Abstract
Industrial robots have been widely applied in a broad range of fields such as assembly, production, electric welding, spraying and painting, food packaging, and component installation. Recent years, several companies have seen aggressive investment in related technologies or M&A activities, including Fanuc, ABB, KUKA, Yaskawa, Mitsubishi, Hitachi, Sony, Toyota, Honda, and Samsung. Even Foxconn has jumped on the bandwagon. This report provides an overview of the industrial robot technologies and thorough patent data mining results that reflect major vendors' patent deployments and technology trends. Also included are the outlook for the industrial robot market and opportunities for perspective entrants.
Patents Focused on Control, Handling, Machinery, and Computing Technologies with Key Applications in Transport, Semiconductor, Food, and Chemistry
By conducting data mining on 2,858 industrial robot-related patents, the results showed that the development of industrial robot technologies mainly focus on control, handling, electrical machinery & apparatus & energy, engines & pumps & turbines, machine tools, mechanical elements, other special machines, and computer technology. Those account for 89% of the total 2,858 patents.
Applications of industrial robot patterns are concentrated on transport, semiconductors, food chemistry, and chemical engineering, for a combined share of 2.4%.
From the results of relative R&D strength and top ten patent analyses, it is observed many key technologies and core patents are already the properties of leading foreign vendors and institutes such as Fanuc, ABB, KUKA, Yaskawa, and California Institute of Technology. This has left latecomers virtually no chance to secure a foothold in the market.
Therefore, latecomers in the service robot or industrial robot markets are advised to create the industry cluster by establishing their own industrial chain. More importantly, they should try to obtain core technology patents in key markets. Only with proprietary technologies and patents will they be able to gain the opportunity to enter into cross-licensing agreements with leading vendors.
Deteriorating Labor Market Conditions to Drive Demand for Industrial Robots
According to IFR, industrial robot market volume reached 162,000 units in 2013 up from 159,346 units in 2012 with a CAGR of 8% from 2010 to 2016.
With its market value breaking US$8 billion in 2012, the development of industrial robots has been hinging on the US, German, Japanese, Chinese, and Korean markets. China has posted the highest growth for industrial robot sales, especially robots for welding, handling, and assembly applications in the automobile and electronic/electrical industries.
Due to a high level of reliance on imported components such as servo motors, controllers, and speed reducers, the Taiwanese robot industry has been challenged by high costs. In addition, the Taiwanese robot industry has lagged behind the US, Japan, and Europe in technology development. Demand for industrial robots in recent years has recessed, possibly due to migration of manufacturing and contract manufacturing sectors off-shore.
However, soaring wages, frequent strikes, and a constant shortage of labors in Asian countries have affect production capacity and product quality. The deteriorating labor market conditions have forced foreign-invested companies to consider replacing some human jobs with industrial robots.
Those latecomers should consider developing their industrial robot technologies fully by working with domestic and foreign academic and research institutes. Only by possessing in-house developed technologies in torque sensors, inertial sensors, laser scanners, visual recognition sensors, and six- or seven-axis articulated robots can they catch up with foreign competitors in terms of patented technology. In the meantime, they should aggressively seize the business opportunities arising from the increasing demand for industrial robots in industrial automation.