Technology is constantly changing our daily lives and has a particular impact on the world of work. Automation is fast becoming a key conversation across multiple industries in the UK, including manufacturing with robotics emerging as a solution.
The last few years have seen a need to move towards more automation in the manufacturing industry. In fact, a study done by ABB robotics found that of 250 SMEs and manufacturing companies, 81.2% are considering incorporating robotics into their processes to combat labor shortages and supply chain disruptions.
In this article we look at how, to keep up with the demand facing British manufacturing, more businesses are embracing robotics as a solution. We’ll also dive into what they can do for your business.
What can robots do for you?
A big question from businesses still on the fence about introducing robots is what they can do to improve processes. By automating sections of your manufacturing processes with robots, you are empowered to remain competitive in an ever-evolving industry.
Replacing traditional labor with robots in your processes can help provide additional efficiencies. Robots do not need breaks and are programmed to perform specific practices with much smaller margins for error than humans. This leads to a more cost-effective outcome for your business, which can have more revenue for less paid labor.
Robotics can also be useful when it comes to tasks that require stability that can’t always reliably come from humans. Whether it’s handling or removing materials that may be harmful or dangerous, welding or separating materials from each other, robotics make these tasks much easier to accomplish.
They work among us…
The UK manufacturing industry has moved towards a ‘quality over quantity’ mentality, focusing on the highest value from every product produced, and robotics are now being incorporated into processes.
Between 2020 and 2021, the UK became one of the top 15 sellers of industrial robots globally. This was established by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR). 2205 industrial robots were installed in 2020, bringing the national total to about 23,000.
These robots are primarily found in the automotive industry in the UK with around 875, representing 16% of those installed in 2020. Several sectors are seeing benefit in the application of robots due to a lack of workers, including the food and drink sector which already uses industrial machinery and hydraulic cylinderssaw an increase to 304 robots in 2020. This is a 96% increase in volume over the previous year.
Looking to the future
Although these numbers continue to grow, IFR still ranked UK out of top 20 countries with robot density in manufacturing. We can assume from this that there is still room to grow the presence of robotics in manufacturing on our shores.
The government itself has outlined what growth is possible in its Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), assessment that there has been a potential 40% annual growth for robotics and autonomous systems in the UK between 2020 and 2030. This in turn could mean an additional £6.4 billion of value to the UK economy by 2035. And if our creation and sale of autonomous robots will increase, their use in a number of industries may increase along with it.
Automating your business process with robotics is not something to be afraid of. The myth that robotics is stealing jobs has long been debunked, and there is plenty of room for improvement within the manufacturing industry that they can help solve. Implementing robotics can help keep your business competitive in the global market as well as provide efficiencies that are impossible to achieve with manual labor. There are currently a record number of robots installed; however, there is still room for growth and the amount of revenue that could boost the UK economy if more were installed is staggering.
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