Abstract: With the continuous development of computer technology towards intelligence and the expanding and deepening of robot applications, industrial robots have become a high-tech industry, playing a significant role in industrial automation and will play an increasingly important role in future production and social development. This article introduces the development status and application trends of industrial robots both domestically and internationally, as well as the economic benefits they bring.
Keywords: industrial robots; development; application; benefits
1 Introduction
Industrial robots are a type of robot consisting of a manipulator, controller, servo drive system, and detection sensor devices. They are human-like, automatically controlled, reprogrammable, mechatronic automated production equipment capable of performing various tasks in confined spaces. They are particularly suitable for flexible production with diverse product types and varying batch sizes. They play a vital role in stabilizing and improving product quality, increasing production efficiency, and rapidly improving working conditions.
2. Benefits of Industrial Robots
The widespread application of industrial robots can gradually improve working conditions, enhance and controllable production capabilities, and accelerate product upgrades. It increases production efficiency and ensures product quality, eliminates monotonous work, saves labor, provides a safer working environment, reduces worker fatigue, minimizes labor risks, improves machine tool performance, reduces workload in processes, minimizes downtime and inventory, and ultimately enhances enterprise competitiveness.
3. Development of Industrial Robots
With the continuous advancement of technology, the development of industrial robots can be divided into three generations. The first generation is the teach-and-playback robot, which mainly consists of a robotic arm controller and a teach pendant. It can repeatedly reproduce and execute pre-guided actions based on recorded information, and is currently the most widely used in industry. The second generation is sensory robots, such as force, touch, and vision robots. They have the ability to respond to and adjust to certain external information and have already entered the application stage. The third generation is intelligent robots, which have the ability to perceive and understand the external environment and can successfully complete tasks even when the working environment changes. They are still in the experimental research stage.
3.1 Development of Industrial Robots Abroad
The United States is the birthplace of robotics. As early as 1961, Consolidated Control Corp. and AMF jointly developed the first practical teach-and-playback robot. After more than 40 years of development, American robotics technology remains at the forefront internationally. Its technology is comprehensive, advanced, and highly adaptable.
Japan imported its first robot from the United States in 1967. After 1976, with the rapid development of microelectronics and a surge in market demand, Japan faced a significant labor shortage. Industrial robots were welcomed as a savior in businesses, leading to rapid development of the Japanese industrial robot industry. Now, Japan ranks first in the world in both the number and density of robots, earning it the title of "Robot Kingdom." Germany introduced robots about five or six years later than Britain and Sweden, but the labor shortage caused by war and the relatively high level of technical skills among its citizens provided favorable conditions for the development and application of industrial robots. Furthermore, German regulations mandated that robots replace human labor in dangerous, toxic, and hazardous jobs. This opened up a broad market for robots and promoted the development of industrial robot technology. Currently, Germany has the second-largest number of industrial robots in the world, second only to Japan.
The French government has consistently prioritized robotics technology, establishing a comprehensive scientific and technological system through substantial support for a series of research programs, which has facilitated the smooth development of robotics in France. Government-organized projects place particular emphasis on fundamental robotics technologies and applied research. Meanwhile, industry supports both application and development efforts, creating a mutually reinforcing cycle that has enabled the rapid development and widespread adoption of robotics within French businesses, securing France an indispensable position in the international industrial robotics community.
Beginning in the late 1970s, the UK implemented a series of policies to support robot development, giving it an earlier start in industrial robotics than Japan, a major robot producer today, and achieving early success. However, the government's mistake of restricting industrial robot development at this time led to a decline in the UK's robotics industry, placing it near the bottom of Western Europe. In recent years, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Finland, Denmark, and other countries have experienced rapid development due to strong domestic demand for robots. Currently, international industrial robot companies are mainly divided into Japanese and European companies. Japanese companies include Yaskawa, OTC, Panasonic, FANLUC, Nachi-Fujikoshi, and Kawasaki. European companies include KUKA and CLOOS from Germany, ABB from Sweden, COBI from Italy, and GM from Austria.
3.2 Development of Industrial Robots in China
my country's industrial robot industry began in the early 1970s. After more than 30 years of development, it has roughly gone through three stages: the nascent stage in the 1970s, the development stage in the 1980s, and the application stage in the 1990s. With the rapid development of science and technology worldwide in the 1970s, the application of industrial robots reached a peak globally. Against this backdrop, my country began developing its own industrial robots in 1972. Entering the 1980s, with the deepening of reform and opening up, and under the impact of the high-tech wave, the development and research of robot technology in my country received attention and support from the government. During the Seventh Five-Year Plan period, the state invested funds to tackle key problems in industrial robots and components, completing the development of complete sets of teach-and-playback industrial robot technology, and developing painting, spot welding, arc welding, and handling robots. The National High-Tech Research and Development Program was implemented, and after several years of research, a large number of scientific research achievements were made. A number of special-purpose robots were successfully developed.
Since the early 1990s, my country's national economy has entered a period of two fundamental transformations, sparking a new wave of economic system reform and technological progress. my country's industrial robots have made significant strides in practice, with the development of industrial robots for various applications such as spot welding, arc welding, assembly, painting, cutting, handling, and palletizing. A number of robot application projects have been implemented, and a number of industrial robot industrialization bases have been established, laying the foundation for the rapid development of my country's robot industry. However, compared with developed countries, my country's industrial robots still lag far behind.
Currently, the main industrial robot companies in my country are Siasun Machinery Automation Co., Ltd. and Shougang Motoman Robotics Co., Ltd.
4. Applications of Industrial Robots
With the deepening and broadening of industrial robot development and the improvement of robot intelligence, industrial robots have been applied in numerous fields, extending from the traditional automotive manufacturing sector to non-manufacturing areas. Examples include mining robots, construction robots, and robots used for maintenance and repair in hydropower systems. The application of industrial robots in defense, healthcare, food processing, and consumer services is also increasing. Automotive manufacturing, a highly technology- and capital-intensive industry, is also the sector with the most extensive application of industrial robots, accounting for almost half of all industrial robots used. In my country, industrial robots were initially applied in the automotive and construction machinery industries. In automobile production, industrial robots are a major type of automation equipment, widely used in processes such as arc welding, spot welding, painting, handling, gluing, and stamping in the production of complete vehicles and parts. It is predicted that my country is entering a period of rising car ownership, with car ownership expected to continue growing at a rate of approximately 15% annually in the coming years. Therefore, the demand for industrial robots will experience rapid growth in the next few years, with an annual increase of around 50%, leading to the rapid development of industrial robot applications in my country's automotive industry.
Besides their widespread application in the automotive industry, industrial robots are also experiencing rapid growth in demand in sectors such as electronics, food processing, non-metallic processing, consumer goods, and wood furniture manufacturing. In Asia, 72,600 industrial robots were installed in 2005, a 40% increase compared to 2004, with approximately 31% used in the electronics industry. In Europe, statistics show that compared to 2004, the application of industrial robots in food processing increased by about 17%, in non-metallic processing by about 20%, in consumer goods by 32%, and in wood furniture manufacturing by about 18%. Industrial robots also have wide applications in the petroleum industry, such as offshore oil drilling, oil platform and pipeline inspection, refinery work, and welding of large oil tanks and storage tanks. In the coming years, sensing technology, laser technology, and engineering network technology will be widely applied in the field of industrial robot operation, making industrial robot applications more efficient, of higher quality, and with lower operating costs. It is predicted that robots will be applied in fields such as medicine, healthcare, biotechnology and industry, education, disaster relief, marine development, machine repair, transportation and agriculture and fisheries in the future.
5. Conclusion
In my country, the industrial robot market share is largely dominated by foreign companies. Faced with such international competition, domestic industrial robot enterprises face considerable pressure. As my country transitions from a "manufacturing giant" to a "manufacturing powerhouse," its manufacturing sector faces the significant challenge of aligning with international standards and participating in the international division of labor. Improving industrial automation in my country is therefore urgently needed. The government will undoubtedly increase its financial investment and policy support for robots, injecting new momentum into the development of the industrial robot industry.
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Edited by: Chen Dong
