AUTOMATION AND ROBOTICS
THE AUTOMATION GAME
Smart production in a factory with KUKA robots .
Economies must embrace automation and build the skills required to profit - otherwise they will be at a competitive disadvantage .
“ Annual installations of industrial robots more than tripled within ten years ( 2010-2019 ), reaching 381 thousand units in factories around the world .”
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been widely felt by manufacturers , with many affected by restrictions on workforce availability caused by lockdown and strict social distancing measures which have reduced their production capacity . Investments in industrial robots and robotic automation are increasingly being seen as a way of addressing the capacity issue and enabling them to comply with social distancing requirements and avoid cross-contamination . Robots also help to improve workplace safety and compensate for staff short shortages / staff illness .
Annual installations of industrial robots more than tripled within ten years ( 2010- 2019 ), reaching 381 thousand units in factories around the world . Governments and companies around the globe now need to focus on providing the right skills necessary to work with robots and intelligent automation systems , according to the International Federation of Robotics ( IFR ), as the post- Corona recovery further accelerates the deployment of robotics .
“ Re-training the existing workforce is only a short-term measure . We must start much earlier – curricula for schools and undergraduate education need to match the demand of the industry for the workforce of the future . Demand for technical and digital skills is increasing , but equally important are cognitive skills like problem-solving and critical thinking ,” explained Dr . Susanne Bieller , IFR ´ s General Secretary . “ Economies must embrace automation and build the skills required to profit - otherwise they will be at a competitive disadvantage .”
A global outlook
The preliminary World Robotics data for China , released by the International Federation of Robotics ( IFR ), shows a sales increase of industrial robots by 19 % in 2020 .
“ The outlook for the robotics industry is optimistic ,” explained Milton Guerry , President of the International Federation of Robotics . “ In China , where the coronavirus lockdown came into force first , the robotics industry already started to recover in 2020 . In total , 167,000 industrial robots were shipped .”
Market growth in China also has a strong positive impact on overseas suppliers – up 24 % or 123,000 industrial robots were shipped from abroad . Japanese suppliers have a
20 | sheetmetalplus . com | ISMR October 2021