29 www.drivesncontrols.com June 2023 ROBOTS n also resulted in slower growth than expected in this sector. By contrast, as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, the manufacturing sector has been plagued by work stoppages and labour shortages over the past three years. The demand to upgrade and renovate production lines in traditional manufacturing industries has increased significantly. Coupled with the relocation of factories or production lines by many multinational enterprises in response to supply chain adjustments, and the current trend for reshoring, demand for cobots has increased significantly. The sector with the fastest growth rate in 2022 was the “new energy” industry including technologies such as batteries, wind power, photovoltaics and hydrogen, followed by the automotive and electronics sectors. This is due mainly to the accelerated growth in various parts of the new energy vehicle supply chain. Cobots can replace workstations rapidly due to their flexibility and ease-of-use. In addition, collaborative robots have also seen relatively stable growth in industries such food and beverage, and chemicals and pharmaceuticals. According to our analysis, welding and material-handling are the two biggest applications for industrial robots. In 2022, these applications accounted for more than half of all global sales of industrial robots, with the lion’s share being heavily loaded articulated robots. By contrast, welding robots accounted for less than 5% of sales in 2022, but with huge potential for growth. The poor consistency of manual welding and the harsh working environment make welding the most difficult area for many factories to recruit workers. In small factories, flexible and easily deployable collaborative robots can be used to weld small workpieces, while on large assembly lines, welding of complex workpieces can be accomplished by combining multiple cobots, or using a combination of cobots and skilled workers. Due to the high growth potential of welding scenarios, we have seen major collaborative robot suppliers, including UR, Aubo and Jaka, launching welding-specific systems in 2022. Collaborative palletising has also become a hot topic, with a significant increase in the use of cobot arms for simple palletising applications, and a rise last year in loads exceeding 10kg in industries such as food and beverage, and pharmaceuticals. Customer collaboration The cobot sales channel can be split into direct sales and distribution (through distributors or systems integrators). Because most customers are small- and mediumsized companies, distribution accounted for more than 90% of sales before 2020. Direct sales mainly target major customers in key industries, but due to the wide coverage and geographical distribution of the robot market, relying solely on direct sales does not best meet user needs. Distributors usually have systems integration capabilities and provide automation systems paired with robots for customers in a variety of sectors. The distribution model can build a sales network quickly to occupy the market. However, it’s also important that robot manufacturers do not become overly reliant on the sales and technical support capabilities of distributors, and ensure that they have a solid understanding of the actual needs of end-users. To have a deeper connection with customers and understand their needs, the proportion of direct sales has risen rapidly in recent years. It has become an important trend for robot manufacturers to collaborate with customers. Direct sales allow robot manufacturers to provide suitable systems based on the specific needs of customers, to discover applications for cobots in a particular scenarios, and to work with customers on how best to use collaborative robots. By working closely with end-users, robot manufacturers can also enhance retention rates and loyalty. Bright future It is clear that the cobot market is changing and expanding. We predict the market will continue to grow and adapt in response to shifting customer needs and global events. We expect strong growth in shipments to 2027 and beyond, with price declines slowing as cobots become more intelligent and capable of carrying larger payloads. While logistics applications are currently leading the market, growth is also expected in non-industrial sectors and in areas such as welding, where the full market potential has yet to be exploited. To make the most of the potential for growth, cobot manufacturers will need to listen to what their customers want and develop new applications, while also working with distributors to build their networks. n CAGR in in cobot shipments from 2023-2027 by sector. Logistics will remain the strongest growth market, with other industries starting to catch up Source: Interact Analysis Collaborative robots are adding more capabilities such as an onboard vision systems Image: Omron
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