F O R U M

Even robots are having trouble finding work

orth American-based robot-

ics com panies report that new

orders sold to North American

manufacturing com panies fell

by 21% in units and 16% in dollars

in 2008 com pared to 2007. The sharp

decline accelerated in the fourth quar-

ter when orders fell by 26% in units

and 33% in dollars compared with

last year.

A total of 12,557 robots valued at

$894.9 million were ordered by North

American companies in 2008, down

from 15.856 robots valued at

$

1.07 bil-

lion last year. When sales to compan ies

outside North America are included,

the totals are 14,109 robo ts valued at

$979.4 m illion, a drop of 18% in units

and 15% in dollars.

"2008 was extremely difficult for

our members and 2009 likely will

be a very rough year as manufactur-

ing companies throughout the world

deal with the global economic crisis."

said Jeffrey A. Burnstein, executive

vice president of Robotic Industries

Association (RIA), the industry's trade

group.

"Capital equipment expen ditures are

slowing dramatically in the automo-

tive industry, traditionally the largest

customer for rob otics. In 20 08. orders

from automotive OEMs and their sup-

pliers fell 37% in units and 32% in

dollars," Burnstein said.

Desp ite the current difficulties in the

automotive industry, there is reason

for optimism, said Tammy Mulch of

ABB Robotics, chair of Rica 's Statis-

tics Com mittee.

'in times of rising energy costs and

rising environmental awareness, the

demand for smaller, more economical,

environmentally friendly and lower

cost cars are becoming increasingly

important." Mulch noted. "In order

to meet these demands in the short

term, the car companies will have to

restructure and to speed up develop-

ment of these types of new models. I

am sure the automotive industry will

introduce new cars with less consum p-

tion, reduced emission and innovative

Robot sales to m anufacturing fell 18% in 2008, and industry experts don't expect

things to get much better in 2009.

technology. This will require new

automation technology throughout

the value chain. Robotics will surely

benefit from such investments," she

asserted.

Burnstein noted that there's also rea-

son for optimism based on the strong

non-automotive results in 2008.

"Non-automotive orders rose 9%

in units and 1% in dollars over 2007.

The s t rongest gains came in the

semiconductor /electronics/photon-

ics markets, where units rose 63%

and dol lars jumped 55%. Plast ics

and rubber orders increa.sed 39% in

units,

12% in dollars, while food and

consumer goods saw increases of 3%

in units and

51 %

in dollars," Burnstein

explained.

"Non-automotive orders actual ly

topped automotive orders, in terms

of dollars, for the first time since we

began collecting numbers 25 years

ago,"

Burnstein noted. "In terms of

units, the breakdown was 51 % auto-

motive, 49% non-automotive. This is

very important for our industry as we

continue to make progress in reaching

new custom ers."

RIA est imates that more than

186,000 robots are now being used

in the United S tates, placing the U .S.

second only to Japan in overall robot

use.

It's estimated that more than one

million robots are being used world-

wide, with co untries such as China and

India rapidly expanding their invest-

ments in robotics.

"Despite the financial crisis, there

are great opportunities to expand the

use of robotics in North America,"

Burnstein said. "In 2009, we're hold-

ing our International Robots. Vision

& Motion Control Show (June 9-11,

Rosem ont, IL) that highlights the lat-

est products and solutions. The show

is held just once every two years and

way to find answers to their manufac-

turing c hallenges.

"The need for improved productivity

and product quality, flexibility, speed

- these challenges don't disappear, if

anything they become greater, when

there 's a down turn. We 're hopeful that

the show w ill be a catalyst to stimulate

tbe ma rket in the seco nd half of R

the year." Burnstein said. U

8 • March 2009 PIAHT ENGINEEHING