Robots aren’t always given a favorable representation in pop culture. In Stanley Kubrick’s "2001: A Space Odyssey" homicidal supercomputer HAL 9000 demonstrates how a robot could conspire against its human colleagues. Thankfully, industrial robots aren’t quite as menacing. Here is advice to manufacturers considering their first robotic investment.
Pop culture aside, robots don’t disappoint. After their first industrial robot installation, manufacturers frequently add further automation to their factories. Given that robots boost productivity, profitability and quality, it’s no surprise they are rife. In fact, it is estimated three million industrial robots will be in use globally by 2020, according to the International Federation of Robotics (IFR).