What is Industrial Robotics?

Industrial robotics is a branch of robotics focused on designing, building, and deploying automated machines (robots) to perform tasks in manufacturing and industrial environments.

Industrial robots are designed and programmed to handle a range of specific tasks, repetitive tasks, and hazardous tasks efficiently and reliably. Now deployed in many different industries, they work alongside human workers to optimize logistics operations, improve quality control processes, and speed up production processes. 

There are many industries where industrial robots are being used today, from heavy use in the automotive industry to advanced healthcare applications, and many more in between.

Automotive Manufacturing

Industrial robots are widely used in automotive production lines to perform precision welding, painting, and high-speed assembly tasks. In 2025, it’s estimated that around 65% of automotive businesses currently use industrial robots. Many major automotive companies, such as BMW, Tesla, Toyota, and Mercedes-Benz have adopted industrial robots across many operations. Most of the robots are articulated robots (5- or 6-axis) and are used to improve the precision and safety of manufacturing processes, with the added advantage of being able to weld in hard-to-reach places that are inaccessible or pose too high of a risk (due to toxic fumes) for human workers. Using industrial robots in the automotive industry has helped to reduce labor costs, improve safety, and accelerate production, while lowering manufacturing costs.

Healthcare

Industrial robots are used in the healthcare sector for a number of tasks, including sterile handling and inspection of parts in pharmaceuticals, the development of advanced prostheses (exoskeletons, etc.), and endoscopic robot surgery. Robotic surgery is the most advanced area of industrial robotics, using highly precise articulated arms and end-effectors. Surgeons can use the robotic arms as an extension of their own arms. Currently, over 2 million robotic-assisted surgeries are performed each year, and it’s estimated that the healthcare robotics market could be worth over $45 billion by 2030 and $54 billion by 2034.

These robots are enabling highly experienced surgeons, who may not have as much dexterity as they did in their youth, to still perform prolonged surgeries. They also allow surgeons to perform remote surgeries, allowing more advanced healthcare procedures in rural and remote areas that don’t typically have access to advanced healthcare ― so long as there is good 5G connectivity through satellite communication to prevent latency during the procedure. Many companies are currently building industrial robots for the healthcare sector, including Intuitive Surgical Inc, Stryker, Medtronic, Smith & Nephew, Siemens Healthineers, and many more.

Aerospace and Defense

Robots are used in the aerospace sector in a different capacity than automotive manufacturing. Because the production volume is not as high as in automotive, robots are not used as much on the aerospace manufacturing side. Aerospace manufacturers primarily use industrial robots to layer multiple composite sheets across large fuselages and other critical components. Industrial robots in the aerospace sector help to reduce waste ,improve safety, and contribute to more sustainable manufacturing.

They are, however, widely used in defense applications. The defense sector uses industrial robots for material handling and in dangerous exploration missions, such as finding hidden mines and bombs, underwater expeditions, and nuclear operations that contain radioactive contamination. Industrial robots are used in environments that are seen as too risky or dangerous for humans.

NASA and the US Department of Defense, alongside popular aerospace companies such as Airbus, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Raytheon, all use industrial robots. Many of these organizations are pairing robots with advanced artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities across all applications to make them smarter.

Electronics Manufacturing

Industrial robots are also widely used in various electronic and semiconductor assembly lines. They are used to perform a range of tasks that are sensitive to contamination and require micron-level accuracy and high throughput. Selective compliance assembly robot arm (SCARA) robots and delta robots, which have three arms connected to universal joints at the base, are widely used in electronic manufacturing to perform wafer handling, components handling, and assembly operations such as soldering.

According to the Industrial Federation of Robotics, the global electronics industry uses around 1 million robots, with an estimated 506,000 used purely for industrial electronic components. The increased use of industrial robots is being driven by increased production demands, which is expected to grow by 5.6% every year until at least 2030 — with the Asia-Pacific region leading the way with 42% market share, followed by Europe with 28% and North America with 23%.

Logistics

A range of collaborative robots (cobots) and mobile robots are used in the logistics sector to reduce costs and improve efficiency. They are used to automate warehouse operations and provide 24/7 efficiency that human operators cannot compete with (since humans need to rest). Industrial robots in logistics settings perform a range of automated pick and place, sorting, palletizing, smart inventory tracking enabled by the Internet of Things (IoT), and warehouse navigation operations. Amazon is the biggest and best example of using logistics robotics, and now has over 1 million robots deployed in its warehouses. By 2027, it’s estimated that the global warehouse automation market will be worth $41 billion.

There are many different types of industrial robots used across different industries for different purposes, and there are many robot classes that can cross over as well. Below is an outline of the most common industrial robotic classes.

Articulated robots

Articulated robots are multi-axis rotary joint robots. They have a high maneuverability with dexterity capabilities similar to that of humans. They are very common robots in automotive manufacturing, and while they are more expensive than simpler robots, they are highly customizable, versatile, and adaptable for many uses.

SCARA Robots

Selective compliance assembly robot arm (SCARA) robots are simple robots that primarily move in horizontal motion, with limited vertical reach. Despite their simplicity, they perform better than articulated robots for planar tasks like pick-and-place operations. They have become very common in electronics and pharmaceutical industries as they are compact with minimal maintenance requirements and can integrate into existing workflows.

Cartesian Robots

Cartesian robots are simple industrial robots that are common in additive manufacturing-like applications. The motion of these robots is linear and pre-defined to cartesian coordinates. They are cheap and easy to use like SCARA robots but also have limited flexibility. However, they can be easily integrated into automation and collaborative workflows.

Delta Robots

Delta robots can be identified by their delta D shape. They are one of the fastest robots used in industrial applications, so are often used for high-speed pick-and-place operations. They have become widely used in packaging, pharmaceuticals, and electronics industries because they can maintain their high speed over long periods. However, they are more complex than other robots due to having multiple arms, parallel linkages, and their arm movement controlled from a fixed base instead of the end-effectors (known as inverse kinematics).

Cylindrical Robots

Cylindrical robots are slightly different from other robotic arms. They have a primary arm that can move up and down, instead of moving on an axis, and create a motion where the arm extends and retracts. Cylindrical robots use a 3D coordinate system to specify locations to move to and perform actions. Cylindrical robots are used in handling applications, spot welding, casting and molding, coating and finishing, and automated conveyor belt operations.

Mobile Industrial Robots

Mobile industrial robots are robots that can move around a facility. There are two main types of mobile industrial robots: guided and unguided.

Guided mobile robots are called automated guided vehicles (AGV) and follow a fixed path around a facility, meaning they don’t deviate from the path at any point. Many of the robots inside Amazon warehouses are AGVs. They are also widely used in semiconductor manufacturing.

Unguided mobile robots are known as autonomous mobile robots (AMRs). These robots use different sensors (e.g. cameras, lidar, ultrasonic, infrared, inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensors) and simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) algorithms to navigate facilities autonomously without a guided path, avoiding obstacles along the way (and finding a new path autonomously if the initial path is blocked). AMRs are used in many applications, including factory floors, warehouses, security and surveillance operations, exploration missions, and for transporting equipment in hospitals.

Collaborative Robots (Cobots)

Cobots are robot systems that are designed to work together and/or with humans in a collaborative manner without colliding with each other. They are not easily distinguishable from other robotic categories, as cobots can be different types of robots. All stationary robots could be designed to work in a collaborative manner, but cobots are more complex because they need high precision, safety protocols, spatial awareness, and communication systems to work together in unison. Sensors are a big part of cobots because cognition and visual image recognition is key for ensuring that robotic arms don’t collide with other robotic arms or human workers in a defined workspace. These robots are important for Industry 5.0 and support the latest developments in machine learning and AI.

Even though many industrial robot systems are already established today, new technological advancements continue to push the boundaries of what is possible with modern-day robotics.

Humanoid Robots

As robotics advances, functional humanoid robots are becoming more efficient and are getting closer and closer to widespread adoption. Humanoid robots, like humans, use grippers, manipulators, and other appendages to perform delicate tasks. A lot of advancements in locomotion and intelligence technology are being applied to humanoid robots, but there are still some technology bottlenecks.

Advanced Sensor and Hardware Developments

The growing development of AMRs and cobots has driven new innovations in advanced sensor technology. These robots require intelligent perception capabilities using advanced sensors, image recognition, and communication technologies to be safe. With robots now having multiple joints and many integrated sensors, complex algorithms are also required to process and analyze all of the sensor data so that appropriate actions can be taken. Because of this, advanced central processing units (CPUs) and graphics processing units (GPUs) have become more important in the latest robots. Additionally, lag-free communications via 5G/6G is also becoming increasingly important for controlling robots (especially those that move or interact with other robots/humans).

Soft Robotics

Soft robotics is another area that has been undergoing a lot of development in recent years. Instead of rigid metallic structures, soft robotics are made of more delicate and soft materials, such as polymers, elastomers, and hydrogels. Soft robots can be used as part of the joints and actuators in humanoid robots to give more flexibility and range without the need for multiple motors, but these soft materials can also be used to build standalone robots (often quite small) that mimic animal behavior.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) Integration

AI/ML integration is increasing across all robotic domains, which is helping to create industrial robots with advanced perception and sensing capabilities. For example, advancements include more accurately interpreting visual data (by combining data from multiple sensors and vision systems) to identify the shape and size of objects for pick-and-place operations, to avoid obstacles during autonomous navigation, or to better recognize human arm gestures. Additionally, AI/ML is helping to build human cognition and intelligence into various industrial robots for advanced decision making and analyzing “what-if” scenarios. AI is also being used with the robots’ sensor data on the operational side for predictive maintenance to reduce failures and downtimes, which improves productivity.

Robots have become a mainstay in many manufacturing and warehousing operations. While they are useful and have many advantages, they also have their disadvantages.

Advantages of Industrial Robotics

• Increased productivity and operation speed across many applications
• Improved ability to lift heavy and dangerous payloads (e.g. nuclear waste) to increase the safety standards in industrial settings
• Utilized in dangerous settings, such as high-risk construction and infrastructure developments like tunnels, instead of putting human lives at risk
• Improved decision-making capabilities and removal of unwanted objects on conveyor belts in smart manufacturing environments
• Reduced costs over time through higher productivity and throughput, and reduced waste

Disadvantages of Industrial Robotics

• High upfront costs, as many industrial robots are expensive to procure and install
• Heightened concern from current employees over job security because robot adoption can lead to loss of jobs in different industries
• Increased costs if something goes wrong because of robot complexity
• Increased ongoing maintenance, including software and hardware updates, which can be expensive
• Escalated privacy concerns due to embedded cameras, microphones, and sensors in the robots
• Heightened potential for issues with human safety when people are working alongside cobots and assistance robots

As robots become more complex with multiple components added that all function differently, but still need to work together, using simulation and advanced modeling can streamline the design process to prevent unnecessary and expensive prototyping.

Simulation can be used at all stages of the robotic design process. In the conceptual design phase, designers can explore possibilities related to geometry, joints, actuators, and sensors, and work on environmental constraints. In the detailed design phase, added fidelity in kinematics and dynamics analyses can help home in on the vibration performance and durability aspects of design. Engineers can also perform multiphysics simulations to see the effect of temperature, moisture, or electromagnetic fields on industrial robot designs. Industrial robots can also be simulated on a system level, as well as a component level.

Here are some of the Ansys solutions used to simulate and improve industrial robotic designs:

Ansys Motion multibody dynamics simulation software: Used to determine how joint movements affect end-effector positions and how different loading conditions can result in different forces and torques at critical locations.

Ansys Maxwell advanced electromagnetic field solver: Used to design robot motors and control systems.

Ansys Mechanical structural finite element analysis software, Ansys Sherlock electronics reliability prediction software, Ansys SIwave printed circuit board (PCB) and package electromagnetics simulation software: used to provide a multiphysics approach to investigate the physical behavior of the individual components, and the systems, as well as the forces on these systems.

Ansys Twin Builder simulation-based digital twin platform: Digital twin software that is used to develop system-level models.

Ansys LS-DYNA nonlinear dynamics structural simulation software: Used to determine the extent of the damage to itself and the environment after a collision.

Ansys HFSS high-frequency electromagnetic simulation software: Used to design the antennas and communication systems in advanced industrial robots, as well as model different electromagnetic sensors.

Ansys Lumerical photonic components simulation software, Ansys Zemax OpticStudio optical system design and analysis software, Ansys Speos CAD integrated optical and lighting simulation software: Used to design optical components and optical sensors, such as vision systems, ranging from generating the individual light sources through to simulating the component, system, and environment level.

If you’d like to find out more about how a multiphysics approach can help to design more advanced and safer industrial robots, get in touch with our technical team today.

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