The robot as a specialist

This is a real brake on growth, and even more: a threat to the gross national product. The challenge is: who can and will take on the urgently needed labor of almost three million people?

This is where robots come into play - not in every workplace, but in many. This is because simple, monotonous tasks are already largely automated in high-wage countries. This is particularly true for industry, while there is still considerable potential for automation in many other areas such as logistics or healthcare.

Strong and flexible: the new generation of cobots

While cobots have so far primarily operated in the lower payload range, a turnaround is emerging here. Examples of the development towards significantly higher payloads are the new machines from Universal Robots and Fanuc.

Universal Robots sees the new UR20 with a payload capacity of 20 kg as the first robot of a new, significantly more powerful generation of industrial cobots. The manufacturer expects this to be a "huge leap forward in terms of application diversity".

Fanuc is going one step further in terms of payload capacity and is presenting a 30 kg version from the well-known CRX series at automatica. This cobot is not only suitable for collaborative applications, but is also intended for use in industrial environments, for example in food production. They have already been hired by the Swabian industrial oven manufacturer Wiesheu.

Collaborative CRX robots from Fanuc, equipped with integrated vision technology and a "bread roll gripper" from the 3D printer, remove semi-baked goods from a feed belt or from a box and place them on the baking tray provided.

Use in laboratories, pharmacies and restaurants

Because cobots and robots are firstly becoming increasingly flexible and easier to operate and secondly because there is a shortage of skilled workers almost everywhere, exhibitors at automatica will be looking far beyond industrial applications. Marc Segura, President of ABB Robotics, explains: "We will see robots taking on tasks in new sectors such as hospitality and healthcare, especially in laboratories and pharmacies."

There are already examples of this: ABB robots are used in the well-known Haidilao restaurant chain, where the preparation of meals has been automated.

Logistics: more flexible, more intelligent, faster

Robots have always been at home in logistics - sorting, picking and palletizing. Now they can perform these tasks more flexibly, supported by AI and image processing.

In the future, experts expect the automation of manual work processes through a combination of new technologies to make the difference in the competitiveness of logistics service providers. Tobias Kieferl, Product & Market Manager Logistics at Yaskawa's Robotics Division, predicts: "Those who can maximize the efficiency of processes and offer short cycle times with flexible and highly automated systems will have an advantage."

Increasingly powerful AGVs are playing a key role in this. What the latest generations of these driverless transport systems look like and what they can do will also be on show at automatica. In any case, the use of AGVs and AMRs makes it possible to move away from rigidly interlinked processes in favor of highly flexible intralogistics and production structures.

However, mobile robot systems not only transport freely navigating components through the smart factory, but also assist as service robots in hospitals or nursing homes. At automatica, trade visitors can find out how the possibilities in the various areas of life can be put into practice as quickly as possible.