ABSTRACT:
Automation takes mechanization to a different level, significantly reducing the need for human interference while optimizing productivity. Here, human efforts and intelligence are substituted with automatic actions and control systems that are programmable logic controllers. Physical monotonous tasks, those performed in dangerous environments, and tasks beyond human capabilities can all be controlled and processed with automation. In this digital era, where lean manufacturing stands as a top-most priority, Industrial automation takes a better shape by applying process control with information systems. It is a diverse encompassing process, machinery, software, information systems, electronics, along with human intelligence. Increased production, lower cost, improved efficiency, and reduced errors are the major advantages of Industrial automation.
Automation has armed the industrial workforce with all tools required to improve operational efficiency and productivity. Automation is also playing a major role in reducing the environmental impact of industrial output and leading even the notoriously carbon-intensive industries towards sustainability and green manufacturing.
The survey titled: ‘Industrial Automation Technologies: Market, Challenges, Future Growth’ aims to provide organizations with valuable insights to help them realize the true potential of automation technology. The research also forays into the current driving factors for the technology and highlights challenges faced by industries in adopting automation technology.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Survey And Data Analysis
Types of Industrial Automation Technologies
Usage of Industrial Automation Technologies in Business Processes
Factors Affecting the Adoption of Industrial Automation Systems
Top Benefits of Adopting Industrial Automation Technologies
Major Challenges Faced While Adopting Automation Technologies
Future Analysis of Industrial Automation Technologies
Key Findings
Conclusion
Introduction
Industrial automation technology is rapidly evolving and becoming increasingly important in the modern industrial landscape. The term ‘industrial automation’ originated as a result of the industry's current transition from manual assistance to automation. Conventional manufacturing techniques are now replaced by industrial automation technologies to enhance overall productivity levels.
The large scale manufacturing processes now are mostly automated and require little to no human input. The key driving factors for the growth of industrial automation technologies are the rising adoption of industrial robotics in business processes, automation technologies, the adoption of favorable policies for the manufacturing sector and the greater emphasis on economic diversification in emerging economies.
Industrial automation technologies are one of the significant steps for obtaining solutions to combat various industrial barriers. By the adoption of the latest, innovative, and integrated technologies and services, industrial automation makes it possible to raise product quality, reliability, and production rate while lowering production and design costs.
‘Industrial Automation Technologies: Market, Challenges, Future Growth’ is a survey conducted by GoodFirms that uncovers interesting insights regarding the current state of industrial automation technologies in the market, types of automation technologies, their key benefits, challenges, and future.
Survey And Data Analysis
GoodFirms surveyed 295 companies worldwide to analyze how they are using automation technologies in their business processes. The survey revealed valuable insights into the current usage and key driving factors of industrial automation technologies by business owners.
Below are the survey findings and their analysis:
67.3% of the surveyees employ industrial automation technologies in their organizations.
Industrial automation refers to the strategic integration of technologies into various manufacturing processes, including inspection, packaging, and storage. The use of automated systems like delta robots, automated guided vehicles, and robotic arms has helped manufacturers optimize various production processes over the years to meet various safety and quality standards established by regulatory bodies and lower overall labor costs across production sites. Due to their effectiveness in completing repetitive operations like item handling, bin picking, and tray loading, vision-guided robots are becoming more and more in demand across the manufacturing and warehousing sector.
GoodFirms' research found that 54.9% of surveyed companies intend to increase their budget for upgrading industrial automation technologies. The need for automation in the industry has been driven by various benefits, including:
- Improved traceability
- Increased efficiency
- High productivity
- Enhanced work quality without human intervention
- Cost reduction
- High adaptability, etc.
These factors have encouraged manufacturers to make significant investments in the automation technologies in their manufacturing processes. Hence, the expansion of the industrial automation market is being fueled by the increase in the investment in automation services.
Types of Industrial Automation Technologies
The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)
72.4% of the surveyed participants employ IIoT in their organizations.
The global market for the industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is expected to reach US$ 1.11 trillion by 2028.(1) Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) or Industry 4.0 or the Industrial Internet is the use of sensors and actuators to improve manufacturing and industrial processes. These connected sensors and actuators help in enhancing business initiatives by allowing businesses to identify inefficiencies and problems beforehand, thus saving time and money.
“I've been following the industrial automation space for a while now, and it's interesting to see how much things have changed in the last few years. First and foremost, I think that the trend of the Internet of Things (IoT) has really taken hold here. The idea that we can connect any device to the internet and control it using a smartphone app has really caught on with manufacturers-and they're starting to use this technology in a huge variety of ways.” says Ben Poulton, Founder of Intellar.
Industrial Robotics
66.2% of the surveyed respondents use robots in their manufacturing processes.
In 2021, robot installations skyrocketed to a new record level of 517,385 units.(2)The use of robotics and machines to minimize or replace traditionally performed tasks by employees is now commonly referred to as robotic process automation (RPA). Robotics, however, is just one aspect of how automation functions in the manufacturing sector. For material handling and pick-and-place activities, robotics such as three or six-axis robotic arms can be utilized, performing them more quickly and effectively than through labor alone. High-volume, repetitive activities like positioning an item on a conveyor belt and lifting large objects can be improved by these industrial robotic applications.
Artificial Intelligence-based Tools
59.8% of the surveyees integrated artificial intelligence-based tools in their organizations.
AI is used by manufacturers to analyze sensor data and foresee failures and mishaps. Production facilities can schedule preventive maintenance and repairs in advance by using artificial intelligence algorithms to predict the risk of future faults in running gear.
Cloud
52.3% of the surveyed companies use cloud technology in their day-to-day business operations.
The modern manufacturing sector uses data remotely with cloud computing, eliminating the requirement for on-premises infrastructure or software. To gather machine data and store it in cloud storage for further analysis, manufacturing organizations integrate Industrial IoT software into their smart manufacturing setup.
Cybersecurity
44.5% of the surveyees installed security automation in their organization to secure them from cyber attacks.
"Ransomware and cyber-attacks are victimizing businesses across America and are a direct threat to our economy." - Janet L. Yellen, U.S. Secretary of the Treasury
95% of the average cost of a security breach can be reduced by fully implementing security automation.(3) Automation can assist manufacturers in streamlining daily operations and integrating security into hybrid cloud structures, applications, procedures, and IT infrastructure from the beginning.
Automatic Navigation Systems
38.6% of the surveyed participants use automatic navigation systems.
The onboard navigation system is integrated with automotive systems and has many smartphone-like features. An in-vehicle navigation system that is cloud-connected offers features including online and offline location search, 3D HD maps, voice assistance, OTA map updates, real time traffic data, and POI search to enhance the navigation and the driving experience.
Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs)
32.1% of the surveyed respondents use PLCs at their manufacturing sites.
A PLC or programmable logic controller is used by manufacturers to automate a specific procedure, a machine feature, or even a whole manufacturing line.
Automated Assembly Machines
27.4% of the surveyees employed automated assembly machines.
A single item or product is made with the use of automated and mechanized machines that all conduct different operations within an automated assembly system. Manufacturers use these mechanical systems to carry out predetermined and repetitive motions. Such as the fixed sequences required for putting together parts and goods.
Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA)
21.1% of the surveyed companies use supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems.
Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems aim to monitor and manage field devices at the organization's off-site locations. SCADA systems are essential because they collect and process real-time data, which maintains efficiency. The supervisory system aims at monitoring and managing the machinery used in industrial processes in all types of business sectors. Almost every manufacturing industry uses SCADA systems, including manufacturing, transportation, oil and gas, electricity distribution, water control, and industrial plants.
Computer Numerical Controls (CNCs)
18.5% of the surveyed participants integrated CNC into their manufacturing processes.
Computer numerical control (CNC) is a manufacturing process that automates the control, movement, and precision of machine tools by using preprogrammed embedded computer software. CNC is frequently used in the manufacturing of metal and plastic parts.
Additive Manufacturing
15.8% of the surveyees use the additive manufacturing model.
Manufacturers use additive manufacturing where the material is placed layer by layer in exact geometric shapes based on a CAD (Computer Aided Design) model. Contrarily, traditional manufacturing methods often include milling, carving, or other forms of material removal in order to produce an object.
Sensors
11.2% of the surveyed respondents use sensors.
In industrial automation, sensors play a vital part in making the products intellectual and exceptionally automatic. Sensors detect, analyze, measure and process all the variables such as position, length, height, exterior and dislocation that occur in manufacturing sites.
9.9% and 7.5% of the surveyed respondents use worker safety devices to ensure workplace safety and intelligent motion controls at their operating sites. Whereas 6.3% and 5% of the surveyed companies employed modeling and Augmented Reality-based Simulation Devices at their organizations.
Others
3.2% of the surveyees are using other industrial automation technologies such as Big Data, Simulation, Visualization, and Immersion along with the above mentioned technologies.
Usage of Industrial Automation Technologies in Business Processes
Data Entry and Processing
70.4% of the surveyed participants use automation tech for data entry and processing.
Organizations could save anywhere between $6,000 and $1 million per year by automating daily tasks, such as comparing and parsing data from one document to another.(4) Software based solutions that can optimize data input by getting rid of or minimizing human operations are referred to as data entry automation tools. Companies use data automation tools to extract information from PDFs, documents, photos, emails, and webpages and then provide only the pertinent details in a structured manner (CSV, JSON, XML, etc.).
Packaging and Labeling Products
68.5% of the surveyees use industrial automation technologies for the packaging and labeling of products and commodities.
The packaging of products without any human assistance is known as packaging automation. Automated packaging systems allow a seamless packaging of products including the whole packaging and labeling process. Over the years, automated packaging systems have scaled from singular machines that can conduct one function of automated packaging at one time to machines that can seamlessly complete all functions required for the entire packaging process.
Storage Facility and Retrieval
56.9% and 35.4% of the surveyed companies use automated storage and retrieval systems in their organizations.
A type or genre of warehouse automation technology used by manufacturers known as an Automated Storage and Retrieval System, aka AS-RS or ASRS, is made expressly to buffer, store, and retrieve products and inventory on demand.
Several advantages of automated storage and retrieval systems include:
- Enhances overall capacity.
- By bringing goods to the operator at a convenient height and reducing the time spent walking, searching for things, lifting, bending, and twisting, it improves ergonomics and accuracy levels.
- Provides the maximum storage density possible.
- Eliminates unused floor space and boosts labor productivity.
- Provides real-time inventory control and improves product security.
Mobility
47.1% of the surveyed respondents use automated transport robots for carrying goods/products from one location to another.
A transport robot is one that is designed to transport goods or commodities from one location to another, basically used in an industrial or logistical sector. By decreasing downtime, enhancing accuracy, and removing the need for human workers to carry out monotonous and physically demanding activities, these automated robots enhance efficiency and safety in industrial operations.
Inventory Management
40.6% of the surveyed participants use automated inventory management technology to monitor their inventory.
Real-time inventory visibility is made possible through automated inventory management, which uses technologies like robotic process automation (RPA) and intelligent process management (IPA). Businesses track and organize inventory, suppliers, and sales by using automated inventory management technology. An automated solution helps to monitor inventory in real-time and assists in faster business decision-making. Adopting this technology promotes enhanced visibility and efficiency.
Customer Service
29.7% of the surveyees use automated systems to provide the best and most prompt customer services to their customers.
Customers can receive the assistance they require more quickly with the help of automated systems like interactive speech recognition, chatbots, and self-service help desks. Companies use these automated systems to answer basic queries up front and route them to the appropriate agent without making them wait. Automated workflows also help in freeing up customer service agents' time to work on activities that require human creativity by eliminating the need for them to dedicate resources to time-consuming procedures.(5)
Document Management
18.2% of the surveyees use automation technology to manage and safeguard their business documents and papers.
DMS or document management system, is an automated software program. Companies use DMS for managing their business papers, including organizing, securing, capturing, digitizing, labeling, authorizing, and performing duties.
Supply Chain Management
14.7% of the surveyed companies use automated SCM technology for effective supply chain functioning.
Supply chain automation technology makes it simpler for organizations to review data and get insights. On issues like customer demand, storage/transportation constraints, and supplier lead times and make decisions that have both direct and indirect effects on the functioning of the supply chain as a whole.
Others
5.3% of the surveyees also use industrial automation technologies for their other day-to-day business operations.
GoodFirms, in its survey, tried to gather information on the key driving factors of industrial automation technologies. Here is the result for the same;
Factors Affecting the Adoption of Industrial Automation Systems
Industry-specific capabilities
74.6% of the surveyed companies consider their industry-specific capabilities as the primary factor before purchasing automation systems.
Industrial automation systems should offer industry-specific functionality that meets the specific requirements of the sector. For example, robotic systems for welding, painting, or assembly may be essential in the automotive sector, whereas packaging, labeling, and tracking systems may be more pertinent in the food and beverage sector. The automation solution should provide the essential functions and attributes according to the sector in which it will be used.
Durability
67.5% of the surveyees lay their emphasis on the durability of the automation system they are willing to adopt.
When assessing industrial automation systems and solutions, durability is a vital factor. Industrial automation technologies are expected to function in challenging conditions and carry out difficult tasks for a long period of time. Therefore, industries consider reliability and uninterrupted functioning as important variables of durability.
Price
63.1% of the surveyed participants consider price as one of the important factors while evaluating automation systems and solutions.
One of the most important factors that companies take into account when assessing industrial automation systems and solutions is price. The price of the automation technology highly depends upon the size, complexity, installation cost, maintenance cost and the variety of features that the system offers.
Reliability
56.3% of the surveyees said they consider the reliability of the automation technology before installing it.
Reliability is the capacity of an automated system to function consistently and error-free. To evaluate the automation system, the reliability metric is used as a standard process to measure the average amount of time between two consecutive system failures (Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF). An increased MTBF denotes a more dependable system. To verify that industrial automation systems fulfill the reliability requirements, it is important to take into account the MTBF of the system.
Compatibility with other systems
50.9% of the surveyed companies evaluate the compatibility of automation systems for integrating with their own systems
The industry's current tools/machines and infrastructure should smoothly integrate with the automation system. Before adopting automation technology, manufacturers need to ensure a smooth installation without interfering with current operations. It should be compatible with the hardware, software, and communication technologies that are used in day-to-day operations.
Scalability
45.2% of the surveyed participants evaluate the flexibility and scalability of the industrial automation technology they are willing to deploy in their organization.
Industrial automation technologies should be adaptable and expandable to meet the changing demands of the industry. The technology must be flexible enough to adjust according to production quantities, process variances, and shifting product specifications. Before implementing automation systems, scalability must be considered because it has an impact on the durability and ability of the system to adapt to shifting market demands.
Maintenance and Upgrade costs
38.4% and 17.4% of the surveyed respondents said that they evaluate the maintenance and upgrade cost of the automation systems and solutions before making the purchase.
The automation system's maintenance and upgrade costs should also be taken into account. A reliable automation system should require less maintenance and should be easy to maintain. This includes attributes like readily available replacement parts, easily understandable interfaces for diagnostics and troubleshooting, and easily changeable components. An automated system that needs frequent maintenance/updates can have more downtime and will be less durable in the long run.
Green/Environmentally friendly
30.7% of the surveyees said that they like to ensure the green and environmentally friendly score of the automation systems and solutions before their implementation.
Another factor to be considered is that the automation system should be green/environmentally friendly and must not have a negative impact on the environment. This includes energy efficiency, observing environmental laws, and employing sustainable practices. An automated system designed with energy-efficient components, optimized processes, and environmentally responsible manufacturing practices can increase its durability by lowering operating costs, decreasing environmental impact, and assuring compliance with environmental regulations.(6)
Training requirements for operations
24.5% of the surveyed companies consider training requirements for operations as one of the factors while assessing automation systems.
The operational training requirements must be taken into account when evaluating industrial automation systems and solutions. The amount of training required to operate the system can affect the automation solution's overall efficacy, cost, and deployment time.
Availability of parts
20% of the surveyees said that they make sure that the spare parts of the automation system are easily available in the market before making their purchases.
When evaluating industrial automation systems and solutions, the availability of parts is a crucial aspect to take into consideration. The automation system's dependability, uptime, and maintenance costs are impacted by the availability of spare parts.
Others
6.2% of the surveyed respondents also consider other factors while evaluating automation systems and solutions, such as industry-specific data management and analytics, safety and compliance, compatibility with industry standards, and return on investment.
Top Benefits of Adopting Industrial Automation Technologies
Industrial automation and smart manufacturing capabilities are becoming increasingly crucial for industries to implement in order to streamline production and increase profit margins. Industrial automation technologies and solutions can help manufacturers by lowering downtime and delivering customer-focused services.
Improved productivity
78.6% of the surveyed participants said that industrial automation technologies helped them in achieving higher productivity levels.
An effective tool that can significantly improve production efficiency is automation. Manufacturers can optimize their manufacturing processes and increase production speed and efficiency by using industrial automation technologies. Processes can be optimized by automation, and repetitive operations can be completed on time.
Increased quality
72.5% of the surveyees revealed that through automation systems and solutions, their work quality is increased.
Automation systems and solutions help assure consistent quality in industrial operations by minimizing error occurrences by workers. Automated systems have the ability to complete jobs precisely, accurately, and repeatedly, improving product quality and customer happiness.
Increased safety
67.3% of the surveyed companies said that adopting industrial automation technologies helps in increasing workplace safety.
“Advances in the video, robotics, sensors, networking, data acquisition, data analytics, and AI are enabling employers to improve safety in many ways.” - Antonio Visconti, CEO of SOBEREYE(7)
Automation technologies help in eliminating human involvement in performing dangerous or repetitive tasks. Thus increasing workplace safety by lowering the chances of accidents and injuries.
Increased flexibility
60.8% of the surveyed respondents said that automated technologies assist in increasing flexibility and scalability in their business operations.
Automation technologies provide production process flexibility and scalability. It helps in enabling quick system modifications and reconfiguration in response to shifting market demands and production needs. Therefore, resulting in improved agility and adaptation in the fast-paced business world.
Optimum utilization of resources
54.4% of the surveyees believe that industrial automation technologies help in the fuller utilization of resources.
Industrial automation technologies help businesses use resources efficiently by speeding processes, minimizing waste, optimizing energy use, and providing real-time monitoring and control. These resources include materials, labor, time, and equipment. Automation is a useful technique for maximizing resource utilization in the industrial sector because it produces enhanced productivity, cost savings, improved sustainability, and better operational efficiency.
Minimized operational costs
48.7% of the surveyed businesses said that industrial automation helps them in minimizing their overall operational costs.
Automation systems and solutions can reduce operational costs by lowering mistakes, downtime, and rework while improving overall process efficiency. Automation can also enable predictive maintenance, which lowers unplanned equipment failures and expensive downtime. These cost-cutting advantages of automation can help industries become more profitable, more competitive, and perform better financially.
Increased business revenue
41.9% of the surveyees revealed that the adoption of automation technologies results in cost savings.
Industrial automation technologies help in increasing business revenue and cost saving by raising manufacturing output along with product quality, customer happiness, and thereby resulting in increased business revenue generation.
Enhanced customer demand forecasting
37.5% of the surveyed respondents said that automation technology helps them in collecting and analyzing consumer data effectively.
Organizations can collect and analyze data from various sources in real time, including data on sales, production, and consumer feedback with the help of automation systems and solutions. Using this information, businesses can timely demand projections that help them better understand customer preferences, predict market trends, and make changes in production accordingly. Automation technologies help industries in improving customer experience and satisfaction by keeping a check on stockouts or overstocks and thus improving overall business performance.
Mitigates supply chain disruptions
33.1% of the surveyed companies said that industrial automation technologies assist them in mitigating supply chain disruptions.
Industrial automation technologies such as robotics, AI, and IoT provide the advantage of minimizing supply chain disruptions. Automation technologies improve operational efficiency and resiliency by reducing reliance on manual labor, delivering real time visibility and analytics, optimizing inventory management, and enabling supply chain diversification, minimizing the impact of disruptions caused by human-related factors, production problems, transportation delays, or changes in demand.
Reduced labor costs
26.9% of the surveyees said that adopting automation technologies resulted in minimizing labor costs in their organization.
Automation technologies can lower labor costs by substituting manual labor with automated processes, maximizing material consumption to reduce waste, and enhancing energy efficiency to lower utility costs. Automation technologies can also support human workers and free them up to work on more complex and important tasks. Thus resulting in improved job satisfaction, reduced labor costs, skill development, and staff retention.
Others
10.3% of the surveyed companies also gained other benefits of industrial automation technologies in their organization, such as sustainability and environmental benefits and enhanced data collection and analysis, etc.
Major Challenges Faced While Adopting Automation Technologies
Initial investment costs
65.4% of the surveyed respondents consider initial investment costs as a primary challenge of adopting industrial automation technologies.
It is necessary to make the initial investment in infrastructure, software, and hardware before adopting industrial automation technologies. Organizations may need to make costly and significant budgetary investments in new machinery, improving current systems, or creating custom solutions.
Integration with existing technology
57.2% of the surveyees said that integrating automation technologies into existing/current technologies is a barrier while adopting them.
It is challenging for organizations to integrate automation technologies into current workflows and systems because they have different interfaces, protocols, or data formats. The adoption process may become more challenging due to infrastructure or system compatibility difficulties with legacy systems.
Hiring skilled technical labor to handle equipment
51.1% of the surveyed participants consider hiring skilled labor to operate automation systems as one of the barriers.
Adopting industrial automation technologies may result in the hiring of a skilled workforce. Organizations may need to retrain or reskill their staff to adapt to the new technologies which can be time consuming and expensive.
Training existing employees
46.8% of the surveyed companies said that training the existing employees to operate automation technologies acts as a challenge to them.
When adopting industrial automation technology, training current employees is a serious task. Managers need to ensure addressing skill shortages, managing limited training resources, navigating workforce requirements, managing the worker's learning curve, juggling work and training, and attending to ongoing training needs, etc.
Security and cyberattacks
34.6% of the surveyees consider automation technologies to be more prone to cyberattacks and other threats.
Introducing automation technologies can create additional security threats like unauthorized access, potential software or hardware errors, and data breaches. In order to safeguard business data, systems, and business processes, organizations carefully evaluate and manage these security threats.
Others
7.5% of the surveyed companies said that they are facing other challenges such as ethical and social implications, technical challenges, meeting regulatory compliance, vendor selection and management and scalability and flexibility challenges.
“My challenge with industrial automation at my company is finding the right balance between automated processes and human-led workflows. Since we are an e-commerce business, ensuring our customer service remains top-notch while automating processes as much as possible is essential. Also, I have this lingering fear of over-automating methods and losing sight of the importance of human involvement. To ensure that doesn't happen, I have experienced professionals monitor our automated processes regularly.” says David Zhang, CEO of Kate Backdrop
Future Analysis of Industrial Automation Technologies
The market for industrial automation is projected to reach a value of US$ 40.6 billion in 2023 and US$ 81.4 billion by 2033.(8)
Significant developments and trends in industrial automation technology will impact how industrial processes are conducted. As Industry 4.0 continues to expand there will be a rise in the use of digital technologies such as IoT, big data analytics, AI, and cloud computing to optimize industrial processes. The collaboration of humans with machines via technologies like wearables, AR/VR, and collaborative robots (cobots) will increase worker productivity.
In the future, industrial automation technologies when combined with environmentally friendly and sustainable practices like green manufacturing and the use of renewable energy will accelerate the growth of the industrial automation technologies market. Overall, industrial automation technologies have enormous potential to alter business processes and increase productivity, sustainability, and efficiency in the coming years.
According to the GoodFirms survey, 72.1% of surveyees said that industrial automation technologies would completely replace manual labor in the future.
Industrial automation technologies' potential to completely replace human labor in the future is a subject of discussion and conjecture. There are limitations to the capabilities of automation technologies, despite their potential to revolutionize industries and streamline procedures. In the future, automation technologies and humans will coexist, with people collaborating with robots to get the best results. However, the rate of technological development, economic factors, and societal acceptance of automation in the workforce will all influence how much manual labor will be replaced by industrial automation technologies.
Key Findings
- GoodFirms’ survey revealed that 67.3% of the surveyees employ industrial automation technologies in their organizations.
- GoodFirms' research found that 54.9% of surveyed companies intend to increase their budget for upgrading industrial automation technologies.
- 72.4% of the surveyed participants employ IIoT in their organizations.
- 66.2% of the surveyed respondents use robots in their manufacturing processes.
- 70.4% of the surveyed participants use automation tech for data entry and processing.
- 68.5% of the surveyees use industrial automation technologies for the packaging and labeling of products and commodities.
- 74.6% of the surveyed companies consider industry-specific capabilities as the primary factor before purchasing automation systems.
- 67.5% of the surveyees lay emphasis on the durability of the automation system they are willing to adopt.
- Industrial automation technologies and solutions can help manufacturers by lowering downtime and delivering customer-focused services.
- 78.6% of the surveyed participants said that industrial automation technologies helped them in achieving higher productivity levels.
- 72.5% of the surveyees revealed that through automation systems and solutions, their work quality is increased.
- 65.4% of the surveyed respondents consider initial investment costs as a primary challenge of adopting industrial automation technologies.
- 57.2% of the surveyees said that integrating automation technologies into existing/current technologies is a barrier while adopting them.
- According to the GoodFirms survey, 72.1% of surveyees said that industrial automation technologies would completely replace manual labor in the future.
- Industrial automation technologies have enormous potential to alter business processes and increase productivity, sustainability, and efficiency in the coming years.
Conclusion
Industrial automation technologies are becoming a key driving force in the production and manufacturing sectors. One of the primary benefits of industrial automation technology is its capacity to optimize production processes, allowing businesses to increase productivity and quality while minimizing operational costs. The market for automation technologies is expected to grow in the future with the advancements in technologies such as industrial robots, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and IIoT that are capable of performing jobs quickly and accurately.
The need for qualified employees to operate automation systems, data security, and privacy concerns, initial investments and integration of automation systems and solutions with existing technology, etc., are some of the challenges that need to be resolved. Despite these barriers, industrial automation technologies have a bright future, with the ability to revolutionize the industrial sector and provide great opportunities for industries to grow.
We sincerely thank our Research Partners for their valuable insights.
References
- https://www.statista.com/statistics/611004/global-industrial-internet-of-things-market-size/
- https://ifr.org/img/worldrobotics/Executive_Summary_WR_Industrial_Robots_2022.pdf
- https://www.redhat.com/en/topics/automation/what-is-security-automation#
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesrealestatecouncil/2020/06/05/the-cost-of-manual-repetitive-tasks-in-cre-how-automation-can-help/
- https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/automating-future-how-automation-changing-our-lives-ntg-oman
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342009449_Impact_of_Industry_40_on_Environmental_Sustainability
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/anniebrown/2021/06/02/automation-and-the-future-of-workhow-engineered-systems-are-improving-the-workplace/
- https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/industrial-automation-market
Survey Participant Demographics:
Firmographics:
The queried business owners, professionals, or executives comprise 37.4% of the manufacturing sector, 15.5% of the automotive industry, 8.8% include the construction sector, 7.2% of the warehousing and logistics sector, 6.4% comprise of the healthcare sector, and many more.
According to the GoodFirms survey, 40.9% of the participants have small businesses, 32.1% own medium-scale businesses, 20.3% of the surveyees have large-scale organizations, and 6.7% have started startup businesses.
