Collaborative Robots Set to Make Up Around 40% of the Robot Market

Robot Market: Collaborative Robots to Make Up Approximately 40 Percent The 2020 World Robotics Report published by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) shows that collaborative robots, or cobots, which work alongside humans in cooperation, are increasing. According to the report, collaborative robots will comprise 40 percent of the total robot market by 2025. Commenting on the matter, Universal Robots Turkey&MEA Country Manager Kandan Özgür Gök stated, "Behind this rapid growth performance are the expanding application areas of collaborative robots and the growing daily understanding of the advantages that cobots provide to businesses."   Although traditional industrial robots have continued to be effective in production processes for many years, with Industry 4.0 entering our lives, sectors are seen to need more flexible solutions than in previous years. Conventional industrial robots are therefore giving way to smaller robots. According to 2020 International Federation of Robotics (IFR) data, collaborative robots (cobots) made up approximately 2 percent of the total robot market in 2015 with approximately 5,000 cobots. This figure rose to 4 percent in 2018 with approximately 30,700 cobots. Between 2018 and 2022, annual growth is estimated to average 70 percent. By 2025, the cobot market is expected to reach approximately 40 percent of the total industrial robot market.

Cobots Differ from Traditional Robots in Their Safety, Fast Setup and Cost-Effectiveness

Commenting on the rapid growth in the cobot market, Kandan Özgür Gök, Country Manager for Turkey and MEA at Universal Robots, the world's leading collaborative robot manufacturer, emphasized that cobots with high work efficiency and quality precision differ from traditional robots thanks to flexible positioning capability, safe operation working alongside employees, fast setup, and cost advantages. Gök stated, "Cobots, which provide a shorter return on investment compared to traditional industrial robots, are increasingly preferred due to their versatility and flexibility. For example, if a new requirement arises during the production process, a cobot can take on another task with very simple programming. In other words, cobot technology, with the advantages it possesses, makes automation accessible and reachable for everyone. With characteristics of flexibility, mobility, ease of use and the ability to work alongside humans when needed, cobots meet the fundamental requirements of today's production." Cobots Will Become an Important Part of Life Gök also stated that in the future, the benefits cobots provide to people will make them an important part of life, "With Industry 4.0 entering our lives, cobot technology, which integrates extremely easily with new and flexible production concepts, will continue to develop faster by taking the lead over conventional robot technology. In this sense, cobots will become part of many professions, beginning to work alongside humans in dozens of different areas from education to the service sector. This has become an unavoidable reality and necessity of life." he concluded.