Manufacturing facilities around the world are increasing adoption of industrial robots to increase automation and maintain competitiveness. In both the US and China particularly, application of industrial robots is on the rise. Industrial robots are used in factories and warehouses for material handling and heavy manufacturing operations such as welding, cutting, and assembly. As factory robots increasingly must co-exist with human workers areas, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) studies warn that most robot accidents occur during non-routine factory operating conditions, such as programming, maintenance, robot testing, setup, or adjustment. During many of these operations, the worker may temporarily be within the industrial robot’s working envelope, where unintended operations could result in workplace injuries.
US sales of industrial robots grew by 66 percent in the past 5 years alone, according to the International Federation of Robots. During this period, US sales increased at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of almost 14 percent, despite a decline during the recent recession. The Robotic Industries Association (RIA) reported that the world market for industrial robots is driven primarily by demand from motor vehicle manufacturing, followed by the electronics industry. The major foreign-owned industrial robot producers with US factories are from Japan (Fanuc, Kawasaki, Yaskawa-Motoman), Germany (Kuka), and Switzerland (ABB and Staubli). US manufacturers that design and produce industrial robots include Adept Technology, Genmark Automation, Rethink Robotics, and SAGE Automation. In addition to automotive robots, these companies produce robots for the electronics, medical, and logistics industries.
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