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Work together Evaluation’ survey gave insights into what finish customers count on from autonomous cellular robots. | Supply: Adobe Inventory
Cell robots have turn into a vital a part of the automation panorama in recent times. For finish customers, they provide flexibility, scalability, and effectivity for varied industries and functions. However what do prospects really need from cellular robots, and the way do they consider and choose completely different applied sciences and distributors?
Work together Evaluation, a market analysis agency, revealed the outcomes of its 2024 Cell Robots Purchaser Survey. The worldwide survey lined the preferences, expectations, and challenges of finish customers of cellular automation. The corporate talked to 300 consumers and customers of cellular robots, protecting completely different firm sizes, sectors, and areas.
With the survey, Work together Evaluation hoped to make clear the present and future adoption of cellular robots, the elements that affect buying selections, and the ache factors and advantages of utilizing cellular automation.
Cell robots are well-liked with bigger producers
The survey confirmed that cellular robotic adoption is rising throughout completely different industries, however not on the similar tempo in every sector. Ninety-five p.c of respondents stated they already use some type of cellular automation of their amenities, similar to automated forklifts, platforms, conveyors, and autonomous cellular robots (AMRs). This proportion, nonetheless, diversified enormously by firm dimension and sector.
Bigger corporations, with revenues over $1 billion, had been extra seemingly to make use of cellular robots than smaller ones. Producers, particularly these within the automotive, electrical, and semiconductor sectors, had been additionally extra seemingly to make use of cellular robots than retailers, third-party logistics (3PLs), or different industries.
Seventy-one p.c of respondents stated they solely partially automated their workflows with cellular robots, indicating there’s nonetheless room for enchancment and enlargement of cellular automation.
In terms of rising applied sciences, synthetic intelligence was essentially the most generally talked about rising pattern that prospects had been fascinated by, particularly when it got here to cellular automation.
However, prospects weren’t very acquainted with the VDA 5050 normal for communication and interoperability. Solely 20% of respondents stated they had been absolutely conscious of it, and solely 8% stated it was or would quickly be a compulsory requirement of their buying decision-making between cellular robots and fleet managers developed by the German Affiliation of the Automotive Trade (VDA).
Prospects extra involved with value than loyalty, says Work together Evaluation
On common, respondents used 3.4 completely different cellular robotic manufacturers. | Supply: Work together Evaluation
Work together Evaluation’ survey revealed that value and integration difficulties are the primary boundaries and drivers of cellular robotic adoption, and that these had been two main elements for each know-how and vendor choice. The most typical cause for not utilizing cellular robots was the excessive worth or perceived lack of return on funding (ROI), adopted by environmental elements similar to ground suitability, house constraints, or local weather.
Prospects will not be loyal to 1 cellular robotic model or sort, based on the survey. As an alternative, they’d moderately use a number of manufacturers and kinds for various workflows and amenities.
On common, respondents used 3.4 completely different cellular robotic manufacturers, and 123 completely different manufacturers had been talked about in whole, reflecting the fragmentation and variety of the market.
ABB was essentially the most talked about model, adopted by OMRON, KUKA, and Locus Robotics. Nevertheless, when survey takers had been requested which model they take into account primarily based at school, the solutions diversified by trade and functions Work together Evaluation plans to share these outcomes might be coming at a later date.
Prospects did point out they like to make use of the identical cellular robotic manufacturers throughout completely different workflows in the identical constructing, however not essentially throughout completely different buildings or amenities of their community. This implies prospects care little about robotic interoperability inside a facility.
When deciding on a vendor, a very powerful elements had been the seller’s monitor file, integration experience, and native/on-site help, adopted by the steadiness and dimension of the seller. Value and product vary had been much less essential than the seller’s fame and repair, the survey discovered.
Chinese language distributors weren’t highly regarded amongst prospects, with solely 20% of respondents saying that they had used or would think about using them sooner or later. The most typical causes for not contemplating Chinese language distributors had been safety considerations, efficiency points, questions of safety, and authorized causes.
Main boundaries to adopting cellular robots are lack of obtainable funds and different competing priorities. | Supply: Work together Evaluation
What are buyer cellular robotic expectations?
The survey discovered the commonest cause for needing to automate was the need to cut back working prices, adopted by the necessity to enhance reliability and accuracy. Surprisingly, a scarcity of labor was not one of many greatest causes for automation.
When deciding on know-how for an automation undertaking, the bottom lifetime value and the convenience/pace of integration had been a very powerful elements, adopted by system flexibility and efficiency.
When automating, prospects count on a fast return on funding (ROI) and easy implementation from cellular robots. Eighty p.c of respondents anticipated an ROI inside three years, with most of these anticipating it between 18 months and three years. 3PLs usually anticipated a faster ROI than different sectors.
Prospects usually measure the success of robotic implementation by a wide range of completely different metrics. The most typical metrics used to measure the success of cellular robotic implementation had been ROI, productiveness, throughput, accuracy, and value discount.
Earlier than making a closing buy, prospects additionally anticipated to see the automation system in motion, both by an in-house demo, a reference website go to, or a go to to the provider’s demo middle. In the course of the buying and implementation course of, the commonest ache factors had been operation slowdowns, routing and tasking difficulties, and issues with integrating with inner software program.
As soon as a robotic was operational, the commonest ache factors had been lack of upkeep prediction, expensive downtime, and an excessive amount of handbook intervention required.
“The survey offers worthwhile insights for cellular robotic suppliers and integrators who need to higher perceive and serve their prospects,” said Ash Sharma, chief business officer and vice chairman of analysis for robotics and warehouse automation at Work together Evaluation.
