There was a time when you could find robots in just one of two places. If robots weren’t working feverishly in factories, they were hopping from planet to planet in the realm of science fiction. Today, most of the actual robots are still found in the manufacturing industry. The global market for industrial robots, including automated systems, reached $46 billion last year. However, automation now goes beyond factories and warehouses, and there’s a growing market for robots outside of the industrial sector. Recent projections show that the market for service robots will increase drastically over the next three years.
What are service robots?
Service robots are automated machines or systems intended to help humans with a wide range of jobs and tasks. Industrial robots, however, do not fall under the umbrella of service robots. Factory machinery and industrial robots certainly help humans carry out tasks, but industrial machines are typically large, stationary, and relatively dangerous.
Here’s how the International Federation of Robotics (IRF) defines service robots:
A service robot is a robot that performs useful tasks for humans or equipment excluding industrial automation application. Note: The classification of a robot into industrial robot or service robot is done according to its intended application.
There can be overlap, but service robots typically carry out tasks not associated with manufacturing. Service robots do things like assist in surgeries, vacuum floors, run fast food restaurants, and fight crime.
The global market for service robots is set to skyrocket.
A recent IRF report examined global demand for service robots, and made a prediction about where that market could be in the near future. According to the report, there will be an additional 333,220 service robots installed for professional use, and 42 million service robots for personal and domestic use within the next three years. This forecast projects that the global service robot market will be worth over $45 billion by 2019.
The service robot market is projected to more than sextuple in the next three years. What about the industrial robot market? Make sure that you’re ready for what’s to come in manufacturing. Call us today for any of your Indramat motion control needs!