UK robotic installations statistics for 2007

Citation

(2009), "UK robotic installations statistics for 2007", Industrial Robot, Vol. 36 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/ir.2009.04936aab.004

UK robotic installations statistics for 2007

Article Type: IFR news From: Industrial Robot: An International Journal, Volume 36, Issue 1

Continuing their work of recent years, the British Automation and Robotics Association (BARA) have conducted a survey of member companies investigating UK new and refurbished robot sales in 2007. This latest study reports a total of 871 new robot installations in the UK during the year, representing a very static result (−1.9 per cent) on the previous year’s figure. Taken over the last decade, this does not significantly detract from the very gradual increase in total sales figures experienced since the large drop in sales post 2001 (Figure 1). Whilst the 2007 installations fall well below the ten-year average of 1,164 units, this figure is still largely influenced by the records set in the years 1998-2001 when installations peaked at 1,941.

The annual figures collected by BARA since 1978 report total new robot installations to 2007 of 24,346. Allowing for the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) 12-year retirement rule, which assumes that robots over 12 years old have been taken out of service, this gives a current robot population in the UK of 14,279 units. As in previous years however, it should be noted that this almost certainly represents an under-estimate of the true figure as the trend in the population of refurbished robots continues to run at approximately 13 per cent of the total new installations.

Figure 1 Year-on-year installations in the UK

This situation is very static compared to the previous year, and indeed is very much in line with the general trend since a large drop in installations in 2002; both 2003 and 2005 exhibited rises of 25-30 per cent but these increases proved to be anomalies, attributable in each case to a small number of significant installation projects in the automotive sector. The overall trend since 2002 has been for a small annual increase in the robot stock, generally attributable to the gradual improvement in uptake in the non-automotive sector. It is worth noting that whilst the automotive sector still accounts for the majority of new installations in the UK, its domination over non-automotive industries is again not so marked. Whilst the steady (although small) growth in the non-automotive sectors reported in previous years is not evident in the 2007 results, they continue to account for approximately 43 per cent of total installations (Figure 2). There are, however individual areas of growth in the non-automotive sectors.

Figure 2 Installations, automotive vs non-automotive

Industry

Whilst it may be observed that overall installations are more evenly split between the automotive and non-automotive sectors, it is still quite evident that the volatility in the total year figures is invariably a result of the larger swings experienced in the number of automotive industry installations from year to year; if the automotive sector is static, the year-on-year total figures are likely to be so as well. Within the non-automotive industries, areas of growth would seem to be inconsistent (Figure 3). In previous years, this report (Young et al., 2005; Young and Tuersley, 2006) has noted that the industry categories “plastics and rubber”, “construction” and “pharmaceuticals” have, in recent years, shown substantial increases. However, as the annual database increases it becomes evident that many of these increases have proved to be unsustained. The one non-automotive industry sector that has recorded an increase in each of the past five years is “food, beverages & tobacco” – and in 2007 a substantial increase of over 50 per cent on the 2006 figure was experienced. Many of the other sectors could be considered to show a gradual increase over the same period but the trend tends to be insignificant in relation to the volatility in a specific year’s figure, making forecasting within these industries highly speculative. When the refurbished robot market within these sectors (which continues to contribute a substantial proportion of the total) is factored in, the trends become even less reliable.

Figure 3 Non-automotive, industry analysis

Figure 3 shows the considerable proportion of robots that may not be readily classified by the survey guidelines (being recorded simply as “other”). This may be a continuing indication of the diversity of industries using automation as prices fall and functionality increases.

Application

As in previous years, in the automotive industry sector, “arc welding” and “spot welding” applications dominate with a combined total of 165 new installations. (In addition, a further 13 arc welding installations are identified in non-automotive industries.) “M/c tending for other processes” is the other major application in this industry sector (78 installations), with “handling operations at m/c tools” (26 installations), “painting and enamelling” (23 installations) and “application of adhesive, sealing material or similar material” (11 installations) being the only other applications in the automotive sector to report more than ten installations in total.

In the non-automotive industry sector applications are once again almost entirely in various forms of handling operations, concentrated in those serving plastic moulding (28 installations) and packaging, picking and placing (26 installations) being the only application areas in this industry sector to exceed ten installations in total.

Robot type

The robot type as defined by the number of axes continues to show a very clear domination of the UK market by six-axis machines (Figure 4); 81 per cent of new robots (and, incidentally, all but two of 117 refurbished units) installed in 2007 fell in this category, reflecting the influence of the automotive sector where six-axis robots are used extensively.

Figure 4 Type of robot, defined by number of axes

The proportion of four-axis robots installed continues to grow, in 2007 constituting almost 14 per cent of the overall total. This is a direct consequence of their use predominantly in palletising and packaging applications, which are slowly but surely eroding the overall dominance of six-axis robots. In such cases, the dexterity provided by six axes is not required and the simplicity of a four-axis robot with parallelogram linkages gives a highly reliable, high-payload machine.

Mechanical structure

The type of robot can also be defined by its mechanical structure. “Articulated” robots continue to contribute the majority of total installations with 88 per cent of units installed in 2007. Of the remainder, 6 per cent were SCARA, approximately 3 per cent parallel and 2 per cent Cartesian/Gantry structures. These figures do not represent significant changes on previous year’s figures overall (Figure 5) beyond the variation in overall figures. Whilst the proportion of articulated robots substantially exceeds all other types, it should be noted that the figures for Cartesian robots may be understated: the data collected by IFR – which includes returns from companies who are not contributory members of the BARA survey – suggest that there were approximately 90 installations of Cartesian robots working in the plastic moulding industry not reported in this data set.

Figure 5 Type of robot, defined by structure

Cost

The statistics show that £10,000-30,000 is the mean cost classification (Figure 6). With previous year’s results, there is a continued trend for a fall in robot prices and notably the effect of an increasing proportion of the total stock comprising refurbished robots in the <£10,000 category will increasingly skew this result.

Figure 6 Cost analysis

Country of origin

As in 2006, the only significant sources of manufacture of robots recorded were Japan and the European Community. Whereas in 2006 these two shared almost equal proportion of total installations, in 2007 the Japanese contribution has risen to approximately 67 per cent. This situation is partially redressed (the Japan share falling to 59 per cent) if refurbished robots are included as these originated almost exclusively in the European Community (Figure 7).

Figure 7 Country of origin

Summary

The key statistics for 2007 are as follows:

1. 1.

   A total of 871 new units installed.

2. 2.

   Total installations to date (from 1978) are 24,346 units adjusted to 14,279 to allow for IFR 12-year retirement rule.

3. 3.

   The automotive sector remains dominant, but largely static with 496 installations.

4. 4.

   The non-automotive sector overall is also quite static, with 375 installations, however in 2007 there was significant growth in two sectors:

5. 5.
   • •

     food, beverages and tobacco (up 50 per cent on previous year); and

   • •

     fabricated metal products (excl. machinery) (up 25 per cent on previous year).

6. 6.

   Automotive applications are still dominated by welding but there is growth in the packaging, picking and handling applications; for the first time, these exceed the total number of welding installations.

7. 7.

   Six-axis robots account for 81 per cent of the market.

8. 8.

   The majority of installations fall between £10,000 and 30,000 cost classification highlighting a downward trend over the last few years.

9. 9.

   About 67 per cent of robots installed originated in Japan, 33 per cent in the European Community.

K. Young and I. Tuersley