Industrial Robotics – The world around us is evolving with the speed of light and technology is booming in its full glory. The idea of robots co-existing around us used to look like a far-fetched dream, a thing of the future or something that could only be seen in sci-fi movies. But we’re actively living that futuristic dream now and our industries are actively working with and building new robots. They are widely being used across industries and have become the backbone of modern manufacturing and transforming operations in a myriad of sectors. Whether its material handling or spot welding, these machines are handling tasks such as assembly and pick-and-place operations like a pro. With this article, let’s dive deeper into understanding these beautiful children of machinery and automation who are changing the industrial world, one automated task a time.  

 Introduction to Industrial Robotics 

Industrial robots are automated, programmable machines that carry out industrial tasks like pick and place, welding, gluing, inspection, and more using a series of actions on an object or workflow. These actions are repeated on an indefinite number of units in high-volume, low-mix tasks, and as industrial robots don’t have the tendency to get bored or tired of these tasks, every action is exactly as detailed and accurate as the first. Their assistance is not just limited to repeated tasks though. They are also finding use in low-volume, high-mix tasks where they may perform slightly different operations every time and are helped by intelligent software and sensors like cameras and lasers to adjust what they are doing.  

 History of Industrial Robotics 

The world’s first industrial robot was brought to life in the United States in 1962. George Charles Devol Jr., an American engineer, was the first person who proposed the idea of a robot that can flexibly respond to automation through teaching and playback. This idea mothered the invention of the first industrial robot, ‘the Unimate’. Unimate was the brainchild of both Devol and Joseph Frederick Engelberger, an entrepreneur and the man who’s now known as “the father of robotics”. Weighing over two tons and featuring a 6-foot hydraulic arm, Unimate was designed for die-casting operations and spot welding of car body parts. The invention of Unimate marked the beginning of a new era in manufacturing, paving the way for more sophisticated and versatile industrial robots. 

 Core Components, Types and Functions of Industrial Robots 

Industrial robots are collaborative tools that are programmable and multifunctional. These functions are controlled by the core components of these machines. Let’s have a look at them: 

Components 

  • Controller: The controller is one of the most important components of an industrial robot. It is the brain that controls the movements through a computer system that programs the instructions of the tasks to be performed. 
  • Sensors: To provide the robots with precision of movements, there are a series of sensors installed which allow them to control both the space to move in a specific way, as well as pressure sensors to perform the work of maximum precision. 
  • Programming: All these tasks are possible thanks to robotics programming and the development of computer languages applied to this discipline, such as C/C++, which has resulted in a very broad field of robotic software.

 Types and their Functions 

The most commonly used types of industrial robots include:  

  • SCARA: An acronym for “selective compliance assembly robot arm”, a SCARA robot’s four-axis arm has stiff joints in three axes but is compliant in the fourth, making it “selective”. These robots are extremely fast and precise and often used to perform the pick-and-place tasks in industries like electronics or food manufacturing. 
  • Articulated Robots: Articulated robots are among the most versatile and widely used types of industrial robots in manufacturing. These robots feature multiple joints, or axes of rotation, which allow them to move in a highly flexible manner. The most common configuration of articulated robots is the 6-axis robot, provided with six degrees of freedom. These degrees of freedom allow robots to move in any direction and reach any point within its workspace, making it suitable for a wide range of tasks. 
  • Delta Robots: Named after the letter of the Greek alphabet it takes its shape from, the Delta robot’s arms point downward, converging at the effector and looking like an upside-down triangle. It’s suspended over the work area with the effector accessing the structure or surface below. Delta robots are widely known for their speed, precision, and lightweight design. They are particularly suited for high-speed pick-and-place applications, where rapid movements and accurate positioning are critical. 
  • Cartesian Robots: Cartesian robots, also known as gantry or linear robots, are type of robot that operates within a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system. This design provides a straightforward and easily understood framework for robot movement, making cartesian robots ideal for a wide range of manufacturing applications, including assembly, material handling and machining. 
  • Polar Robots: Polar robots, also known as spherical or radical robots, are a type of industrial robot that operates within a spherical coordinate system. With a unique design consisting of a rotating base and an extendable arm, polar robots offer a wide range of motion and versatility, making them suitable for various manufacturing applications including welding, painting, and material handling. 
  • Cobots: Large robots that move through programmed actions quickly pose inherent safety risks to people in their environment. To address these risks, cobots are designed to work alongside human colleagues. These robots are often limited to a certain size and speed so that they are unable to cause serious damage or injury, but programming can also enact hard stops with human intervention. This property also makes cobots a natural fit for learning with AI, further training the robot to work on difficult problems. 

 Applications of Industrial Robotics 

Industrial robots have revolutionized the industrial workplace across industries since their introduction to the manufacturing landscape. Here are some of the specific tasks these industrial robots are designed to perform: 

  • Arc Welding: Arc welding, or robot welding, became a common industrial robotics application in the 1980s. One of the driving forces to switch to robotic help for this application was to improve the safety of workers from arc burn and inhaling hazardous fumes. 
  • Spot Welding: Spot welding joins two contacting metal surfaces by directing a large current through the spot, which melts the metal and forms the weld delivered to the spot in a very short time (10 milliseconds approx.). 
  • Materials Handling: Material handling robots are utilized to move, pack and select products. They also can automate functions involved in the transferring of parts from one piece of equipment to another. Direct labor costs are reduced and much of the tedious and hazardous activities traditionally performed by human labor are eliminated. 
  • Machine Tending: Robotic automation for machine tending is the process of loading and unloading raw materials into machinery for processing and overseeing the machine while it does it
  • Picking, Packing and Palletizing: Most products are handled multiple times prior to final shipping. Robotic picking and packing increases speed and accuracy along with lowering production costs.
  • Assembly: Robots routinely assemble products, eliminating tedious and tiresome tasks and increasing output and reducing operational costs. 
  • Mechanical Cutting, Grinding, Deburring, and Polishing: Building dexterity into robots provides a manufacturing option that is otherwise very difficult to automate. An example of this is the production of orthopedic implants, such as knee and hip joints. Buffing and polishing a hip joint by hand can normally take up to 45-90 minutes while a robot can perform the same function in just a few minutes. 

 Technological Advances Driving Industrial Robotics 

Advancements are transforming the robotics and motion control industries due to which there’s also a rapid decline in the cost associated with deploying these innovations. As a result, robotics technology is being deployed across a wide range of applications and across many different industries. Consequently, the industrial robotics market is also booming with a market share of US $17.6 billion in 2024 to US $39 billion by 2035, representing a CAGR of 7.49%. To keep this market rising, traditional technology like sensors and actuators, is being used alongside AI, machine learning and edge computing to make robotics more advanced. 

  • Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning: The recent advancements in AI and machine learning are among the most important factors driving the industrial robotics market. Essentially, AI and machine learning enable robots and other autonomous machines to learn from data, adapt to new situations, and improve their performance over time. 
  • Edge Computing and IoT: The integration of edge computing and IoT technology enables real-time data processing and decision-making and the robot or individual machine level, reducing latency and improving efficiency in robotic systems. 
  • Industrial Internet of Things: Industrial robotics are a critical part of the industrial internet of things (IIoT). Industrial robots will be able to provide data on how to deliver what customers expect. This data will be fed into the IIoT landscape of the organization, so signal readings from devices and systems across the company can present a bird’s eye view of how every process and department is shaping up.  

 Challenges in Industrial Robotics 

Despite numerous benefits, robots are extremely expensive and installing them within a workflow is also a tedious task. Getting the installation of an industrial robot wrong might cost more than it saves. Keeping this in mind, here are a few more challenges faced with industrial robots: 

  • Costs other than the official price tag: The price tag of a robot in a showroom doesn’t essentially include integration management or other tools to situate it neatly into your workflow. Apart from this, small changes to your line or your suppliers’ standards might reveal hidden areas that might add to the already exuberant cost. 
  • Maintenance and short-term costs: A robot doesn’t operate in vacuum, and servicing or upgrading to augment the processes come at a cost. A robot proves as an investment in the long run eventually, but its initial cost of running and getting things started can be a daunting amount.
  • Limited flexibility: At some point, robots do lack the ability to be absolutely independent. When you introduce a new product or workflow shift, humans only need to learn what’s changed. Robots on the other hand, require reprogramming or rebuilding, which takes time, expertise, and expense. 

The Future of Industrial Robotics 

As industrial robotics continues to evolve, it is poised to reshape the manufacturing landscape significantly. Innovations in technology, sustainability practices, and accessibility for small businesses are driving the future of robotics. Here are some key trends to watch: 

  • Smart Factories and Industry 4.0: Smart factories leverage AI, IoT, and robotics to create interconnected manufacturing environments. This integration enhances real-time monitoring, improves production quality, and reduces human error, leading to increased operational efficiency.
  • Sustainability in Robotic Manufacturing Processes: Robotics is facilitating sustainable practices by optimizing energy use and minimizing waste. Technologies such as 3D printing with recycled materials and renewable energy sources are helping manufacturers meet environmental standards while enhancing productivity.
  • Expanding Roles in Small-Scale Businesses: Affordable collaborative robots (cobots) and Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS) models are making automation accessible for small businesses. These innovations empower smaller manufacturers to enhance productivity and compete effectively in dynamic markets without significant upfront investments.

 Conclusion 

Industrial robotics is revolutionizing the manufacturing landscape with an increase in efficiency, sustainability and accessibility across industries. From smart factories powered by 4.0 technologies to eco-friendly manufacturing trends and practices, the future of industrial robotics seems bright and powered by automation. As advancements continue to rock the industrial robotics world, these intelligent machines are all set to play a great role in shaping a more productive, sustainable and competitive industrial world. Industrial robotics are just not for automation but for transforming possibilities into realities. Below figure highlights the industrial robotics landscape. 

 Author(s): Ronit Sharma, Anmol Bali 

 Ronit Sharma is an accomplished business research and competitive intelligence professional with eight years of experience in the market research industry. As a team leader at Roots Analysis, he has authored numerous multidisciplinary market research reports, and led the efforts on several bespoken consulting assignments, providing valuable insights into the latest innovations across different industries. Ronit’s exceptional analytical skills and strategic thinking in the field is driving force behind firm’s intellectual capital, empowering clients to make informed decisions in the dynamic landscape. With a passion for staying at the forefront of industry advancements, Ronit specializes in identifying emerging opportunities for various stakeholders, leveraging his deep understanding of market trends and technological developments. 

 Anmol Bali is a content writer at Roots Analysis, specializing in creating comprehensive market report descriptions and articles across sectors. With extensive experience in content writing, she transforms complex data into clear and easy-to-interpret information. Passionate about research writing and communication, she contributes significantly to the firm’s content and marketing departments.