Industrial automation grows more important to manufacturing every day. Machines have long been a crucial component of industry, but human workers are steadily being displaced by industrial robots. The state of a country’s manufacturing industry is longer reflected by the number of human workers holding manufacturing jobs. Sure, more jobs in manufacturing can indicate strength, but human workers are not nearly as important to manufacturing as they once were. It now takes fewer workers to produce more goods. Manufacturers across the globe are investing in industrial robots and industrial motion control. But where is industrial automation seeing the most growth? While automation flourishes across the planet, one part of the world is investing more in factory robots than anyone else.
Who is investing in industrial automation?
The International Federation of Robotics predicts that 1.4 million new industrial robots will be installed in the next 3 years. The United States is investing in robotics, but not nearly as much as other parts of the world. According to the IFR report, 65% of countries with an above-average proportion of industrial robots per 10,000 employees are in the European Union. One country, however, puts the rest of the world to shame when it comes to investing in industrial automation.
Asian countries deployed more factory robots than the rest of the world combined last year. China, Korea, and Japan are all expected to outpace the rest of the world in industrial robot purchasing. Estimates predict China alone to account for 40% of the entire global market for industrial robots in 2019.
Which industries use industrial automation the most?
The IFR report states that 70% of all industrial robots are currently used in automotive, electronics, and metal and machinery industries. Each of these industries saw significant increases in automation lat year, and should continue to become increasingly automated over the next few years.
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