It's that time again — the time to decide which of the top robotics trends we'll be keeping our eye on during this year's Automatica Trade Fair!
Automatica is one of the biggest robotics and automation trade fairs in the world. It's a great opportunity to see what new trends are emerging in our industry. And this year, there are a few key trends we'll be looking out for.
The industrial landscape has changed a lot in the past few years, perhaps more than ever before since the first incarnation of Automatica in 2004.
We're expecting to see a lot of new trends at this year's event. There will be new industries adopting robotics for the first time, meaning many fresh faces in the halls of the Messe München trade fair center.
Here are 3 of the top trends that we will look out for at the event.
Automatica's core focus areas for 2022
Before we look at our core focus areas, let's look at the official themes of the trade fair.
Every version of Automatica has some core focus areas. These reflect the changes in the industry that the organizers think are going to be important.
The core focus areas of Automatica 2022 are:
Digital transformation
Digital transformation is revolutionizing how businesses operate.
By automating processes and harnessing the power of data, businesses from all industries are starting to optimize their operations. This can make them more agile and responsive to change, which is important in this post-pandemic world.
Artificial intelligence
Interest in artificial intelligence (AI) has been growing for years. But, now it is starting to play an important role in modern business.
More and more organizations are now using AI to improve their decision making, automate their processes, and personalize customer experiences. We expect to see even more AI applications this year.
The person-machine relationship
One of the focus areas of the trade fair is called "man and machine relationship"… but let's call it the "person-machine relationship," because it is 2022 after all.
As automation technology is advancing, it is becoming ever more integrated into our lives, both at work and in our private lives. At this year's fair, there will be an explicit focus on understanding this evolving relationship.
Sustainable production
Sustainability is becoming increasingly important as businesses strive to reduce their environmental impact. This was a trend before the global pandemic and is even more relevant now.
At Automatica 2022, there will be a focus on how adopting sustainable practices can help businesses save money, reduce emissions, and improve their environmental credentials.
Our top 3 trends to watch at Automatica 2022
Aside from the official focus areas, there are a few trends we are going to be looking at ourselves.
Our top 3 trends are:
Trend 1: Ready-to-use solutions and application kits
One change we have seen here at Robotiq is the rise in popularity of application kits. These are ready-to-use solutions that help users deploy a particular robot application quickly and easily.
There are a couple of reasons for this trend towards ready-to-use solutions.
First, people want to improve their operations as quickly as possible. They don't have time to wait months to deploy their own robot applications. Second, they don't want to risk purchasing a robot and leaving it sitting in a cupboard gathering dust until someone on their team has time to deploy it. They want the robot to earn a return on investment immediately.
We offer several application kits, some of which we'll be bringing to the event.
Trend 2: Labor shortages and robot adoption
It's no secret that labor shortages are becoming a worldwide problem. In many industries, there just aren't enough skilled people to do the work that needs to be done.
The exact reasons for these labor shortages aren't completely clear. They are likely to be complex, with many interdependent factors. Some proposed reasons are the aging workforces, the increased willingness for workers to switch jobs (especially away from manual labor), and a rise in voluntary unemployment following the pandemic.
Companies are increasingly looking to robots to fill these gaps. A huge advantage of robots is they can work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week if you need it. They are also perfect for dangerous and repetitive jobs, which are exactly the type of jobs people are not keen to be doing.
Trend 3: Sustainability-focused automation
A change that will be on many people's minds at Automatica 2022 is a recent announcement from the European Commission. It has set a goal for the European Union to become climate neutral by 2050.
As the world has is becoming more and more aware of the importance of sustainability, many companies are looking for practical ways to reduce their impact on the environment. Consumers too are now even more aware of sustainability than ever before. One study found that more than a third of consumers will pay more for sustainable products.
Automation is one way that companies can reduce their energy consumption, improve their efficiency, and improve sustainability. We expect to see a focus on sustainability from many exhibitors at Automatica 2022.
What industry trends are you looking forward to?
Now that you know our top 3 robotics trends… which industry trends are you most excited to see at Automatica?
If your company is looking to deploy automation more rapidly, overcome the challenges of labor shortages, or move to more sustainable operations, Automatica is certainly the place to be!
Whatever your interests in automation, we're sure you can find something to help you improve your business operations at the event.
Can't come to the event in person? Be sure to check our live blogging and social media coverage. We'll be posting live from the floor of Messe München, bringing the latest trends to you.
And if you can make the show, come and say Hello to us. Our booth this year is Hall B4.502.
What trends will you be looking out for at Automatica? Tell us in the comments below or join the discussion on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, or the DoF professional robotics community.
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