(REVOLUTION ?! - Industry 4.0 4-D
The automotive industry is already one of the most globally automated, but the German automotive industry is planning to increase its levels of automation even further by introducing collaborative robots on assembly lines for the first time collaborative robots are designed to help an aging labor in German factories to face the workload addition, new types of robots will help increase employee productivity and withstand increasing competition from its Asian rivals .
Robot Helps to use for the first time in the German automotive industry.
The automotive industry is already one of the most highly automated industries, with the fourth industrial revolution industry 4 0 should increase the number of robots in the automotive industry even the German automotive industry is front -garde industry 4 0, introducing small-scale collaborative robots on the assembly line for the first time.
Previously, robots replaced humans employees to carry out monotonous or dangerous tasks Now, however, German car manufacturers introduce robots that cooperate with humans and act as helpers.
Audi has been a pioneer of new technology, the introduction of a robot that hands of coolant expansion tank to the workers line at its production plant in Neckarsulm Volkswagen also used robots to Similar assistance to help at the car assembly, as Mercedes-Benz and Opel.
The introduction of robotic assistance is necessary for German companies, as they are faced with an impending labor shortage and an aging population also German carmakers expect new types of robots will boost productivity growth, as the German automotive industry begins to fall behind South Korea, and faced a potential threat from China.
Robots help address the shortage of workers caused by an aging population.
Despite the common belief that automation eliminates jobs in the automotive industry, the opposite is happening in Germany and other countries during the period 2010-2015, the number of employees in German automotive industry increased by 14 to reach 710,000 workers in this last year.
Premium carmakers in Germany offer highly customized models in relatively small volumes high levels of individualization create great complexity, eg Audi said its 1200 suppliers deliver 56,000 different components of its ease Neckarsulm Such complexity requires skills dexterity and problem solving, the robots are not able, and now German car manufacturers rely heavily on human labor.
However, the German population ages, the median age in Germany up to 46 years The only aging population will create a shortage 1 8 million by 2020 workers, long-term prospects look as weak as the number of people aged 20 -65 should decrease 7-2030.
These demographic trends are forcing German manufacturers to invest in robots Creating robots with dexterity as a human and problem solving skills would be too expensive and inefficient, so the German automotive industry invests in robots assistance that will help you a aging workforce to cope with the workload.
Overall, the German automotive industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of 3 in 2016-2025, supporting the great need for new types of robots.
The German automotive industry is concerned that the lack of robots will be harder to resist competition from Asian manufacturers, and South Korean automakers in particular over the period 2010-2015, the productivity of the industry's production value German car per employee grew 11 in comparison, productivity in the south Korean industry was raised by 23 over the same period, while the productivity of the Chinese auto industry has remained well below German levels, nevertheless grew by an impressive 117.
Productivity of the motor vehicle industry in some countries.
Source Euromonitor International from national statistics.
Productivity growth is strongly correlated with the number of robots A group of German scientists on the national commission said that the number of robots in the German automotive industry increased by 7 over 2011-2014 compared to a growth in two figures in China the German national Commission also found that the German automotive industry had 1,149 robots per 10,000 employees, less than Japan and on a par with South Korea and the United States.
However, a lack of robots and high labor costs put the German car industry at a disadvantage compared to foreign rivals in 2015, Germany was the third car producer by value and volume of the fourth share of global value Germany, from 13 2010 to 10 in 2015 due to increased production in Asia and the United States.
The growing number of assistive robots in automobile factories could help reverse this trend and increase the efficiency of the German automotive industry, for example, BMW, the third largest manufacturer in Germany in 2015, has ambitious plans to reduce costs 5 year the manufacturer believes that investing in robots assistance and optimized workstations will help achieve this goal and to face the increase in automotive production volumes.
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Justinas Liuima is senior industry analyst at Euromonitor International He holds a BA in Economics ISM University of Management and Economics and is now studying in the International Master Justinas marketing program began working in Euromonitor International in 2013 as industry analyst in industrial Passport team where he analyzes the professional interests transportation industries include automobiles, aircraft and market research, you can find him on LinkedIn.
Industry 4, industry, the German automotive industry, the automobile industry already.