Hearken to this text

The previous few years have seen many organizations implement tech-driven modifications at a fast tempo. As society turns into extra digital, embracing expertise and successfully managing new processes is essential to the success of just about each enterprise.

With fast office transformation evident throughout industries, whether or not that’s transferring to hybrid working or adopting new applied sciences, what can we count on from 2023? Listed here are 5 predictions for the approaching yr.

1. Turnkey options will make automation extra accessible than ever

In recent times we now have witnessed the event of many various kinds of subtle applied sciences. Advances in robotics, machine studying and different applied sciences have elevated the tempo of this modification tenfold. Whereas these promise to vary or revolutionize the enterprise world, all expertise corporations endure from the identical drawback – they will’t be good at every little thing.

On the planet of robotics, that is no completely different. Making a robotic system requires {hardware} improvement, software program improvement, software improvement, sensors, and interfaces to call just a few. That’s why 2023 would be the yr of turnkey options.

Unique Gear Producers (OEMs) – corporations creating new purposes and merchandise round present applied sciences – will lie on the coronary heart of this. They can drive innovation by combining applied sciences to ship full options for the most typical purposes, similar to welding and palletizing. The consequence? Automation will develop into extra subtle but extra simple to make use of than ever earlier than.

Enabled Robotics, an OEM based mostly in Denmark, is a good instance of how this works. Since 2016 the corporate has been working to mix two forms of cutting-edge expertise by mounting collaborative robotic arms (cobots) onto autonomous cell robots (AMRs). This hybrid expertise is now working in trade, warehouse administration and manufacturing and bringing robotics to service purposes and hospital intralogistics.

Finally, these out-of-the-box options make it simpler for corporations to combine essential applied sciences and there’s no restrict to the imaginative methods corporations will discover to convey robots alongside people on the planet of labor.

2. Producers will flip in direction of modular manufacturing

Conventional industrial robots stay necessary in some elements of producing, however we’re seeing a pattern in direction of deploying extra versatile fashions of manufacturing. That is largely right down to the truth that conventional industrial robots are usually massive and stuck and entail complicated deployment.

In distinction, cobots can carry out an identical vary of actions to conventional industrial robots however are smaller, lighter and far simpler to deploy. They’re designed to work alongside people so pose much less threat to security and are higher suited to environments that require flexibility and flexibility. On high of this, they’re most cost-effective for companies trying to deploy automation – a key consideration as we transfer into 2023.

The cobot trade is projected to develop to USD 2.2 billion by 2026 (The Collaborative Robotic Market 2022 Report, Work together Evaluation). As cobots proceed to vary the way in which work is finished in purposes similar to packing, palletizing, welding and meeting, in 2023 we are going to see even bigger corporations turning to light-weight cobots to extend modularity of their manufacturing. Robotic weight and flexibility can be key specs for these searching for new automation options and we are going to see extra reconfigurable robotic work cells than ever earlier than.

3. Larger payload and longer attain cobots will change the panorama for some purposes

As extra corporations transfer in direction of cobot automation, many will nonetheless wish to deal with heavy payloads. The excellent news is that we now have just lately seen the introduction of a number of greater payload, longer attain cobots. In 2023 these will proceed to remodel elements of the manufacturing trade, enhancing the working lives of many workers.

This yr, Common Robots offered a brand new cobot, the UR20, which is constructed for greater payloads, sooner speeds, and superior movement management all inside a light-weight, small footprint system. The 20 kg payload capability will rework industries similar to palletizing whereas its 1750 mm attain is eagerly anticipated to be used in welding. Producers searching for that further flexibility will discover the robotic mild sufficient to be unbolted and relocated or hooked up to a heavy base with wheels. It will create new prospects for purposes and can drive innovation throughout the board. The UR20 can be delivered to prospects in 2023.

Annual installations of commercial robots worldwide. | Supply: IFR

4. Regardless of international uncertainties, long-term will increase in industrial robotic installations will proceed

The latest IFR World Robotics Report confirmed industrial robotic set up reached an all-time excessive in 2021 rising by 31% over the earlier yr. General, worldwide annual robotic installations between 2015 and 2021 have greater than doubled. Though progress in 2022 appears to be slower throughout the sector, that is largely right down to international uncertainties triggered by the pandemic and shortage of digital parts.

We count on the upward pattern of cobot automation to renew in 2023. Why? As a result of companies internationally are dealing with labor and abilities shortages and, regardless of the day-to-day challenges dealing with trade proper now, we’re within the midst of transition in direction of trade 5.0 the place working alongside robots will create extra human-centric, sustainable and resilient companies.

5. Prospects can be discovered on the coronary heart of product improvement

Though we speak extensively about robotic collaboration within the office, human collaboration is what drives innovation.

Prospects perceive their very own wants higher than anybody else and, because the automation market has matured, are higher positioned than ever earlier than to supply beneficial enter on their necessities. This implies robotics corporations will contain prospects far more in product improvement. It’s why Common Robots has reorganized its product creation groups and is focusing closely on understanding the issues prospects are dealing with earlier than designing options.

Co-development tasks the place robotics corporations and prospects work collectively in creating particular options are additionally certain to extend in 2023 and past. Finally these permit prospects to instantly affect the product they’re shopping for, whereas on the similar time delivering beneficial suggestions for the robotic corporations – which means they may be capable of launch a product to the advantage of the entire market.

Now greater than ever, companies have to innovate continuously and stay adaptable so as to survive and increase. As we head into 2023, they may rely ever extra on expertise and innovation to interrupt new floor with turnkey options on the coronary heart – all of which make the yr forward an thrilling time for automation.

Concerning the Creator

Anders Beck is the Vice President of Technique and Innovation at Common Robots, a number one developer of collaborative robotic arms. Previous to his time at Common Robots, he held plenty of positions on the Teknologisk Institut in Denmark, together with head of commercial robotics and automation.