Industrial Robotics in Asia

Great advances in science and technology have ensured that humans need not do anything on their own, especially with automation entering all facets of human life. Industrial robots are becoming increasingly popular all over the world and are responsible for decision making as well as controlling motion, something which was not possible a few years ago. Given the fact that these industrial robots can do mechanical tasks with the same consistent results and without feeling bored, it is obvious that they are the biggest marvels of today.

With nearly 6.5 million operating robots in the world, it is obvious that Asia, which is considered to be the haven of automation, cannot be far behind. Japan is considered to be the pioneer in robotics technology and still rules the roost in Asia as well as the world when it comes to usage of industrial robots, along with the Republic of Korea and China taking second and third places respectively for using industrial robots in Asia.

According to a robotics research conducted by wtec.org, though industrial robots are manufactured in Japan and Europe in great numbers, they are largely used in Japan, with countries like Korea and Taiwan following close in line. This research says that the United States and the European countries are currently lagging behind in the use of industrial robotics, in comparison to these countries. This has been attributed to the attitude shown by the governments of these countries towards industrial robots and automation. In Japan, if you want to start a new industry, one of the seven factors that should be available is industrial robots. Similarly, in Korea, industrial robotics has been defined as one of the 10 most important growth engines of the country. European countries such as Sweden and Italy are said to follow close on the heels of these two Asian giants.

Recent trends in the usage of Industrial Robots

The quality of industrial robots is improving while the price tag is getting smaller, and such robots are used in a multitude of operations including welding, painting, the automobile industry as well as food & beverages. The current market figures state that industrial robotics account for nearly $4 billion of the market economy and boast of a growth rate of nearly 4 percent.

FANUC is a major industrial robot manufacturing company supplying industrial robots to various countries in Asia, especially Japan, and is thereby contributing to the overall growth of industrial robotics in Asia. The recent economic downturn affected the sales of industrial robots in the automobile industry in Japan, Western Europe and the United States. However, this did not diminish the sales of industrial robots to the automobile industries of China, India, Malaysia and Thailand.

It is interesting to note that despite the economic slowdown, the sale of industrial robots has been consistent in the food and beverage industry, which actually showed an increase of nearly 10 percent. Similarly, the machinery and metals industries were also unaffected and showed a consistent rise in the implementation of industrial robotics.

Manufacturing industries in China, Korea and Western countries are now looking forward to using industrial robots for manufacturing. This trend is being witnessed despite the economic slowdown, largely because of the need to reduce the costs of manufacturing, which incidentally is possible with the use of automation. Manufacturers have experienced an increase in labor costs in these countries, especially China, India and other similar, highly populated countries. By using industrial robotics, it is possible to ensure lower investment in business venture while shooting for higher returns. Although many would say that the initial investment is high, there is no recurrent investment, and this makes it a profitable venture for those countries with high labor costs.

In Japan, the industrial robots were largely used in the electronics industry alone, thereby creating a need for their use in other sectors as well. Sectors like clock making, apparel making and other industries are being targeted in a move to enhance the use of industrial robotics in this pioneering country in recent years.

The past few years in India have been marked by an increase in the usage of industrial robotics in areas like the logistics, food & beverage as well as the FMCG industries, where the advantages of palletizing robots are being considered in order to enhance productivity, which will ultimately lead to increased profitability. According to ciol.com, such robots are basically used for packing and loading heavy goods that weigh anywhere between 700 kg and 1300 kg. This requirement, coupled with the fact that KUKA robotics has set up its own plant in India, is a definite move towards the automation of different sectors in India.

Statistics of Industrial Robot Sales in Asia and other Countries

A 2009 report from worldrobotics. org indicates that the sale of industrial robots took a beating in 2008, with only 113,300 units being sold worldwide. This has been attributed largely to the economic downturn that was witnessed during the period. In fact, the automation industry witnessed a large setback during this economic downturn in 2008, mainly because many industries refused to invest in this technology. However, despite this setback, the year 2008 saw 60,300 robots being supplied to different countries in Asia alone. The surprising aspect of these statistics is that while Japan, a pioneer in industrial robotics, was not investing in robotic technology, other countries like China, Thailand, Malaysia and India decided to increase their investments in robotics technology for their industries. In China alone, the increase in investment in industrial robots was nearly 29 percent, wherein these industrial robots were extensively used in the automobile sector as well as the electronics, synthetics and rubber sectors.

Interesting statistics are also available related to the increase of usage of industrial robotics in the non-automobile sectors like furniture, metal industries, machinery industries, photovoltaic industries, glass or ceramic industries and the semiconductor industries. The easy availability of industrial robots and the reduction in cost are the main reasons this technology is being adopted by small and medium scale industries in the Asian continent. The added advantage of being able to compete with the global market has led to nearly 1 million industrial robots being used in Asia alone.

KUKA Robotics has already opened a plant in India to help meet the demands of the country with regard to industrial robots. The KUKA robotics plant in India manufactures state-of-the-art industrial robotic systems, which will help automate different industries including foundry, metal, welding, plastics and automobiles. The start of the KUKA plant in India acknowledges the rise in demand for industrial robotics in India as well as the entire Asian continent.

Future of Industrial Robots

It is important to realize that just like any other technology implementation, the extensive use of industrial robotics will also have its challenges. A wtec.org report shows that manufacturers will have to get the ability to create industrial robots that are well adjusted to the requirements of the real world. Additionally, it is essential that these industrial robots come with a certain level of comfort in the future so humans can easily use them. Thirdly, with the increase of embedded systems and networks, robots might have to work with other robots through networking and sensors, which can be said to be a challenge at present where there is only a single interface between a human and a robot.

Despite the myriad challenges facing the automation industry, several industries will opt for automation for various reasons. Given the fact that automation will reduce the overall investment costs of any industry, it is obvious that people will try and opt for industrial robots. Moreover, quality of product is increased through the use of such automated practices, which makes it another point in its favor. Thirdly, flexibility in the manufacturing process and reduced quantities of wastage of raw materials also ensure that industrial robotics is definitely a force to be reckoned with in the future. Last but not least, automation is a greener way of doing business, which makes it a highly preferred choice for industries that want to be more environment conscious and play their roles in making the planet greener.

Under these circumstances, experts from worldrobotics.org claim that though the current economic downslide created a dent in the sales of robots in the year 2009, it will pick up gradually during the period from 2010 to 2012. Many analysts believe that the Asian market will see an increase of nearly 40 percent in the sale of industrial robots, which incidentally is claimed to be the highest increase across the world. An average increase of nearly 15 percent every year is expected in the European and Asian subcontinent. By the end of 2011, the stock of industrial robots is expected to rise to 1,057,000 from the existing stock of 1,036,000 in 2008. Proponents of industrial robotics believe that this technology will be increasingly used in industries other than the automobile industry, which includes food & beverage, metals and metal products, photovoltaic and pharmaceutical industries.