Robots have become an integral part of production. According to a forecast by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR ), two million new industrial robots will be installed in factories worldwide over the next two years. Three drivers are emerging: simplified operability, human-machine collaboration and digitalization.

Trend 1: Smart and simple

One reason for the triumphant advance of industrial robots is that their programming and installation will become much easier. Various factors play a role here: sensors and intelligent software enable teaching methods. This allows robots to be programmed by demonstration. A human first performs the task that the robot arm is to carry out: He moves the robot arm and demonstrates the desired sequence of movements. The recorded data is then converted by the software into the robot arm's digital program. In the future, automatic learning programs will instruct robots to optimize their movements using trial-and-error methods and work with video demonstrations. Cobot manufacturer Universal Robots, among others, is already using this method.

Trend 2: Cooperation between humans and robots

In comparison, applications in which humans and robots work on the same part at the same time are more challenging. Research and development (R&D) is currently focusing on methods that allow robots to react with humans in real time. Just as two humans would work together in the factory, the robot should adapt its movements to the environment to ensure truly responsive collaboration. In these solutions, the robot should also be able to recognize and interpret the human voice or gestures. With today's technology, human-robot collaboration already offers enormous potential for companies of all sizes and industries. Investments in collaborative systems will complement traditional industrial robots.

Trend 3: Digital robots

Robots are becoming a central component of networked production. They must therefore be able to communicate with each other, with other machines and with higher-level systems, regardless of the manufacturer. The so-called "OPC Robotics Companion Specification", which was developed by a joint working group of the VDMA and the Open Platform Communications Foundation (OPC), defines a standardized generic interface for industrial robots and enables the connection of industrial robots to the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). The connectivity of robots, for example with cloud technology, is also a driver for new business models: robot leasing - known as Robots-as-a-Service - for example, has advantages that could be particularly attractive for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs): no capital commitment, fixed running costs, automatic upgrades and no need for qualified personnel for the robots.