What drives the robot market in 2024?

Never before have there been so many active industrial robots as today. The International Federation of Robotics IFR has currently determined the number of industrial robots at about 3.9 million units worldwide – a new record. The strong demand is driven by a series of fascinating technological innovations. These run the gamut from use of artificial intelligence to collaborative robots for new applications and humanoid solutions.

Every year, the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) publishes the most important trends that are expected to shape robotics and automation. For the year 2024, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are right at the top of the list. In no other area is technological development advancing at such a rapid pace as in artificial intelligence. Of course, AI use is also rapidly increasing within applications for robotics and automation. And with the development of generative AI, new solutions keep coming. This subspecies of AI specialises in learning by training and then developing something new – thanks to online tools like ChatGPT, these applications are already well known. Robot manufacturers are now developing interfaces controlled by generative AI to allow for more intuitive programming of robots. Users can create programs in natural language instead of code. In practice, this means employees no longer need any specialised programming skills in order to select and modify the desired actions of the robot.

Another example is predictive AI, which analyses performance data from robots in order to determine the future status of systems. Preventive maintenance helps manufacturers reduce costs caused by downtime. Algorithms used in machine learning can also analyse the data from several robots of the same type and can optimise processes based on this information. In general, we can say: The more data an algorithm for machine learning receives, the better it performs.

Human-robot collaboration continues to be an important trend in robotics. The rapid advances in the development of sensors, image processing technology and intelligent grippers allow robots to react in real time to changes in their environment and to work safely side by side with humans. Collaborative robot applications support human employees in their daily work: Tasks like heavy lifting, monotonous movements or work in dangerous environments are no longer necessary. Robot manufacturers are offering more and more areas for collaborative applications.

Increasingly, small and medium sized enterprises are now using cobots to automate their production, packaging and logistics tasks. Bespoke gripper systems, however, are an essential condition which robots need to flexibly adapt to almost every task. interpack exhibitor Schmalz is a specialist for automation using vacuum and offers grippers and vacuum generators for all common cobots on the market. Using grippers, collaborative robots can pick up widely different types of goods and components and move, position, process, sort, stack and place them. Vacuum grippers are especially gentle when handling workpieces and can grip from above. Precisely because the object need not be grasped circumferentially, vacuum suction grippers can position objects next to each other without gaps.

The lack of qualified personnel in several sectors is currently leading to an increase in cobot applications. According to the IFR, this increase in demand proves that automation does not have to lead to a lack of skilled workers, but on the contrary can be a solution for staff shortages. Currently, new competitors are aggressively entering the market and specialising exclusively in collaborative robots. Mobile manipulators offer new use cases which could again significantly increase the demand for collaborative robots.

Mobile manipulators – called “MoMas” – automate the handling of material and combine the mobility of robot platforms with the dexterity of manipulating arms. This allows them to move and handle objects in complex environments. This is an especially important capability for applications in manufacturing. Equipped with sensors and cameras, these robots carry out inspections of and maintenance work on machines and systems. One of the critical advantages of mobile manipulators is their ability to work directly with human employees. The lack of qualified professionals and workers for all kinds of factory jobs will probably increase the demand further.

Another trend spotted by the international robotics association is the increasing use of digital twins to optimise the performance of physical systems using their virtual images. As robots in factories are increasingly digitally integrated, digital twins can record real operational data to conduct simulations and predict probable events. As a purely digital model, the twin can be tested under stress conditions and modified without any wear or safety risks. Compared to tests with physical systems, such virtual simulations save significant costs. The advantage: Digital twins bridge the gap between the virtual and the physical world.

Robotics has also seen significant technical advances in humanoids, which can take over a broad spectrum of tasks within different fields of work. The humanoid design with two arms and two legs allows the robot to be flexibly employed in work environments which were originally designed for humans. For example, it can be easily integrated into warehouse processes and infrastructures. China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) recently published detailed goals for the country’s ambitions to start mass volume production of humanoids by 2025. The MIIT assumes that humanoids will be another revolutionary technology, like computers or smartphones, and will change the way we produce goods, or even our daily lives, according to the IFR.

The potential effects of humanoids on different sectors make them a fascinating area for development. The introduction of humanoids to the mass market, however, remains a complex challenge. One key factor is the cost: Success will depend on whether they, for example, can be profitable compared to established robot solutions like mobile manipulators.