New Advances in Robotic Machining White Paper

Exclusive RIA Member Benefit Provides Insight into Future of Applications and Current Opportunities

ANN ARBOR, Michigan (January 22, 2009) – The Robotic Industries Association (RIA) has posted a new white paper on Robotic Machining on its Robotics Online website (www.robotics.org) with exclusive access to RIA members. Association members select the Member Login link to view the paper. Non-members can discover the benefits of membership and join to obtain the document.

As part of its initiative to promote the use of robotics in new applications and markets, the New Markets Committee, working together with Jeff DePree, Managing Director, Halcyon Development (www.halcyondevelop.com), created the Robot Machining technical white paper as a means of capturing the current technology, market and technical barriers, market trends and future potential.

RIA initially posted an announcement to its membership community requesting input for the paper. Jeff DePree coordinated a questionnaire and conducted the telephone interviews used to gather the information for the paper’s content. The questionnaire focused on component suppliers and systems integrators, the product and solution providers. 

Among the White Paper’s findings:

• Robotic machining products and services constitute less than 5% of existing sales, but is seen as a growth application segment over the next 3-5 years.
• Applications involving the pre-machining of parts made from harder materials, with robots performing various processes at lower tolerances, are an area where robotic machining can have an immediate impact.
• Robotic machining will not replace CNC machining for 3-4 axis applications, but is currently viewed as an immediate viable alternative for non-metallic materials and for metals depending on the degree of hardness, required surface finish, and part complexity.
• Robotic finishing applications, while mature, represent a significant near-term “low hanging fruit” opportunity.

Jeff DePree noted that, “The project revealed a barrier to more widespread adoption of robot machining is a general lack of knowledge by the end-user community regarding the capabilities and advantages of robots in machining applications. A significant effort will be required to educate end-users on the capabilities of robot machining before significant increases in revenue are realized.”

According to RIA’s New Market Committee Chair, Bob Rochelle, Sales Manager, Kawasaki Robotics (USA), Inc., “This project paper highlights some immediate market opportunities for Supplier and Integrator members to focus on and insight into future growth areas.  Using this information, and through their education of the user community, suppliers and integrators may realize significant new business and revenue dividends in the years ahead. The RIA will serve a crucial role in providing this education as we move forward.” 

About RIA
Founded in 1974, RIA is the only trade group in North America organized specifically to serve the robotics industry. Its 275 member companies include leading robot manufacturers, users, system integrators, component suppliers, research groups, and consulting firms. RIA is renowned worldwide as the sponsor of the Joseph F. Engelberger Robotics Awards, co-produces the biennial International Robots, Vision & Motion Control Show and Conference plus many regional events, and is secretariat of the ANSI/RIA R15.06-1999 Robot Safety Standard. RIA is the sole source of North American robotics industry statistics which are included in the World Robot Statistics published by the International Federation of Robotics. RIA also is publisher of the industry’s leading Web portal, Robotics Online (www.robotics.org).

Contact
Jim Adams, 734/994-6088
jadams@robotics.org