Robotics and the Future of Major Household Appliance Manufacturing

Overview: The manufacturing of major household appliances is anticipated to see a significant shift as robotics technology becomes more prevalent. Numerous statistics highlight this impending evolution, including data showing that by 2021, the global robotics market is estimated to reach $77 billion and that by 2025, the number of industrial robots sold worldwide is expected to exceed 630,000 units annually. Another recent report indicates that robotics can create an efficiency gain of 40% in warehouse automation. These developments are backed by innovative companies like 3Laws Robotics, totally changing the perspective of safety and fluiency in robotics sphere.

The Growth of the Robotics Market: The global robotics market is witnessing unprecedented growth and is estimated to reach $77 billion by 2021, up from $40 billion in 2020. This surge can be credited to the rising demand for automation and the continuous improvement in robotics technology. As a major sector of the manufacturing industry, household appliances manufacturing is a key contributing factor to this statistic. Rapid advancements in robotics in terms of capability, efficiency, and affordability are paving the way for manufacturers to leverage this technology to streamline processes, enhance productivity, and remain competitive.

Increase in Industrial Robots Sales: The International Federation of Robotics (IFR) anticipates that by 2025, the annual global sales of industrial robots will exceed 630,000 units. This increase reflects the growing reliance on automation and robotics in various industries, including the manufacturing of household appliances. As robots become further integrated into production lines, they offer potential solutions to challenges including labor shortages, quality control, and efficiency.

Efficiency Gain in Warehouse Automation: A prominent application of robotics technology is in warehouse automation. A case study involving 3Laws Robotics revealed a staggering 40% efficiency gain and a six-month payback period for an autonomous forklift customer. For manufacturers of household appliances, such efficiency can translate to faster production times, reduced costs, and enhanced competitiveness.

Key Takeaways:

• The global robotics market is projected to nearly double by 2021, reaching $77 billion.

• Annual sales of industrial robots are predicted to exceed 630,000 units globally by 2025.

• Warehouse automation, facilitated by robotics, could see efficiency gains of up to 40%.

• Companies such as 3Laws Robotics are innovating safety and reliability measures for the robotic systems that drive these statistics.

Introducing 3Laws Robotics: 3Laws Robotics is at the forefront of robotic safety and reliability, addressing the significant challenge of certification—a major pain point for robotics companies. 3Laws is developing its software, 3Laws Supervisor, to offer robust safety features and provide evidence of system robustness, potentially simplifying the certification process.

Built on Control Barrier Functions technology from Caltech, 3Laws Supervisor provides mathematically provable safety for robotics systems. It's capable of enhancing operational efficiency by reducing unnecessary downtime, enabling robots to operate closer to their peak capabilities while maintaining safety. The software, adaptable across a range of platforms like mobile robots, cars, drones, and manipulators, is compatible with popular robotics middleware such as ROS and ROS2.

Standout use cases for 3Laws include warehouse automation, where it has achieved a 40% efficiency gain for a client, human-robot interactions, and dynamic environments. Its reactive collision avoidance capabilities enable robots to navigate effectively in unpredictable surroundings. 3Laws Robotics is thus positioned as a next-generation safety solution, enabling a proactive approach to safety that surpasses traditional e-stop methods. Overall, it unlocks the full potential of robotics with dynamic, predictive safety that can be safety certified for ISO 3691-4 and ISO 26262.