologies are contributing to increased robot adoption,” said Dr Susanne Bieller, General Secretary of the IFR.
“The Covid-19 pandemic hasn`t started any new trends but it accelerated the utilisation of robotics previously beyond established practice. In this respect, the pandemic has proven to be the biggest single driver for change in industry.”
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