China into the world's largest industrial robot market annual growth rate of 25%

1921 at the National Grand Theater in Prague, staged a science fiction drama, the show has a robot called Russelm, this is the first time in human literature, the robot is capable of two and a half ordinary workers work, people put their jobs to Russelm, they are carefree to enjoy life. In 2014, China has become the world's largest consumer of industrial robots, and it is expected that by 2015, China's robot market will reach 35,000 units, accounting for nearly 20% of the global total.

Chinese robot team dares to open up test water international market

This is in the plant of the Evter Intelligent Equipment Co., Ltd., the top of the company from Israel is visiting Evter's newest products with interest, and they will collaborate with Evter company on automatic motion control technology, which is one of the key technologies in robot production.

GAO Chuang Transmission Technology Development Co., Ltd. marketing vice President Markus Erlich: Evter has great potential to become the world's leading robotic manufacturers, we see here the technology is already in the world first-class. And through our cooperation, they will be more competitive in the world.

In the production workshop of the Shenyang New Pine Robot Automation Co., the workers are working nervously and the mobile robots they assemble will be sent to all parts of the world.

Siasun Intelligent Mobile Division general Manager Lei: This is for a multinational company, it is a large international tractor manufacturing, like the first batch of yellow, which we give to the General Motors, such as this side of the Nissan, there are also to Ford and so on, we can say is the main supplier of this area.

In fact, Siasun has become a global sourcing provider for a group of world-class companies such as GM, BMW, Ford and Michelin.

Siasun Robot Automation Co., LTD. President Qutauqui: Siasun once to the market with foreign to compare, in the technical what, no less, a lot of our own characteristics.

The robot is regarded as "the pearl of the crown of manufacturing industry", its research and development, manufacture and application is an important symbol to measure the level of science and technology innovation and high-end manufacturing in a country, which is considered as the cut-in point and important growth point of the third industrial Revolution. And China's robot manufacturing enterprises, in this round of changes in the international arena on the debut, they catch up, breaking the local market foreign brands monopoly situation, they have the courage to open up, and constantly test the international market, to help China from the manufacturing power to the manufacturing power transformation and upgrading.

This is the robot developed by our country in the late 80 and early 90. As an important achievement of the country's 863 program, its developers are Song, a Chinese Academy of Engineering, known as the father of the Chinese robot. Although this product indicates that our research in this field has been comparable to the world advanced level in the same period, but at that time, it did not emit its due luster in industrial production.

The robot developed by our country in the early 90 of the late 80

China Robot Industry Alliance executive Director Song Xiaogang: Is our country whether from the market demand, from the industrial Foundation, then 80 's to 90 's this stage, did not have this rapid popularization and application of robot automation system such a condition.

At that time, China was just in the early days of reform and opening up, a large number of low-cost Labor poured into the factory, benefiting from an unprecedented demographic dividend, few companies would consider spending money to pay for industrial robots. But the researchers who went abroad have noticed the widespread use of industrial robots in developed countries and the rapid development of robotic industries.

Qutauqui: A look at it, almost a machine, so watching is very shocking. This is the time to know that the robot we used to do in the laboratory, but did not think the robot will have such a large role, and in foreign countries have been large quantities in the industry, in large quantities of applications, so the shock is still very large.

Qutauqui is a Song student and the first graduate student of our country's robotics profession. Finally, under the guidance of the tutor, the Qutauqui of the robot industry returned to China, formed a 30-person team, dedicated to the industrialization of robotics.

Confident Qutauqui the robot industry back to China devoted to the industrialization of robots

Qutauqui: Whether in the capital, on the brand, in the business management experience, in the market, including how to do products, this may be a blank for us.

While the team is confused about the market, a customer has found the door.

Lei: At that time, Shenyang Gold Cup car factory planning a production line, but the other parts of the production line is planned, when the tender found in the chassis, the link, because the original foreign suppliers to our domestic embargo, is not sold to us.

The contract also signed, the paragraph also paid for most, but because the U.S. side of the technology blockade, the entire production line installed to the halfway to continue, the company was mobile robot technology stuck in the neck.

Lei: Users can say that there is no way to find us, they just want to try, when this contract, in fact, the amount of the project is not very large, equivalent to foreign companies scheduled at the time of the end of an amount.

Although the money was small, the task was heavy, but Lei and his colleagues did not hesitate to take the order.

Lei: We through this breakthrough, it is possible to our original accumulation of High-tech, really in the industry to get universal application.

But most members of the team didn't even see the robot line. In addition to foreign technical blockade, the acquisition of relevant data and twists and turns.

Lei: We went to the technology information to search repeatedly, forty or fifty may be hundreds of information, to get such a picture. Then we have to speculate on the technology used, or what its application environment will be.

But the picture is just a static picture, but the robot to move up, a static move, there is a mystery.

Lei: On the one hand, to be able to run the virtual track he set, on the other hand, and the installation of the body to synchronize. How to reconcile the synchronization between the two, including good adaptability is a big problem.

For this group of research-educated intellectuals, technology is not the only problem to complete the project. They didn't even think to inquire about the information of the accessory manufacturers.

Lei: Just start that wheel, in fact now know a lot of wheels we are from the professional manufacturer procurement. At that time, we do not have this channel, do not know this source, you can say that it is entirely their own processing, to do their own, completely from scratch. Many links are such that there is no original industrial base, there is no original information, have to rely on their own from scratch.

Chew Bones, detours, this single business spent the entire team 2.5 of the time, eventually they conquered the mobile robot core technology, so that the customer's car production line finally smoothly started.

Lei: Very nervous, also very excited, is the first time we saw ourselves developed mobile robot, in our country's production line is really applied to industrial engineering, very happy.

Department of Robotics, Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences the news that the mobile robot technology of automobile production line has been conquered. Soon, South Korean Samsung came to the door and spent hundreds of thousands of of dollars to buy their technology patents.

Qutauqui: We know has not only had our technical altitude such a capability, at the same time we also have the ability to fully have the ability to use their own technology, how to launch products, how to apply to enterprises, this is a great confidence for us to promote the role.

In 1999, the State Council issued the "Decision on strengthening technological innovation, developing high technology and realizing industrialization", which finally led to the establishment of China's first High-tech enterprise specializing in robotics and advanced equipment. But looking at the historical data of the year, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe and the International Robotics Union published a statistical report that from 1994-1999, the United States General industrial robot sales almost doubled, to 15,000 units, only 1999 years a year to increase 38%. European Union 1999 General industrial robot sales grew 16% to 25,000 units, but in China, 1999 installed capacity of only 550 units, and almost for a few major international monopolies, siasun to open up the situation in the market, almost the tiger's prey.

Statistical report data released by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe and the International Robotics Union, 1999

Qutauqui: China was only hundreds of times a year, so this time to give us the entire imagination of the market space is still a big drop, this is one aspect, then, on the other hand, is the technology so small market, then also have all foreign monopolies, so we said that the first step to the market directly, The direct face is an international competition.

In Qutauqui's view, Siasun as a successor, to be in this international competition to get a foothold, the most powerful weapon is a born out of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, rooted in the local research and development team, they understand the various models and types of robots, two understand the needs of Chinese manufacturing enterprises and working principle.

Qutauqui: Is the enterprise has any difficult problem, go to find Siasun bar, the enterprise has what bottleneck, because we did a lot does not need the enterprise to pay the matter. I can help you with some of the early planning, to help solve some problems, but at this time I can dime.

Through the establishment of this partnership with Enterprises, Siasun team's technology and services gradually won a reputation in the industry, but also a little won the market.

Qutauqui: In this High-tech product force, technology is also a key technical element, the first is to see your technology, whether to meet my requirements, your function, performance reliability, whether to my entire demand matching, under this premise, look at your price, see your cost, otherwise you are white to their use he dare not use , why, would affect his whole production.

While Qutauqui and his team are struggling to chew on the market, Hu Guodong is also having headaches for foreign robots introduced by companies. At that time he was in charge of the maintenance work of Chery Automobile equipment department.

Evter Company Deputy Chief Engineer Hu Guodong: At that time in the use of the German Duke company Sprinkler robot, when there is a device failure, is the first time we encountered a fault, is the equipment it alarm, a warning number, we look up the information, he wrote very simple, did not explain the cause of this failure.

What does this alarm number mean? Continues to operate, will affect production safety? Before the answers to these questions, Hu Guodong had only one option: shutting down the entire production line.

Hu Guodong: The pressure is very big, our company a stipulation at that time, stop the station five minutes, must report to the Workshop director, 15 minutes must reports to our Director, 30 minutes must report to our company general Manager, besides we more than 30 minutes, but stopped for a day,

For businesses, time is money. Even now, Hu Guodong thought it was the hardest day of his life.

Hu Guodong: When we found the foreigner, the first foreigner he is not full of information, he is not willing to give us too much information; the second, in China, its technical experts, the level of technology is also limited, he can not provide more support in this area, only on our own to solve,

In order to minimize losses, the technical team decided to use manual methods to partially restore production, while continuing to troubleshoot. At that time just graduated from college Hu Guodong body has drum calf stubborn strength, Leng two days and two nights in the machine next to each other, not sleep endlessly, solve the problem.

Hu Guodong: Later, many engineers of the dole, in their other projects debugging encounter problems to call us, let us provide them with some technical support, and then our maintenance team, in the whole of our Chery company even in our sprinkler industry, are still small well-known.

Hu Guodong's team was one of the first World wars to become famous, and the young man came up with the idea that he made robots.

Hu Guodong: I'll find my leader, that is, our company now General manager Xu, then told him I said Xu Total, I in the maintenance, in the field maintenance so many years, I also accumulated a lot of experience, I would like to have the opportunity, if our department engaged in equipment development, can give me a chance.

Anhui Evter Intelligent Equipment Co., Ltd. General manager Xu Li: I said can consider. At that time I encouraged him, I said you have a good grasp, wait until the opportunity, we might actually build robots.

Xu Li, although not on the spot to answer, but in fact the idea in his heart is also a long history. As the head of the Enterprise Equipment department, the high price the company paid for importing robots has been bothering him.

Xu Li: When we upgrade, we invite this imported robot manufacturer to serve us. It was from abroad that the plane started, went back to their domestic aircraft, until they get off the plane, hourly charges, hundreds of euros one hours.

Finally, the foreign experts simply modified the procedure, the enterprise spent nearly 1 million yuan. Although the money is not Xu Li into their own pockets, but still feel distressed.

Xu Li into: feel inferior to people, forever this controlled, forever this passive beaten. This thing is deepened we must master the core technology, must have their own robot such an idea.

This idea of Xu Li into the 2007 for the reality. This year, he supported by the parent company, formed Anhui Evter Intelligent Equipment Co., Ltd. Eager to Hu Guodong naturally be recruited into the Xu Li, he received the first task is: To prepare a production robot feasibility report. A pen, the young man found that his original seemed too impulsive, repair robots and build robots, after all, is different.

Hu Guodong: Maintenance can only touch the application level of the equipment, when we go to develop the equipment we have to understand the bottom of the device, what is its principle, what is its circuit, what is its machine structure, how do I develop this project, how do you develop, what is your technical route?

CCTV financial "economic half-hour" Reporter: Monk.

Hu Guodong: Yes, we didn't know where to write it.

But this did not baffled Hu Guodong, he and several young backbone decided to the Harbin Institute of Technology to learn from.

Hu Guodong: 16th our past. Because after the new year, because considering a road relatively far, from the north to the south to compare far, and we also want to learn something there, use the holiday period to learn something, there is a large project pressure, we did not come back a few people, every day in the laboratory to look at the information, to learn procedures.

After months of bad repair, the young people began to cooperate with the Harbin Institute of Technology Manufacturing prototype March 2009, Evter self-developed first spot welding robot in Chery Automobile production workshop put into use.

CCTV financial "economic half-hour" Reporter: When the first day of opening, your heart side bottom?

Hu Guodong: There is no bottom in the heart.

Reporter: Why?

Hu Guodong: Because our products are used for industrial production for the first time, there are many arguments outside, when we use this product, many people are against it. He said you this product, the first assumes that you this is bad, you will affect my production; the second, suppose your product appears some unusual condition, like the flying car, will appear the safety accident, hits our person to do?

This question is not unreasonable, after all, is the first prototype, after the full state of the line.

Xu Li: For example, we have a robotic arm broken, oil spill, noise, and even security incidents. The machine suddenly got out of control during the operation and got out of control into a safety helmet of one of our employees, who had broken his hat. Our Safety Management Department, production management department, including the workshop, were very opposed to the use of this robot.

Then the Xu Li into a huge pressure

Looking back on that day, Xu Li still feel terrible.

Xu Li into: The most anxious is every open production will, I personally to this will go up to explain, this problem is what causes, how we improve, to ensure that the future can not be repeated, no longer this problem. So it is under such a pressure.

CCTV financial "economic half-hour" Reporter: Were you afraid to attend that meeting?

Xu Li: That must be afraid.

Xu Lijin feel, can survive that period of time, rely on the whole team's belief and Chery Company's support.

Xu Li into: To use their own brand of robots, to build their own brand of cars.

In the middle of the last century, the first industrial robot was born in America. Nowadays, robots are Shinton in the fields of industry, family service, medical care, education, emergency rescue and military. It can be said that people and robots are changing the world. In the robotics market, foreign robot giants are in a dominant position. Although China's robot industry is facing a series of outstanding problems, such as weak brand, the lag of core parts research and development, product cognition and low value-added, low-end overcapacity, the Chinese technicians are not discouraged.

Chinese industrial robots emerge to break foreign monopoly market

Xu Li into: Probably by the end of 2009, we basically, I think our failure rate, slowly lowered.

2009 is a difficult and hopeful year for the newly established Evter.

Hu Guodong: Gradually, in many industries began to find us, such as in the bathroom industry, in the home appliance industry, as well as the automotive industry, the automotive industry is the earliest we do an industry.

Only in Chery's one production workshop, 68 Evter robots are used, and if they run at full capacity, they produce 100,000 units a year.

Chery v Welding Workshop equipment Supervisor Zhang Jinneng: Our side mainly has the welding, has the glue, has the stud welding, has to carry four function. Now Evter this robot can fully achieve this international brand level, from the control precision, like Kuka is also the world's most top robot, his control accuracy, like 210 kg of robots, Kuka is plus or minus 0.2, we are now positive or negative 0.3, like 400 kg is positive or negative 0.5, we now also reach positive and negative 0.5.

As Evter gradually opened the market, Qutauqui received a call from GM to cancel an order.

Qutauqui: That's when they all signed a contract with us, and then it was a vice president, the global sourcing vice president to talk to us, then this may not be done.

As early as 2007, Siasun Mobile robot was successfully integrated into GM's global sourcing platform, the successful rewriting of the robot only imports without the history of exports. The mobile robot for this order was originally procured by the general base headquarters. But it didn't occur to the financial crisis that the company was unsustainable and could only be injected into the company by the US government.

Qutauqui: Because he that money that investment is because the country, the government gives him the money, he has one request, is wants to buy (US) domestic equipment

There seems to be no hope for this order, and Qutauqui is even worried about working with GM in other countries, which is, after all, a big customer. But unexpectedly, three months later, GM found him again.

Qutauqui: He found a lot of home to do this, and later may not meet his requirements, and finally signed the contract with us.

CCTV financial "economic half-hour" Reporter: The enterprise side, the fact of the persuasion of the government is it?

Qutauqui: Yes, it is equivalent to let me purchase, but there is no, there is no request, then I have to go to buy foreign equipment, from this place, the opposite side to prove the competitiveness of our products.

2009, the entire world economy has left even today is still indelible traces. This year, a financial crisis that began on Wall Street ravaged the world and China became the main force leading the global economic recovery.

Song Xiaogang: It is our country more than 30 years, especially in the past 10 years, this kind of rapid development, the entire industrial Foundation, also has the economic strength, all gradually, gradually enhances.

The rapid growth of China's robot market is complementary to the trend of China's economy. October 30, 2009, the company's shares in the Shenzhen Stock Exchange gem officially listed transactions, become China's "robot" first, marking the new pine company to capital as a lever of the international operation Prologue officially opened.

Qutauqui: Listing for the development of the Siasun may be a new turning point, we now also entered a we call the connotation of extension, a new way of development. At the same time we through the capital of this leverage, mergers and acquisitions outside, take this measure, rapid integration of resources, Siasun to develop and grow up.

According to the International Federation of Robotics (IFR): From 2005 to 2012, China's industrial robot sales increased at an annual rate of more than 25%, has become one of the fastest growing markets in the world; This growth has been accelerated since 2008, 2008 to 2013, Sales of industrial robots in China grew by 36% annually. Behind these growth figures is no longer the world of international brands, but more and more like Siasun, Evter and other autonomous brand of the robot figure.

2005 to 2012 International Robotics Federation (IFR) statistics

Qutauqui: So far, the Siasun products may be more than half, almost two-thirds, or in foreign companies widely used, then we now export 14 countries.

Xu Li: Our early robots followed Chery cars to build factories abroad, to Brazil, to Iran, to some countries abroad, and we have our robot. We export ourselves to Korea this year, and there are a few that are likely to be exported to Europe.

In Anhui Wuhu Robot Industrial Park, an annual production capacity of 10,000 units has been capped, it is a domestic robot enterprise to the future of the dream.

Evter Intelligent Equipment Co., Ltd. Deputy general manager Zeng Hui: We Evter in 2012 years to sell about 300 robots, last year is 500, this year will reach 1000 units, next year will reach 2000, so the pace of growth in recent years is also very fast, We judge the Chinese market capacity and growth rate is very fast, I think the output can achieve the design capacity.

Reporter: Do not worry about selling?

Zeng Hui: Don't worry about selling.

Innovation is the inexhaustible power of development. With the development of artificial intelligence technology, robot leather is expected to become the starting point and important growth point of new industry. Countries have seen robots as "the jewel of the crown of manufacturing". China's robot technology, industry started late. After years of catch-up, our country has developed a robot for Antarctic research and deep-sea investigation. The Moon rover, a successful lunar landing, is actually an advanced robot. China robot Industry Alliance released Industrial Robot Market statistics show: 2013 China market sales of industrial robots nearly 37,000 units, more than Japan, ranked first in the world. Behind the seemingly bright report card is a serious challenge.

China robot industry is changing from manufacturing to high-end service manufacturing industry

Wuhu Hart Robot Industry and Technology Research Institute deputy Dean Gao Yun: We now this laser calibration method, just a preliminary calibration method, suitable for the general relatively small enterprises, investment is not too big.

Zeng Hui: Because the current procurement from foreign laser locator, one is a higher cost of hardware procurement, on the other hand, there are some charges, so now we are developing direction, we can also consider the development of domestic laser locator, including from the hardware and software to reduce our procurement costs.

Evter Intelligent Equipment Co., Ltd. Deputy general manager Zeng Hui is the Harbin Robotics Industry Technology Research Institute, a frequent customer, the institute has just been set up this July, is a hit of talent and technical advantages based on the combination of research and development of public industrial technology platform.

Gao Yun: We work together with Evter on the basis of Evter robot ontology, we further research and development, make the robot intelligent degree is higher, the application scope is wider.

Shan is the deputy dean of the Institute of New Pine, and he is following up on the whole program of the chip installation line for Taiwanese customers.

Siasun Robot Automation Co., Ltd. Vice Dean Shan: The device is an integrated device that includes the entire front cabin, the inside of the air manipulator, and then the pre alignment device, which can then be connected to the rear vacuum chamber, each chamber connected to the process module to form an integrated operating system.

In this fully automated chip manufacturing line, the clean robot is the most critical component. Because the chip manufacture to the equipment cleanliness, the precision and the reliability request is very harsh, the ordinary equipment cannot achieve at all.

Shan: Its difficulty lies in its high vacuum degree, the second is its smooth operation, because it drags the wafer away, it does not suck in the vacuum environment, also does not allow the card to live, another is its security technology.

New Pine Company after three years of research, breaking the long-standing dependence on imports of similar products, the real realization of the semiconductor industry in the vacuum environment moving robot localization. And now the production line, is no longer a single clean machine hand, it embodies, it is siasun next market goal: to provide customers with the overall solution.

Qutauqui: From the past stand-alone robot products, gradually developed to this logistics, warehousing, and then developed to production lines, complete sets of equipment, now directly we can provide users with complete digital solutions, including digital factory, command factory such a concept.

Based on the local team and scientific research strength, the Chinese robot industry is realizing the transformation and upgrading from manufacturing to high-end custom service manufacturing. Its rapid development, on the one hand, can make up for the decline of China's demographic dividend, on the one hand, it is pregnant with the hope of China's manufacturing curve overtaking.

Song Xiaogang: I think the most competitive potential of our domestic robots is actually, is equal to the market familiarity, or call to the application industry familiar, we should try to put I just said the quality of the industrial products, as well as the next generation of robotics, such as human-computer interaction robot technology, to be able to use this round of market up, This opportunity to improve him as soon as possible to meet market demand services.

Half hour observation:

2013 China has become the world's largest robot market, the new installed capacity of the global new installed capacity of about one-fifth, is expected to be in the next 5 years will also be increased by 25% per annum. In addition, the automotive industry will no longer be the largest industrial robot demand industry, electronic manufacturing industry, food and drug industry, and many other industries will become the leader of industrial robot demand, showing a higher coastal than the mainland demand, private enterprises higher than the demand for state-owned enterprise, low-end higher than high-end high-performance robot demand trend. Robots are becoming a breakthrough point and an important growth point of the new industrial Revolution, will affect the global manufacturing structure, its research and development, manufacturing, application has become a measure of national scientific and technological innovation and high-end manufacturing level of an important symbol.

(Responsible editor: Mengyishan)