Growth in Robotics Good for U.S. Manufacturing
In order to get a good grasp on the current state of manufacturing in the United States, it’s important to monitor the health of related markets such as robotics.
![](https://d2n4wb9orp1vta.cloudfront.net/cms/Robotics.jpg;maxWidth=600)
Assembled and tested, Fanuc robots await shipment to a variety of facilities found around the world, including manufacturing plants located in the United States.
Good news for American manufacturing comes from the Robotic Industries Association (RIA), which reports that the North American robotics market experienced its fastest start ever in 2015. A record 14,232 robots valued at $840 million were ordered from North American robotics companies in the first half of the year, representing an increase of 1 percent in units and 7 percent in revenue over the same period in 2014, which held the previous record.
Much of this growth has occurred in industrial segments including coating/dispensing (36 percent) and material handling (27 percent). RIA estimates that some 232,000 robots are now at use in the United States, making it second only to Japan in robot use. This continues a trend reported here by the Boston Consulting Group.
Related Content
-
Which Approach to Automation Fits Your CNC Machine Tool?
Choosing the right automation to pair with a CNC machine tool cell means weighing various factors, as this fabrication business has learned well.
-
Inside the Premium Machine Shop Making Fasteners
AMPG can’t help but take risks — its management doesn’t know how to run machines. But these risks have enabled it to become a runaway success in its market.
-
Choosing a Five-Axis Machine Tool With Automation in Mind
While much focus is placed on the machinery that moves parts, the features most important for automating five-axis machining are arguably found in the machine tool itself.