Applications of industrial robots
Previously, industrial robots in my country were mostly used in medium and large enterprises. However, in the past two years, shutdowns and production stoppages in labor-intensive industries have occurred frequently. Against this backdrop, the introduction of industrial robots has greatly improved the automation level of small and medium-sized enterprises.
my country has established a relatively stable supply chain, which has attracted global demand and stimulated domestic manufacturing demand for industrial robots.
The emerging demand for automation transformation in general industrial sectors and new industries has created an opportunity for the development of industrial robots. Emerging sectors have become fertile ground for the development of domestically produced industrial robots. In 2021, China's industrial robot shipments reached 256,300 units.
In the past, industrial robots were widely used in the automotive manufacturing industry for processes such as stamping, spot welding, assembly, and painting. With the upgrading and transformation of the manufacturing industry, the next promising field will be the electronics industry.
Industrial chain development and cost proportion
The industrial robot industry chain is mainly divided into three segments: upstream core components, midstream robot manufacturing, and downstream system integration. Upstream core components, including reducers, servo systems, and controllers, account for over 60% of the cost of industrial robots. Midstream robot manufacturing involves the overall structural design and processing of the industrial robot, accounting for approximately 25% of the cost. Downstream system integration serves a wide range of users and accounts for less than 10% of the cost.
Policy Development Environment
In December 2021, 15 departments, including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, jointly issued the "14th Five-Year Plan for the Development of the Robot Industry". By 2025, the revenue of my country's robot industry will grow at an average annual rate of over 20%, and by 2035, robots will become an important part of people's lives.
With strong support from national policies, various provinces and cities have introduced a series of policies to support and guide the development of industrial robots, based on their local conditions. For example, Beijing released the "Beijing Robotics Industry Innovation and Development Action Plan," focusing on breakthroughs in key core and cutting-edge technologies for robots. Various regions have also introduced relevant policies on technological breakthroughs in core components: Shanghai's "Shanghai High-end Equipment Industry Development '14th Five-Year Plan'" points out the need to develop high-precision robots for processing and other scenarios; Guangxi's "Guangxi Machinery and High-end Equipment Industry Manufacturing Cluster Development '14th Five-Year Plan'" points out the need to actively explore new blue ocean markets such as robots, drones, and tourism, focusing on cultivating the robot and intelligent manufacturing equipment and emergency equipment industries to achieve "accelerated growth" in these new sectors.
Industrial Robot Development Prospects
In recent years, key components such as RV reducers and servo motors have constrained the development of industrial robots in my country. In response, the country has begun to improve the performance of these key components. It is also promoting robot standardization, accelerating the research and development of urgently needed standards, and strengthening the application and promotion of existing standards. Furthermore, the country emphasizes establishing and improving the innovation system, leveraging the role of key robot laboratories, engineering (technology) research centers, and innovation centers to strengthen research on cutting-edge and common technologies and accelerate the transformation of research results.
As the application scope of industrial robots expands, the demand for robots is increasing in non-manufacturing industries such as construction, agriculture, mining, and disaster relief, as well as in everyday life. Therefore, the application of more intelligent robot technologies will inevitably become a research hotspot in the future, and industrial robots may evolve towards miniaturization and more precise manufacturing processes.
