Industrial robots are more readily available and cheaper than ever before.
Industrial robots are robots used for assembly applications. While traditional industrial robots are already readily available in manufacturing and electronics industries, those equipped with sensors and artificial intelligence are seeing their influence grow exponentially. The industrial robot market is projected to reach $33.8 billion by 2025, nearly tripling in size since 2016. From an industrial perspective, installing industrial robots makes significant sense. Moreover, the robots today that manufacture machines, pack and transport goods, and flip hamburgers are vastly different from their predecessors. Let's review and analyze the major changes that have occurred in industrial robots over the years and their impact on future applications.
01 Industrial robots in the warehouse
Previously, industrial robots were mostly used in large-scale manufacturing operations at automakers' factories; now, major retailers are adopting the same approach in their warehouses. It's no surprise that Amazon is installing industrial robots to streamline sorting and packaging processes. As of last year, the company had 45,000 robots operating in 20 facilities. Online supermarket Ocado uses industrial robots to handle goods and hopes to supply robotic warehouses to other retailers.
02 Industrial robots facing consumers
Beyond factory floors, industrial robots are becoming increasingly commonplace for consumers. For example, in the fast-food industry, MisoRobotics' Flippy burger flipper has been piloted by the American fast-food chain CaliBurger, bringing industrial robots to the front lines of customer service. This concept of using robots as workers will be promoted by businesses and become familiar to consumers. This could spur wider social applications, such as home and educational robots. However, in order to handle the nuances of human interaction, industrial robots must become better collaborators, whether with customers or colleagues.
03 Collaborative Robots
Collaborative robots are industrial robots specifically designed to work alongside employees in the supply chain. While they have existed for many years, in 2016 their sales accounted for only 3% of all industrial robot sales. This proportion is projected to rise to 34% by 2025 due to advancements in artificial intelligence, standardized software, and cost reduction. The use of industrial robots is hampered by hardware costs, software complexity, and potential risks to human workers. Furthermore, collaborative robots are cheaper because they are easier to program, given their collaboration with humans. These technologies are also more readily available to companies without substantial resources.
04 Flexible Robots
A significant phenomenon in the field of robotics is the development of "flexible robots." These robots are no longer the bulky metal robots used to connect to production lines. Furthermore, advancements in materials science and 3D printing technology have made it possible to manufacture robots using silicone and other flexible alternatives. For example, researchers at the University of California, San Diego, 3D-printed a lighter, more maneuverable robot with four hollow legs. The goal of creating flexible robots is to expand their role in real-world environments, which in turn will enhance the capabilities of industrial robots. Flexible robots can be used in industrial applications that require precise manipulation or operate in suitable environments.
05 VR Training Robot
The main obstacles to installing industrial robots include time and the expertise required to train them. Currently, many companies are working to change this by using virtual reality robot training. Human operators remotely control the robot in a virtual environment, executing actions that the robot would perform in reality. This expertise is then applied in real-world scenarios. As technology advances, imitation learning reduces the cost of individual robots and allows them to acquire more skills in low-risk environments. Guided by machine learning algorithms, robots can more accurately simulate humans. Furthermore, software standardization will help enable people without coding knowledge to command intelligent machines to perform tasks. However, the way robots are trained affects the quality and quantity of what they can do.
The ability to easily train collaborative and imaginative industrial robots has redefined our understanding of industrial robots. Technological advancements in artificial intelligence, materials science, and innovative programming solutions have fueled the rise of robotics.
06 Summary
These developments have acted as a catalyst for large-scale adoption—not just in the warehouses and shops of large enterprises. Ease of installation and lower costs also benefit small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with these new industrial robots. As these robots acquire skills, traditional industrial models will eventually be replaced by smarter, more suitable alternatives.
