AUTOMATION AND ROBOTICS
One million robots in global automotive industry
This makes it easy for workers to adjust heavy machinery to different tasks . Companies will thus get the best of both worlds : robust and precise industrial robot hardware and the latest cobot software .
Easy-to-use programming interfaces , that allow customers to set up the robots themselves , also drive the emerging new segment of low-cost robotics . Many new customers reacted to the pandemic in 2020 by trying out robotic solutions . Robot suppliers acknowledged this demand . Easy set-up and installation , for instance , with pre-configured software to handle grippers , sensors or controllers support lower-cost robot deployment . Such robots are often sold through web shops and program routines for various applications are downloadable from an app store .
4 : Artificial intelligence ( AI ) and digital automation
Propelled by advances in digital technologies , robot suppliers and system integrators offer new applications and improve existing ones as regards speed and quality . Connected robots are transforming manufacturing . Robots will increasingly operate as part of a connected digital ecosystem : Cloud Computing , Big Data Analytics or 5G mobile networks provide the technological base for optimised performance . The 5G standard will enable fully digitalised production , making cables on the shopfloor obsolete .
Artificial intelligence ( AI ) holds great potential for robotics , enabling a range of benefits in manufacturing . The main aim of using AI in robotics is to better manage variability and unpredictability in the external environment , either in real-time or off-line . This makes AI-supporting machine learning play an increasing role in software offerings where running systems benefit , for example with optimised processes , predictive maintenance or vision-based gripping .
This technology helps manufacturers , logistics providers and retailers dealing with frequently changing products , orders and stock . The greater the variability and unpredictability of the environment , the more likely it is that AI algorithms will provide a cost-effective and fast solution — for example , for manufacturers or wholesalers dealing with millions of different products that change on a regular basis . AI is also useful in environments in which mobile robots need to distinguish between the objects or people they encounter and respond differently .
5 : Second life for industrial robots
Since an industrial robot has a service lifetime of up to thirty years , new tech equipment is a great opportunity to give old robots a “ second life ”. Industrial robot manufacturers ( such as ABB , Fanuc , KUKA , Stäubli or Yaskawa ) run specialised repair centres close to their customers to refurbish or upgrade used units in a resource-efficient way . This prepareto-repair strategy for robot manufacturers and their customers also saves costs and resources . To offer long-term repair to customers is an important contribution to the circular economy .
According to the International Federation of Robotics ( IFR ), the automotive industry has the largest number of robots working in factories around the world . Operational stock hit a new record of about one million units . This represents about one third of the total number installed across all industries .
“ The automotive industry effectively invented automated manufacturing ,” commented Marina Bill , President of the International Federation of Robotics . “ Today , robots are playing a vital role in enabling this industry ’ s transition from combustion engines to electric power . Robotic automation helps car manufacturers to manage the wholesale changes to long-established manufacturing methods and technologies .”
Robot density is a key indicator which illustrates the current level of automation in the top car- producing economies . According to IFR figures , in the Republic of Korea , 2,867 industrial robots per 10,000 employees were in operation in 2021 . Germany ranks in second place with 1,500 units followed by the United States counting 1,457 units and Japan with 1,422 units per 10,000 workers .
“ The world ´ s biggest car manufacturer , China , has a robot density of 772 units , but is catching up fast . Within a year , new robot installations in the Chinese automotive industry almost doubled to 61,598 units in 2021 , accounting for 52 % of the total 119,405 units installed in factories around the world ,” added the IFR .
Ambitious political targets for electric vehicles are forcing the car industry to invest . The European Union has announced plans to end the sale of air-polluting vehicles by 2035 . The U . S . government aims to reach a voluntary goal of 50 % market share for electric vehicle sales by 2030 and all new vehicles sold in China must be powered by “ new energy ” by 2035 . Half of them must be electric , fuel cell or plug-in hybrid ; the remaining 50 % are to be hybrid vehicles .
“ Most automotive manufacturers who have already invested in traditional ‘ caged ’ industrial robots for basic assembling are now also investing in collaborative applications for final assembly and finishing tasks . Tier-two automotive parts suppliers , many of which are SMEs , are slower to automate fully . Yet , as robots become smaller , more adaptable , easier to program and less capital-intensive , this is expected to change ,” added the IFR .
There are still areas in the supply chain for robotics that are ripe for further deployment and growth , according to manufacturer Dassault Systèmes . These include product assembly , mass customisation and robots as a service ( RaaS subscription-based service model ). The future is bright for industrial robotics …… n
24 | ismr . net | ISMR May 2023