The sale of robots broke the record last year

Last year more robots than ever, with 2.941 integrated units were sold in our country, and there was an overall growth of 28%. This means that there are today, a total of 13.163 units, figure still quite far from the 100,000 robots in Germany in Spain but promising given the pace of growth. These figures correspond to the study which publishes every year the Spanish Association of Robotics and automation of the production technologies (AER-ATP) and show, among other things, an ascending evolution in the sale of robots since 1995. For now, the trend fits like a glove to the wishes of the AER-ATP, which expressed some years ago the need to grow at an average of over 20% annually compared to European countries with a similar to the Spanish industry. The latest figures from the international federation of robotics (IFR) confirm, as the European average stands around 10-11%. However, to evaluate these data in its fair measure there some prior considerations. The first and perhaps the most important is the definition that has taken the AER-ATP to decide that a robot can be properly considered. The Association said at the beginning of his report that a robot is "a manipulative machine controlled automatically, reprogrammable and general-purpose, with three or more programmable axes". This classification is the same that uses the IFR, is similar to that established the ISO and excludes certain machines such as the porticos of two axes and other devices. KUKA, ahead of ABB An important novelty is that the ABB company is no longer the lead in the number of units sold in the hands of the Kuka Roboter signature. The signing of Augsburg (Germany) placed in the Spanish market 1,040 units, with 1.013 that managed to sell the Swedish company ABB. Even with all ABB continued to possess the largest park in robots installed in our country. The third, with 290 units sold, is Fanuc, followed by Sepro with 140. The automotive industry reaffirms in head The automotive industry accounts for 75% of the sales of industrial robots. This fact was reaffirmed last year with an increase of 10 points above the previous year and 6 points on the overall percentage of the total number of robots used in Spain. In other words, of every 100 robots that work in the Spanish industries, 66 are engaged in the manufacture of automobiles and automotive components. In absolute figures, this puts the number of robots used in automotive in 8,597, followed at a distance by the robots dedicated to the sector of chemicals and plastics (1.322), and the sector of metallic products (1084).

Applications Ahead are around 1,600 dedicated to welding units sold in the year 2000, an increase of 53%. Within this application, almost 73 per cent of the new installed units were devoted to the welding points. After this growth, the percentage of robots dedicated to welding in Spain has positioned itself in 52% of the total. The manipulation is the second application, with 792 units sold and 26% of the total. On the other hand, should be noted that the applications of machining which last year experienced a significant boost with 287 units sold. The opposite trend we find the Assembly, who has lost weight in relation to the previous exercises.