"The use of robotics is rapidly gaining momentum in both traditional and completely new industries," says Milton Guerry, President of the International Federation of Robotics (pictured). "More and more companies are recognizing the numerous benefits that robotics and automation offer for their business model."

1 - Robots in new fields of application: Automation with robots is now reaching areas of application that are still relatively new. Driven by consumer behaviour, companies are trying to meet the growing demand for personalized products and deliveries. In e-commerce in particular, the pandemic has triggered an economic revolution and e-commerce is likely to continue to grow in 2022. There are now thousands of robots installed around the world that did not even exist in this segment five years ago.

In order to counteract the labor shortage, management teams are now looking at automation options that they have not done before. Companies that rely on service staff - for example in the hospitality and retail sectors - are increasingly unable to fill vacancies. These sectors are therefore likely to invest more in automation solutions to meet their customers' needs. Relatively new robotics customer industries such as delivery and logistics companies, construction, agriculture and many others are also benefiting from technologies that are evolving on a daily basis.

2 - Robots are easier to handle. The new generations of robots are easier for users to operate. The trend is towards user interfaces that work with simple symbols and guided programming, making it easier to control robots. Robot manufacturers and some third-party providers are also bundling hardware packages and software to make implementation easier. The trend towards offering complete ecosystems creates enormous added value by significantly reducing the effort and time required for commissioning. In addition, the trend towards low-cost robots also goes hand in hand with simple setup and installation - specific applications can sometimes be preconfigured. Companies offer their customers standard programs in combination with grippers, sensors and controllers. App stores offer ready-made program routines for various applications and thus support the cost-effective use of robots.

3 - Robots and humans are learning: More and more governments, industry associations and companies are recognizing the need to invest early in basic training for the next generation of robots and automation systems. On the way to data-driven production lines, the focus will be on education and training. In addition to internal training of employees, external educational paths will improve the learning programs for employees. Robot manufacturers such as ABB, Fanuc, KUKA and Yaskaea have between 10,000 and 30,000 participants in their robotics courses in more than 30 countries every year.

The use of robotics has the potential to improve the job profiles of factory workers. As the "Great Resgnation", the recent large wave of layoffs in the USA, has shown, people want a modern working environment in which they can build a career. New training opportunities through robotics form a win-win strategy for companies and employees alike: Tedious, dirty and dangerous tasks are automated, while people learn key skills for the industrial workplace of the future, increasing their earning potential throughout their careers.

4 - Robots secure production: Trade conflicts and the Covid-19 pandemic are causing companies to want to move production closer to the customer again. Problems in the supply chain are leading many companies to consider "nearshoring" with the help of automation as a solution.

A particularly revealing statistic from the US shows how automation is helping companies to boost business activities: According to the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), robot orders in the United States increased by 35% in the third quarter of 2021 compared to the same period in 2020. More than half of the orders came from the non-automotive sector.

This record growth is not only being generated by robotics - image processing, motion control and motors are also growing rapidly. "The pandemic, with the resulting bottlenecks in supply chains and labor shortages, seems to have been the impetus for many companies to justify investing in robotics and automation," says Dr. Susanne Bieller, Secretary General of the IFR. "Companies that have been thinking about taking steps towards automation for some time are now the first to actually invest."

5 - Robots support digital automation: For 2022 and beyond, we see a focus on the use of data as a control factor for future production. The information intelligently captured by automated processes will be analyzed by manufacturers to make decisions based on it. The ability of a robot to learn and share tasks through AI can also be used more easily by companies in new environments. This ranges from the construction industry to food and beverage packaging plants and healthcare laboratories.

In addition, artificial intelligence in robotics is becoming increasingly sophisticated and learning robots are becoming mainstream. The industry has already left the pilot phase behind and we can assume that these technologies will be used on a larger scale this year.