Are robotics set to play a starring role in the next ten years of British manufacturing ?
Technology is constantly changing our day-to-day lives and has had a particular impact on the working world . Automation is fast becoming a key conversation within multiple industries in Great Britain , including manufacturing with robotics emerging as the solution .
Over the past few years , a need to move towards more automation in the manufacturing industry has been seen . In fact , a survey done by ABB Robotics found that of 250 SME and manufacturing companies , 81.2 % were considering incorporating robotics into their processes to combat issues with workforce shortages and supply chain disruptions .
In this article , we ’ ll look at how , in order to keep up with the demand British manufacturing faces , more businesses are adopting robotics as a solution . We ’ ll also dive into what they can do for your business .
WHAT CAN ROBOTS DO FOR YOU ?
A big question from businesses still on the fence about bringing in robots is what can they do to improve processes . By automating sections of your manufacturing processes with robots , you ’ re given an opportunity to stay competitive within a constantly evolving industry .
Substituting traditional labour with robots within your processes can help to provide added efficiency . Robots don ’ t require breaks , and they ’ re programmed to carry out specific practices with much smaller margins for error than humans . This results in a more cost-effective output from your business , which could see greater revenue for less paid labour .
Robotics can also be useful when it comes to tasks that require a steadiness that can ’ t always reliably come from humans . Whether it ’ s handling or removing materials that can be harmful or dangerous , welding , or separating materials from one another , robotics makes those tasks much easier to carry out .
THEY WORK AMONG US …
The UK ’ s manufacturing industry has leant into a ‘ quality over quantity ’ mentality , focusing on top value from each product made , and robotics are now being incorporated into processes .
Between 2020 and 2021 , the UK became one of the top 15 for sales of industrial robots globally . The International Federation of Robotics ( IFR ) found that 2,205 industrial robots were installed throughout 2020 , which brought the total in the country to around 23,000 .
These robots are primarily found in the automotive manufacturing industry in the UK with around 875 , making up 16 % of those that were installed in 2020 . Several sectors are seeing a benefit in robot application due to a lack of workers , including the food and beverage sector , which already uses industrial machinery and hydraulic cylinders , has seen an increase to 304 robots in 2020 . This is a 96 % increase in volume since the previous year .
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
Though these numbers continue to rise , the IFR still ranked the UK outside of the top 20 countries with robot density within manufacturing . We can take from this that there is still room for robotics presence in manufacturing to grow on our shores .
The government itself outlined how much growth was possible in a Business , Energy and Industrial Strategy ( BEIS ), estimating that there was a potential 40 % annual growth for robotics and autonomous systems in the UK between 2020 and 2030 . This could in turn mean an extra £ 6.4 billion in value for the UK economy by 2035 . And if our creation and sale of autonomous robots is set to increase , our use of them across a number of industries may be set to increase alongside it .
Automating your business process with robotics is not something to be scared of . The myth that robotics steals jobs has long since been debunked , and there is plenty of room for improvements within the manufacturing industry that they can help solve . Implementing robotics can help keep your business competitive in the global market , as well as provide an efficiency that is impossible to achieve with manual labour . There are currently a record number of robots installed ; however , there is still room for growth , and the amount of revenue that could stimulate the UK economy if more is installed is staggering .
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