Robotics: China Is Leading The Role In Automated Systems

While the image that often prevails in people’s minds is that western countries either automate the labor-intensive processes or outsource them to China, the reality has long been different. In China, automation is progressing extremely quickly. In more and more areas, it is no longer the clichéd legions of Chinese who manufacture consumer goods for the whole world.

More and more parts of production have long since been taken over by robots. Almost half of all industrial robots in use worldwide are now in Chinese factories – and the proportion is currently increasing. This is according to the latest data from the International Federation of Robotics (IFR).

And these relate to the year 2020. At the turn of the year before last, 243,000 industrial robots were installed in China. The amount had doubled within three years. Eight years ago, people first heard that the country wanted to focus more on automating production.

Automated Systems Few Workers

Most of the new industrial robots are used in electronics production, for example when assembling and soldering printed circuit boards and in automobile assembly. Automated systems are used particularly in the rapidly growing production of electric vehicles.

The reason for this trend is relatively simple: China, with its 1.4 billion inhabitants, has a huge workforce – but for years there have been fewer and fewer people available for industry. Because society is aging and more and more people are striving for easier and cleaner jobs in service areas.

However, the Chinese government does not want to allow production to be restricted as a result – because this would make it more difficult to catch up with the western industrialized countries. The leadership in Beijing has therefore made it a national priority to take a leading role in the introduction of robotics in the industry worldwide.