Read in one article: Key sensing technologies in industrial robots
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Industrial robot
An industrial robot is a mechanical device that can perform tasks automatically by responding to human instructions and running pre-programmed applications. Those large and heavy robots are often placed in fixed locations in industrial plants, and workers' tasks and production processes basically revolve around them. This is because industrial robots can effectively reduce the impact of harsh environments on production and manufacturing processes, help companies reduce production costs, improve production efficiency, and ensure product quality. Optimizing production lines to make them more flexible and adaptable to each customer's specific needs is the main goal of industrial robots.
Nowadays, not only large companies have installed a large number of industrial robots, but more and more small and medium-sized enterprises have reduced production costs and significantly increased profitability by introducing industrial robots. Therefore, as one of the main pillars of smart factories, the popularity of industrial robots has increased rapidly in just a few decades.
What is an industrial robot?
In recent years, the definition of industrial robotic systems has evolved significantly. According to the definition of the international standard ISO 8373:2012, an industrial robot is "a multifunctional, reprogrammable, automatically controlled manipulator that can be programmed in three or more axes and can be fixed in an area or moved for industrial automation application".
Industrial robots are generally not humanoid in appearance, although they are capable of reproducing human movements and behaviors, but with the power, precision, and speed of machines. In manufacturing, we think of industrial robots as a workforce capable of performing hazardous or repetitive tasks required of manufacturing operations with high precision.
In 1961, the first industrial robot, the Unimate, joined the assembly line of the General Motors plant in Ewing Township, New Jersey. It was actually an automatic die-casting mold that required hot door handles and other automotive parts to be placed on the production line. The parts are then transported to workers for final finishing and polishing. Statistics from the International Federation of Robotics show that the automotive industry has been the most important customer of industrial robots since 2010.
According to the latest data from Markets and Markets, the industrial robot market is expected to grow from US$15.7 billion in 2022 to US$30.8 billion in 2027; during the forecast period, the compound annual growth rate is expected to reach 14.3%. From an application perspective, industrial robots in the automotive industry have a high application rate, such as moving car bodies in assembly lines and installing mechanical and electronic components. This is also the main driving force for the continued development of the industrial robot market. In 2022, handling applications will account for the largest share of the industrial robot market. Since end effectors (EOAT) can be integrated with articulated robots, articulated robots are expected to occupy a larger share of the traditional industrial robot market in 2022. Figure 1 shows the evolution of mobile robot installations in recent years and forecasts for the future market.
Figure 1: Annual installation volume of industrial robots from 2015 to 2020
And the development outlook for 2021-2024
(Source: 2021 World Robotics Report)
From a technical perspective, the further development of industrial robots is driven by the introduction of collaborative robots that can operate safely with humans. In the past, robots were mostly confined to cages or closed environments for safety reasons to avoid collision accidents when working with humans. Today's robots are equipped with a large number of sensors and soft materials, and have deep learning capabilities, so their safety has been greatly improved. In addition, collaborative robots are generally lighter, easier to move, and less expensive than previous robots, so the product has been recognized by users as soon as it came out. According to authoritative forecasts, the global collaborative robot market is expected to grow from US$710 million in 2018 to US$12.3 billion in 2025. By then, collaborative robots will account for about 35% of all industrial robots, up from 11% in 2018.
Industrial robot types
At present, there are five main types of robots in the industrial manufacturing industry, namely: articulated robots, Delta robots, SCARA robots, Cartesian robots and collaborative robots, among which the most common is the articulated robot.
The automotive, electronics, aerospace, food and medical industries are the main application areas of industrial robots. With the advancement of technology, industrial robots are able to perform large-scale to small-scale production in simple to complex processes, such as arc welding, spot welding, assembly, palletizing, material removal, inspection, material handling and packaging, which are the most common applications. ABB Group, FANUC, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, KUKA, Mitsubishi Electric, Rockwell, Robert Bosch, Siemens and Yaskawa Electric are the main industrial robot providers in the market.
Four key sensor technologies
Industrial robots consist of five main components: controllers, sensors, manipulators, end effectors, and actuators. Sensor technology is one of the most critical applied sciences of industrial robots, which enables robots to navigate and detect environmental changes like humans and make accurate decisions in tricky situations. For robots, especially in industrial automation, sensors must correctly provide key data to implement related complex procedures. In order to ensure reasonable control and operation in the industrial automation process, industrial robots use a large number of sensors. For example, collaborative robots are equipped with torque sensors and cameras, which not only give them a wider field of view, but also ensure the safety of the workplace. So, what sensor technologies are included in industrial robots?
As new technologies continue to emerge, the use of sensors in robots continues to increase. The most commonly used sensors in industrial robots include 2D sensors, 3D sensors, force/torque sensors, and collision detection sensors.
The future of industrial robots
According to Interact Analysis, 2017 was a good year for the industrial robot industry, with revenues growing by 20%. However, since 2018, the automotive industry, the largest user of industrial robot technology, has seen weak consumer demand. As a result, the industrial robot market has declined, with revenues falling by 10% in the two years from 2019 to 2020. In 2021, the industrial robot market rebounded, with shipments increasing by 31.9% year-on-year. In this process, the Chinese market made a great contribution, accounting for 52.5% of industrial robot shipments in Asia.
The continued increase in labor costs, the continued decline in robot prices, the trend from mass production to semi-customized production, the demand for shorter and faster product cycles, and the further improvement of production efficiency and product quality will all become further drivers of industrial robot development. Drivers of adoption at scale. Analysis by Research and Markets shows that the market growth prospects of robotics are very optimistic. In the fields of automobiles, electrical and electronics, construction, medical and defense, robotics has huge growth potential. The global robotics market is expected to grow from US$55.8 billion in 2021. Growth to USD 91.8 billion in 2026, at a CAGR of 10.5% during the forecast period 2021-2026. From a market segment perspective, the global industrial robot market is expected to grow from US$28 billion in 2021 to US$42.2 billion in 2026, with a compound annual growth rate of 8.6%.
In the past, robots were required to perform very specific tasks, usually in fixed locations. Today, with the introduction of sensing technology, the appearance and function of industrial robots, as well as their collaborative application capabilities, have been rapidly improved. The application of sensors enables them to work safely in manned environments and record relevant environmental information. To this end, we can also synchronously collect data from each step of the manufacturing process to achieve full traceability and detailed data analysis, providing a guarantee for better decision-making in the future.
As a key participant in the automated production process, industrial robots directly affect the automation level of the industry. As the complexity and precision of industrial products continue to increase, the requirements for robots will become increasingly complex and demanding. Providing high-quality products at low cost is one of the key challenges hindering the growth of the industrial robot sensors market. At present, robot sensing technology has developed from simple photoelectric and touch switches to advanced tactile, sound and visual sensors. With the emergence of emerging sensing technologies and products, robots will be given more sensing capabilities.
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