Industrial robots have become part of our everyday life. In a 2013 report released by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), the year 2012 yielded the second highest number of robots sold worldwide in the period of one year. Of the 159,346 units sold, nearly 70% of those units went to the United States, Japan, Germany, China and Korea. The automotive, food, chemical, rubber and plastics industries saw an upsurge in orders for robots, while the metal and machinery industries were slightly down. The IFR also reported another interesting trend for the U.S.—robot shipments rose again by 9% to a new peak level of 22,414 units in 2012 compared to the previous year, while sales had already climbed substantially in 2010 and 2011. The IFR President’s Report stated market data for the first three quarters of 2013 showed a further increase as compared to the same period last year.
Even if you do not see or use these robots on a daily basis, they are working behind the scenes nonetheless. They helped to build the car you drive, the phone constantly within your reach, and the computer you depend on. It would nearly be impossible to go a full day and not come in contact with something created using these great machines. The progress has been amazing considering this level of factory automation was just a pipe dream not long ago. As robots become more precise and intelligent, the more tasks they can perform, thus spreading their usage further into new industries and applications.