VDMA Robotics and Automation:
Reaching new Heights
Industry expects turnover to grow by 18 per cent in 2011
Frankfurt, 14 April 2011 – “The industry is in a brilliant shape,” says Dr Michael Wenzel, managing director of Reis Holding GmbH, Obernburg, and chairman of VDMA Robotics + Automation, at the press conference of the association in Frankfurt on Thursday. “Our forecast for 2011 expects turnover to grow by 18 per cent to €8.9 billion, which is already very close to the result of the all-time high reached in 2008 (€9.3 billion).” The manufacturers of robotics and automation do not only see great potential for further growth in their major export markets (China, South Korea, ASEAN), but also in Germany for 2011. North America and the central and eastern European countries with comparably low automation penetration still have untapped demand potential. “The automotive industry, too, will further invest in new technologies and use new materials. This creates massive demand for new production facilities or refitting existing ones worldwide,” says Wenzel.
2010: turnover increased by 21 per cent to €7.5 billion
The producers of robotics and automation, which includes industrial image processing, assembly and handling technologies and robotics, generated a significant increase in turnover of 21 per cent, i.e. €7.5 billion, in 2010, the first year after the crisis. “Hence, turnover approximated the level of the year 2006, after 2009 had brought us back to the turnover levels of 2002,” explains Wenzel.
In 2010 exports were key for the quick recovery: Foreign turnover increased by an incredible 31 per cent. China has become the largest export market by far with respect to all three industry sectors, before North America and the central and eastern European countries. In the course of the year, the dynamic development had also gained a foothold in the domestic market, where turnover augmented by 12 per cent in total. “The positive development was propelled in particular by the automotive industry where major investments in production sites at home and abroad immediately set in when the crisis started to fade. With a share of nearly 60 per cent it remains the largest customer for robotics and automation,” says Wenzel.
Development of the industry sectors robotics, assembly + handling technology and machine vision
The turnover generated by the robotics manufacturers in 2010 came in on €2 billion, which is 24 per cent more than in 2009. With respect to the current year, further growth in the region of at least 10 per cent to €2.2 billion is expected. Apart from the automotive industry, it was the food industry that significantly increased its use of robotics on the German market in 2010. The robot manufacturers have also identified the global pharmaceutical, cosmetics and plastics industries as sectors with significant robotic investment potential.
In 2010 global robot deliveries especially to Asia, and in particular to China, have augmented markedly, reaching new heights. In particular the electronics and automotive industry have splashed out on new equipment. Although global robotics sales to Europe and America increased tangibly compared to 2009, they did not reach the record levels of 2008. The International Federation of Robotics (IFR) has just announced that 115,000 industrial robots were supplied in 2010. This means that the number of units sold worldwide has nearly doubled compared to the weak preceding year. The IFR expects a bright future for robotics – especially due to the massive demand from China and other Asian growth regions. Robot sales are expected to grow by 10 to 15 per cent in 2011. This would mean a new record of 130,000 units sold.
“Because of the catastrophe in Japan, supply chains – possibly also for robotics – could be affected, which may lead to longer delivery periods for components. To what extent delivery period for robots will be influenced, remains to be seen,” assesses Wenzel.
Assembly and handling technology reached a growth in turnover of 17 per cent, to €4.3 billion, in 2010. After orders received and turnover had plummeted in 2009, first the manufacturers of components managed to achieve a considerable increase. Systems turnover improved only moderately in 2010, whereas orders received have already risen sharply by two thirds. The resulting turnover, however, will not be realised before 2011 or 2012. This fact and the still ongoing strong demand make us expect that turnover will grow by at least 24 per cent to €5.3 billion in 2011. So the industry will be able to approximate the record figures of 2008.
Exports of assembly and handling technology have augmented by nearly 29 per cent in 2010. In particular China, central and eastern Europe as well as France have boosted foreign sales and are expected to do so also in the current year. The manufacturers of assembly and handling technology see themselves well-prepared, because
Industrial machine vision, where turnover in 2010 augmented by 32 per cent to €1.3 billion, has achieved a new record figure. With domestic turnover rising by 23 per cent, the sector nearly managed to reach its record mark of 2008. In all other regions, and in particular in Asia with top performer China, new all-time highs have been recorded. For 2011 companies sampled expect their turnover to grow by 11 per cent to €1.4 billion, a hitherto unrivalled result.
The demand for machine vision solutions to perform quality control tasks rises everywhere. Also the manufacturers of cameras in Germany scored high with 61 per cent more turnover. At ca. 25 per cent, the share of the automotive industry comes in slightly below the robotics and automation average in total, but still contributed considerably to the excellent result with a growth rate of nearly 70 per cent. Also the pharmaceutical and cosmetics sector and the printing industry have made above-average investments in machine vision products.
Energy efficiency paves way to success – in more than one way
The factory of the future will be geared to achieving maximum results with minimum energy and materials input. “The demand will focus on production technologies that make more from less. Experts assume that in the production process energy savings in the range of 20 to 30 per cent are realistic in the years to come,” says Wenzel. “In addition to particularly efficient drives technologies and lightweight construction of quickly moving parts, e.g. arms of robots and robotic tools, it is control technology that also offers huge saving potentials. Previously a standby mode for robots had not been available, now new automation concepts provide for such operations and lead to significant energy savings.”
As a positive side-effect, the average life cycle of some components is increased, which also helps to reduce costs. In addition, strategies are on the way to program robots in an energy-efficient way, avoid high unneeded acceleration, use braking energy and simulate energy demand. In this way energy consumption is measured systematically at many points and the complex data of the overall plant is coordinated to achieve further reductions. “Yet, robotics and automation is not only in itself energy-efficient, but also assists the green technologies in gaining their ground”, stresses Wenzel. “By optimising production processes novel technologies can be implemented on a large scale in a profitable manner. This is an absolute must if renewable energies and environmental technologies are to become competitive."
Automated photovoltaic production has already started to use robots, assembly and handling technology as well as machine vision to achieve grid parity for solar energy. “Another task at hand is the optimisation of battery production. To achieve a breakthrough for electro mobility, large quantities of high-performance batteries are needed, and their profitable production largely depends on clever automation solutions,” explains the VDMA Robotics and Automation chairman. “Robots, handling technology and machine vision enable the production of particularly lightweight body panels made of fibre-reinforced composites for highly economical cars.”
VDMA “Blue Competence” initiative launched
The engineering federation VDMA and the tool manufacturers association VDW have launched the “Blue Competence“ initiative to bundle all the activities of the machinery and plant manufacturing industry aimed at increasing resource efficiency. “Only a holistic perspective of different areas of technology will make it possible to tap the entire potential for a sustainable and resource-efficient production and for environmentally friendly products. This is why the previous “green automation” campaign of the VDMA Robotics and Automation division will become a part of the new VDMA “Blue Competence” initiative.
AUTOMATICA from 22 to 25 May 2012 in Munich
More than 250 international exhibitors, among them also the key players of our industry, have already promised to attend. More than two thirds of the entire exhibition space are booked by this time. Specialist forums will address strategically relevant lines of development. The service robotics innovation platform will show what service robotics is capable of doing today and what it will be able to do in the future. “Lightweight construction” will be the mega topic that opens up new vistas for the automation industry.
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