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Industrial robots are widely used in manufacturing industries such as automotive, electronics, and food production. They can replace repetitive machine operation tasks and function autonomously with their own power and control capabilities. They are capable of operating under human direction and can run according to pre-programmed sequences.
Definition of Industrial Robots
Industrial robots are multifunctional, multi-degree-of-freedom electromechanical devices and systems that can perform operational tasks during the manufacturing process through repeated programming and automatic control. When integrated with manufacturing machines or production lines, they can create automated systems—either single-machine or multi-machine—achieving tasks such as handling, welding, assembly, and spraying. Currently, industrial robot technology and industry development are advancing rapidly, leading to their widespread application in production and establishing them as crucial high-automation equipment in modern manufacturing.
Advantages of Industrial Robots
| Increased Labor Productivity: Industrial robots can endure intense and prolonged repetitive tasks in various environments, improving working conditions, reducing labor costs, and enhancing equipment utilization.
| Versatility: Industrial robots demonstrate a wide versatility, offering a broader scope of use compared to general automated equipment.
| Improved Product Stability: The accuracy and consistency of industrial robots significantly lowers defective rates during manufacturing and reduces risks associated with worker errors.
| Flexible Manufacturing: Industrial robots provide a high degree of flexibility, enabling the production of various small batches efficiently.
| Accelerated Product Update Cycles: Industrial robots possess strong and controllable production capabilities, speeding up the replacement cycles of products and enhancing companies’ competitiveness.
Characteristics of Industrial Robots
| Programmability: With the advancement of production automation towards flexible automation, industrial robots can be reprogrammed to adapt to changes in the working environment, making them a vital component of flexible manufacturing systems (FMS).
| Human-like Features: Industrial robots have mechanical structures that mimic human movements, including walking, waist rotation, forearms, wrists, and claws, with computer-controlled mechanisms. Advanced industrial robots are equipped with various human-like biological sensors, such as touch sensors, force sensors, load sensors, visual sensors, auditory sensors, and language capabilities, enhancing their adaptability to surrounding environments.
| Universality: General industrial robots possess good universality when performing different operational tasks, and they can easily swap end-effectors (grippers, tools, etc.) to execute various operations.
| Mechatronic Integration: Industrial robot technology involves various disciplines, combining mechanical and microelectronic technologies. The third-generation smart robots include numerous external environment sensors, along with capabilities for memory, language comprehension, image recognition, and reasoning—closely tied to advancements in microelectronics, particularly in computer technology. Thus, the development and application levels of robotic technology serve as indicators of a country’s technological and industrial progress.
Main Components of Industrial Robots
| Main Body: The main mechanical body includes the base and actuators, comprising multi-degree-of-freedom systems formed by the upper arm, lower arm, wrist, and hand. Some robots also have locomotion systems. Typically, industrial robots have six or more degrees of freedom, while their wrists typically exhibit one to three degrees of active freedom.
| Drive System: The drive system of industrial robots can be classified into three main types based on the power source: hydraulic, pneumatic, and electric. These types can be combined into hybrid drive systems tailored to specific applications. Mechanical transmission mechanisms, such as synchronous belts, gears, and pulleys, can also drive them directly. The drive system features power devices and transmission mechanisms to generate the corresponding movements in the actuators. Electric drive systems are currently the most mainstream due to their efficiency and adaptability.
| Control System: The control system acts as the brain of the robot, determining its functions and capabilities. It commands the drive system and actuators according to input programs. The primary tasks of industrial robot control technology include managing the robot’s activity range, posture, trajectory, and timing within the operational environment. These systems are noted for their user-friendly programming, software interface, online operation prompts, and ease of use.
| Perception System: This system consists of internal and external sensor modules that gather meaningful information about the internal and external environmental states. Internal sensors monitor the robot’s status (e.g., joint angles), while external sensors detect the robot’s environment (e.g., object detection and distance measurement) and operational conditions (e.g., whether objects being grabbed are slipping). The smart sensor system enhances the robot’s mobility, practicality, and overall intelligent capabilities.
| End Effector: The end effector connects to the last joint of the robotic arm and is typically used for grasping objects. It interfaces with other mechanisms to perform required tasks. In most cases, robot manufacturers do not design or sell end effectors; rather, they only provide basic grippers. End effectors are usually mounted on the robot’s six-axis flange to complete tasks in specific environments, such as welding, painting, gluing, and part handling.
Classification of Industrial Robots
Industrial robots can be classified according to six aspects: mechanical structure, operational coordinate form, programming input method, motion coordinate form, driving method, and application fields.
By Mechanical Structure
Industrial robots can be classified into several types
Fixed robots, Cylindrical coordinate robots, Cartesian robots, Horizontal multi-joint robots, Multi-joint robots (also known as omnidirectional robots), Cartesian coordinate mechanical arms, Spherical coordinate mechanical arms, Polar coordinate mechanical arms, Cartesian mechanical arms, High-degree-of-freedom mechanical arms, Various exoskeleton robots (soft, wearable), Snake-like robots, Micro robots
By Mechanical Configuration
These are divided into serial robots and parallel robots. Serial robots only perform a single type of motion with their arms, while parallel robots can perform various types of motion.
By Drive Method
This classification includes hydraulic-driven robots, pneumatic-driven robots, and electric-driven robots. Hydraulic-driven robots require more equipment and occupy more space, which limits their application. Pneumatic-driven robots operate quickly but have poorer force control, mainly used in some non-critical tasks like large-scale solder paste printing. Electric-driven robots are the most widely used industrial robots due to their convenience, flexibility in control, cost-effectiveness, and minimal environmental impact.
By Motion Trajectory
These can be categorized into point control-type and continuous trajectory control-type robots. Point control type robots only control the speed and acceleration of the end of the motion axis at certain critical positions, moving between points in the shortest time without considering the trajectory. Continuous trajectory control type robots require the end of the motion axis to move along a desired trajectory at a constant speed.
By Control System
Classification includes teach-and-replay robots (subdivided into those with a programming host and those without), offline programming robots, and sensor-equipped intelligent robots.
By Control Method
Robots can be divided into centralized control and distributed control. Centralized control robots perform all functions through a single computer, offering lower flexibility and intelligence but simpler structure and lower costs. Distributed control robots use multiple computers to perform various functions, providing higher flexibility and intelligence but with a more complex structure and higher costs.
By Applications
This includes handling robots, welding robots, spraying robots, gluing robots, assembly robots, cutting robots, testing robots, and drilling robots.
Applications of Industrial Robots
Machining
The utilization of robots in the machining industry is low, accounting for only 2%. This might be because many automation devices can handle machining tasks. Machining robots mainly engage in part casting, laser cutting, and water jet cutting.
Robot Spraying
Robot spraying primarily involves painting, adhesive dispensing, and similar tasks, with only 4% of industrial robots involved in spraying applications.
Robot Assembly
Assembly robots are mainly used for installing, disassembling, and maintaining components. The rapid development of robot sensor technology in recent years has diversified robotic applications, directly leading to a decrease in assembly robot ratios.
Robot Welding
Robot welding applications primarily include spot welding and arc welding used in the automotive industry. Although spot welding robots are more popular than arc welding robots, the development of arc welding robots has accelerated in recent years. Many processing workshops are gradually adopting welding robots to automate welding operations.
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Robot Handling
Currently, handling remains the primary area of application for robots, accounting for about 40% of the total robot applications. Many automated production lines require robots for material handling, processing, and stacking operations. In recent years, the rise of collaborative robots has been increasing the market share of handling robots.
Common Types of Industrial Robots
| Mobile Robots (AGV): Automated guided vehicles (AGVs) are industrial robots that are computer-controlled and capable of moving, navigating automatically, and interacting through multiple sensors. They can be widely used in flexible processing systems and flexible assembly systems (serving as active assembly platforms). AGVs are also utilized as transport tools in stations, airports, and post offices.
| Spot Welding Robots: Spot welding robots exhibit stable performance, large working space, high movement speed, and strong load capacity, significantly outperforming manual welding in quality and productivity. They are primarily used in the automotive welding process, where major automotive manufacturers collaborate with industrial robot companies to provide various spot welding robot units.
| Arc Welding Robots: Arc welding robots are primarily used for the welding production of various automotive parts. In this field, large international industrial robot manufacturers mainly supply unit products to equipment suppliers.
| Laser Processing Robots: These robots apply robotic technology to laser processing, enabling more flexible operations through high-precision industrial robots. This system can operate through a teach pendant or offline programming and can generate processing curves by automatically detecting workpieces for applications like laser surface treatment, punching, welding, and mold repair.
| Vacuum Robots: Vacuum robots function in vacuum environments, mainly used in the semiconductor industry for transporting wafers within vacuum chambers. They are widely utilized, versatile, and have become critical components in the development of semiconductor equipment and product competitiveness.
| Cleaning Robots: Cleaning robots are industrial robots used for maintaining clean environments. As production technologies improve, the demand for cleaner production environments has risen. Many modern industrial products require production in clean conditions, and cleaning robots are essential equipment to achieve this.
Development Directions for Industrial Robot Technology
| Intelligence: Incorporating AI with multi-modal perception to adapt to complex environments.
| Human-Machine Collaboration: Enhancing safety and flexibility.
| Modular and Flexible Production: Quick reorganization to meet diverse scenario demands.
| Green Manufacturing: Utilizing recyclable materials to address carbon taxation.
| Real-Time Collaboration: Leveraging 5G and edge computing to improve multi-machine coordination efficiency.
Global Market for Industrial Robots
According to the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) report “World Robotics 2025,” here are the latest statistics in the global industrial robot sector:
Global Industrial Robot Installations
2024 Projections: The total number of new industrial robots installed in global factories is expected to reach 542,000 units, more than double the number from ten years ago, marking the fourth consecutive year of annual installations surpassing 500,000 units.
Regional Distribution: Asia accounts for 74%, Europe for 16%, and the Americas for 9%. China leads globally with 295,000 units installed, capturing 54% of the global market; Japan follows with 44,500 units; the USA with 34,200 units; South Korea with 30,600 units; and India with 9,100 units.
Industry Application Distribution of Industrial Robot
2024 Data: The share of general industry installations skyrocketed from 36% in 2014 to 53%, becoming the dominant application sector. The electrical/electronic industry installed 129,000 units, a 2% increase year-over-year. The automotive industry installed 126,000 units, reflecting a 7% decrease. The metal and machinery, plastics, and chemical products industries experienced an 18% growth, while the food industry surged by 42%.