Recently, Universal Robots released its latest forecast for automation trends in 2023. Universal Robots predicts that China's collaborative robot market will maintain strong development momentum this year, with flexibility, high payload, full-scenario application, and customer co-creation becoming essential demands for industrial development.
The Cobot Market Will Maintain Strong Development Momentum
Data from market research firm ABI Research indicates that the global collaborative robot market is expected to achieve a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 32.5% between 2020 and 2030, with its size projected to grow to $8 billion by 2030.
The immense demand for robots stems not only from the market's relentless pursuit of efficiency but also from the widespread labor shortage challenge confronting the global manufacturing sector, and China is no exception. Recruitment difficulties are most apparent in general labor positions, as low-wage, repetitive jobs lack a sense of achievement and appeal for younger generations.
Simultaneously, a shortage of highly skilled talent further compounds the problem. While automation replaces basic tasks, it also creates numerous new positions, thereby increasing the demand for highly skilled workers. In recent years, China's job vacancy-to-applicant ratio for high-skilled talent has consistently remained above 2, meaning there are at least two job openings for every technically skilled individual, highlighting their high demand.
Utilizing safe, flexible, and user-friendly collaborative robots to handle tedious, hazardous, repetitive, and labor-intensive tasks allows human workers to focus on more valuable work. This enhances production efficiency while simultaneously boosting employee job satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment. Against the backdrop of accelerating digital transformation and persistently high labor costs, Universal Robots anticipates that both the Chinese and global collaborative robot markets will continue to represent a vast, untapped opportunity (a "blue ocean") in 2023, sustaining robust growth momentum.
Agile Response to the Ever-Changing Needs of Flexible Manufacturing
The recurring impact of the pandemic on global supply chains has re-emphasized the critical importance of resilience in manufacturing supply chains. Operating in a highly uncertain environment, global manufacturing companies urgently need to enhance production flexibility and management leanness through digitalization and automation to achieve agile production.
Beyond the global macro-environment, the rapidly changing demands of end consumers in the digital era present another layer of pressure on production, compelling enterprises to adopt a "produce-to-demand" model and respond nimbly to market shifts. Traditional manual models cannot keep pace with the fast rhythm of flexible production, forcing companies to undertake comprehensive automation upgrades of their factory systems. In this automation journey, traditional industrial robots often face limitations due to their lack of flexibility and complex deployment, restricting their application scenarios. To better meet the requirements for adaptable, rapid, and safe deployment, a growing number of enterprises are turning their attention to collaborative robots.
Universal Robots forecasts that in 2023, the industry will continue to demand extremely high flexibility from automation solutions to respond swiftly to the volatile needs of flexible manufacturing. Unlike traditional industrial robots, collaborative robots can work safely in direct, close proximity to human workers, integrating seamlessly into existing work cells and stations without the need for additional safety fencing or alterations to the current factory layout.
The installation and operation of collaborative robots are also remarkably straightforward. They can be flexibly and quickly redeployed and reassigned across multiple production line processes. Furthermore, even operators without programming experience can perform quick setup and operation through an intuitive, user-friendly interface after minimal training.
Collaborative Robot Payload and Reach Break New Heights
Historically, collaborative robots, prized for their flexibility and lightweight design, were primarily used by customers for tasks with relatively low payload requirements. However, in recent years, more and more companies have expressed interest in utilizing collaborative robots for higher-payload applications, aiming to replace tasks traditionally handled by industrial robots. Universal Robots' major new product launch earlier this year, the UR20, serves as a prime example of the company actively responding to this trend.
Universal Robots predicts that in 2023, collaborative robots with higher payload capacities and longer reaches will be able to provide more targeted solutions for enterprises across an even wider array of scenarios.
The past few years have witnessed the profound transformation of manufacturing through automation in both China and global markets. Looking forward, Universal Robots anticipates that collaborative robots will play a more crucial role than ever in the enterprise automation upgrade process. Collaborative robot companies should continue to deepen their expertise in all aspects, including payload capacity, scenario-specific demands, ecosystem collaboration, and customer insight, to provide more solid support for the industry's advancement.
