Robotics is a gamechanger, fast transforming multiple industries and is speeding up the fourth industrial revolution
From taking on missions too dangerous for human manpower to execute, to tasks that require a high level of consistent precision to complete, the benefits of robots are multi-fold and fast growing.
It is not surprising that over the past decade, global sales volume of industrial robots has tripled, peaking at 422,000 sold units in 2018.
Supply chain disruptions, labour shortages and COVID-19 have made it an even clearer need for manufacturers beyond the automotive and electronics sector to harness on the capabilities of robotics to enhance productivity, flexibility and move towards a more operational factory of the future. Emerging markets of present are looking toward automation to improve product quality and stay ahead of the competition in export markets.
Another factor contributing to the rise of robots in the workplace is cost. The average selling price for a robot has fallen by more than half over the past 30 years.
Let’s take a look at some key trends shaping the robotics of tomorrow:
Trend 1: The Rise in Robotics Adoption Within the Automotive and Industrial Sector
Businesses are focusing on automating operational procedures to reduce costs and time while producing high-quality products, with industries like automotive and electronics being the first to adopt robotics into their manufacturing processes.
The growth in robotics sales was mainly contributed by the automotive and electronics sectors, accounting for around 23% - 31% of new installations in 2020. In a published report by Visiongain Research Inc, it was reported that “global automation and robotics in automotive manufacturing market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 9.3% by 2032”.
From welding and painting cars to manually assembling components, industrial and lightweight robots are quickly becoming more prevalent across several industry verticals. For several years, automation technology has been at the core of automotive industries and will continue to advance and rise post-pandemic. Robots are now even more prevalent in the automotive sector due to its capabilities to handle complicated and complex operations with greater accuracy and at faster speeds than a human worker.
As a leading global supplier for high quality performance components and systems for robots in the automotive and industrial sector, Schaeffler sees the machine tool sector as one of the most prospected markets due to several machine tool manufacturers who plan to make their own robots or collaborate with robotics manufacturers.
Schaeffler has a very strong portfolio of high-performance components and system assemblies, focusing on applications in lightweight robots and cobots that require high speed, precision, and increasing load-bearing capacity. These components include the XZU double row angular contact needle roller bearing, the DuraWave precision strain wave gear, the UPRS-series motors, and Melior Motion‘s planetary gearbox.
Trend 2: The Need for Seamless Integration & Interoperability
Industries like manufacturing and electronics are picking up the trend to adopt a second or even third wave of robots in the workplace. This however, results in a major challenge faced by adopters – the lack of interoperability.
For robots to work efficiently and safely, they need to communicate with each other as well as other systems. If this issue is not tackled, this pain point can hinder productivity of the facility. It can even result in a halt of operations as the robots start obstructing and interfering with each other. This interoperability pain point is expected to become more common as robotics adoption becomes more prevalent across several industries.
To minimise the risk of interoperability, condition monitoring can help to identify changes in machines that could indicate as a developing fault. Condition monitoring is a major part of predictive maintenance. It allows for maintenance to be scheduled ahead of time, resulting in prevention of further issues from developing.
Schaeffler OPTIME represents a great example of how machines, robots and systems can communicate efficiently with each other. This comprehensive condition monitoring solution comprises of wireless sensors, a gateway and digital service that monitors thousands of units easily, quickly and cost-effectively. With OPTIME, employees can easily analyse data, gain access to hard-to-reach machinery through digital reading, permit long-term planning of maintenance measures, prevents unplanned downtime and more.
Trend 3: Cobots Take Centrestage
While companies desire full automation, there are still many tasks that cannot be performed as well as humans and require human intervention. Instead, cobots can help to bridge the automation gap as developers perfect the transition of robotic artificial intelligence (AI).
Although cobots may seem like they may be taking over human jobs permanently, they are in fact deployed to work alongside humans. By taking over monotonous and dangerous jobs, cobots can immediately free up man hours, allowing employees to be assigned to more valuable tasks and solving the constant issue – labour shortage.
With the increasing power density and precision of these components, Schaeffler’s lightweight robots and cobots can be used in areas of application that require high speeds, precision, and cleanliness levels, as well as increased load bearing capability. Some of the additional benefits of using Schaeffler’s bearings for robots and cobots include setting a new benchmark standard in terms of durability and torsional rigidity for gearboxes, longer reach, a more compact articulated arm, low operating costs and simple mounting.
The use of cobots, including robot arms, whilst still primarily used in industrial automation, is now expanding into new market sectors, such as the healthcare or medical industry that require more complex, high precision movements beyond simple, repetitive tasks – giving rise to potential technological advancement and market growth.
Trend 4: Intellectual Property (IP) as Core for Innovation
As more and more players enter the robotics market, companies are increasingly looking to the intellectual property (IP) system to safeguard their interests.
Patents are the key to protecting robotics innovations and in maintaining an innovative edge. Strategic businesses are increasingly beginning to leverage on design patent to safeguard the entire design and functionality of their robots and user interfaces.
Since 2009, there has been an increase in the number of granted robot patents published worldwide. This exponential increase in turn marks a need to protect innovation.
Given the capital-intensive nature of robotics R&D and the need for regulatory approval, IP is especially critical for companies to protect themselves against intellectual property theft, so they can focus on positioning themselves with the right investors to drive enhancements in technology.
While automotive and electronics companies remain the largest filers of robotics patents, new players from university-industry collaboration are emerging. Dr. Volker Maier, Chief Technology Officer at Schaeffler Asia Pacific shares that “Schaeffler has invested heavily into their R&D teams and collaborated with leading universities globally, such as Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, where their SHAREatNTU facility is focused on developing innovative industry 4.0 and robotics solutions.”
“These solutions help our customers to optimise their processes, enhance their efficiency and flexibility, and support them in becoming more resilient and sustainable,” continues Dr. Maier.
Trend 5: The Reduction of Carbon Footprint Through Robotics
As a business operating in a world threatened by severe climate change and increasing greenhouse emissions, companies should look into leveraging on robotics to mitigate these damages and help achieve their sustainability goals moving forward.
According to PwC and Microsoft, AI is projected to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by up to 4% in 2030, which is equivalent to 2.4 gigatons of carbon dioxide emissions.
Most of the industrial robots that are used to replace ageing equipment are getting more and more compact, allowing for higher operational efficiency with fewer environmental pollutants and a healthier bottom line as a result.
Robots that incorporate smart metre reading can also help companies monitor and cut back on energy consumption, while the data collected can drive more informed, less wasteful decisions. Through process mining, robots can extract the necessary data and translate processes into visible workflows, from which inefficiencies can be identified and addressed.
Energy-efficient, material and process-optimised bearing technologies can also play a key role in reducing carbon footprint within the robotics manufacturing industry itself. The Schaeffler Group has optimised production processes with a focus on resource efficiency. According to Schaeffler, reconditioning or repairing aircraft or wheelset bearings is cost-efficient, and can even reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to 81%. This can also cut down on raw materials and energy required compared to the production of a new bearing.
In another instance, Schaeffler reduced the material use and the rate of material removal by up to 65%, through machining the necessary to form cages made from forge blanks in the field of large wind turbine bearings. The smaller production allowance and optimised heat treatment processes also reduce the energy requirements of heat treatment plants for roller bearing rings, resulting in both cost and environmental benefits.
Robotics and the Factory of the Future
The next new wave of automation will be driven by the same things that first brought robotics and automation into the workplace- improvements in quality by eliminating human errors and reduction of manufacturing costs.
The new challenges of today will shift towards enabling the use of robotics in environments that have not been suitable for automation up to now and allowing the capture of entirely new sources of value in manufacturing.
Building on Schaeffler’s experience in developing and producing durable and precise products in the mechanical, mechatronics and industrial 4.0 domains, the company provides high performance XZU bearings, high performance and compact PCB motors and torque sensors to support robotics manufacturing for specialised industries.
To virtually experience Schaeffler’s range of products for lightweight robotics, download the Augmented Reality app, which superimposes a digital image of a lightweight robot or cobot onto the physical world right before your eyes.
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