Robots form an extremely flexible part of the automation world, while at the same time offering consistent quality of the manufactured products. They help to implement the required flexibility in the production process that we are experiencing today with extremely short product life cycles.

When it comes to the tasks that robots can perform, we need to differentiate between traditional industrial robots and cobots. Traditional industrial robots are characterized by their high speed and precision and can be used in all areas where a short cycle time is required and no direct interaction with humans is necessary. Examples of this can be found in high-speed packaging processes in the food industry as well as in the feeding and handling of products in the automotive and pharmaceutical sectors.

Another category is collaborative robots, known as cobots. These robots are more likely to be seen in the role of direct support for humans in production, where they take on simple and repetitive tasks. This allows human labor with its special skills to be used. Examples of the use of cobots to support humans include the loading and unloading of machines, palletizing, inspection activities and handling tasks.

What are the limits of their abilities?

Robots can generally be used for all work that a human performs with their arms and hands. They do this consistently with traceable accuracy.

The limits of applications for robotics lie in tasks where humans would use their own sensory abilities in the production process to determine the quality of a product and rework it if necessary. Robotics alone cannot help here. However, in combination with artificial intelligence, a wide range of data from the production process can also be recorded and evaluated in robot applications and process parameters can be adapted based on the evaluation, including the parameters of the robot application.

Isn't there a risk that the use of robots will lead to the loss of lower-skilled jobs?

The world of work will change for many people in production plants in the future. Simple handling tasks can be replaced by robots. This means that operators' manpower can be used much more effectively, for example when creating and changing robot programs and machine parameters. To make this possible, cobots, for example, have a programming concept that is easy to learn and operate, in addition to being able to work physically side by side with humans. In the future, machine operators can thus become robot operators who can master this new technology in their day-to-day work without worry.

Can cobots also help to preserve jobs - and if so, how?

If we look at the German economy, around 99% of all companies are SMEs. These companies employ more than 58 percent of all employees subject to social security contributions, more than 81 percent of all trainees and generate 35 percent of the total turnover in Germany. They therefore form the backbone of the German economy.

SMEs are also affected by the aforementioned issues, such as a shortage of workers and specialists, quality problems and short product life cycles. Cobots are a possible solution for guaranteeing flexible, high-quality production in line with demand. Employees are relieved of unnecessary work. Cobots can guarantee investment security for small and medium-sized companies thanks to their flexible application options. The amortization of an investment in cobot technology can be seen flexibly across several possible applications of this technology and is not limited to one machine or one product. The cobot can be used wherever it makes the most sense based on the current order situation.

Relocating production abroad is also associated with a high level of effort and costs. However, relocation does not solve the problem, as countries in Europe, Russia and China are also expecting a decline in the available workforce. Here it is more important to give the excellently trained employees in companies in Germany the opportunity to pursue their specialization and thus remain competitive.

How do you see the future of cooperation between robots and humans?

Humans and robots will move closer together in their daily work. Many of the current developments in the field of robotics are aimed at making work easier for humans. Take bin-picking, for example, which involves picking parts directly from a box to feed them into the production process. Here, people are relieved of an activity that can be physically strenuous and hold them up during the work process. The operator can concentrate on the actual task of controlling the process. This increases quality and quantity.

In addition to the actual functionality, the new developments all focus on simple setup and operation. Cooperation between humans and robots will become easier at all levels, including occupational safety. The ease of use of robotics is an important aspect in achieving acceptance of the technology.

A further step will be the integration of artificial intelligence in order to optimize automated processes, including robotics, in terms of quality and the prevention of unplanned machine downtimes.

Robots will take over more and more human work, but will not be able to replace people. There is an opportunity to make more targeted use of employees' manpower and knowledge. Human work will change to a more highly qualified and less physical activity.