Figure 1: Industrial robot.
In recent years, the robot industry has risen rapidly around the world. At present, five major robot development areas have been formed, in Europe, the United States, Japan, China, and South Korea. The following lists 24 representative robot companies. Let’s take a look.
1. Europe (8 Companies)
Europe is the leader in the global industrial robot market and has achieved complete autonomy in core components such as sensors, controllers, and precision reducers.
1. ABB (Switzerland)
ABB has been committed to the research, development and production of robots for more than 40 years. As a pioneer in industrial robots and the world's leading robot manufacturer, it has robot R&D, manufacturing and sales bases in Sweden, Norway, China, etc.
Figure 2: ABB logo.
2. Stäubli (Switzerland)
Stäubli Group is a professional supplier of mechatronics in three major fields: textile machinery, industrial connectors and industrial robots. Stäubli industrial robots include collaborative robots, SCARA and six-axis industrial robots, controllers and software, providing higher productivity and performance.
Figure 3: Stäubli logo.
3. KUKA (Germany)
KUKA Aktiengesellschaft (KUKA), headquartered in Augsburg, Germany, is a robot application and system solutions company, especially good at industrial robot production in the field of automobile manufacturing. It is regarded as one of the representative companies of Germany's "Industry 4.0". In 2016 KUKA was acquired by the Chinese company Midea Group.
Figure 4: KUKA logo.
4. CLOOS (Germany)
Founded in 1919, CLOOS is a world-renowned top enterprise in the field of robotic welding. CLOOS has independently developed welding robots since 1981 and has been committed to providing complete solutions of professional and high-end welding robots. In 2019, ESTUN Automation acquired 100% equity of Carl Cloos Schweißtechnik GmbH (hereinafter referred to as CLOOS).
5. BERGER LAHR (Germany)
BERGER LAHR, founded in Germany in 1941, is one of the most famous robot suppliers in the world. All parts from BERGER LAHR, such as guide rails, drive motors, reducers and control systems are produced in-house, which makes the overall performance of the robot even better.
BERGER LAHR became a member of Schneider Electric in 2000 and changed its name to Schneider Electric Motion Deutschland in 2008. It mainly provides products and services for Schneider Electric automation control and is part of Schneider Electric's Lexium products.
6. Reis Robotics (Germany)
Founded in 1957 by Walter Reis in Obernburg, Bavaria, Germany, Reis Robotics is a multinational technology company integrating robotics and system automation. It is now a company owned by Aretè Cocchi Technology.
Figure 5: Reis Robotics logo.
7. COMAU(Italy)
COMAU is a global enterprise affiliated with Fiat Group. It was founded in 1973 and is headquartered in Turin, Italy. COMAU's products include a variety of robots and automation equipment, such as Scara robots, flexible handling arms (FlexPicker) and collaborative robots (Cobot), to meet the needs of different fields.
8. AutoTech Robotics (UK)
AutoTech Robotics was founded in 1980 and has become an expert in robots and robotic manufacturing systems. Autotech Robotics' robots can provide a wide range of cost-effective automated manufacturing systems.
2. Japan (5 Companies)
Japan is a major country in the production, development and use of robots. Japan has long attached great importance to robot research and development, especially in service robots and industrial robots, and is far ahead in terms of robot technology.
1. FANUC
FANUC is a Japanese company specializing in CNC systems, founded in 1956. It is the world's largest professional CNC system manufacturer, occupying 70% of the global market share. FANUC's main products include: multifunctional 6-axis small robots, FANUC CNC systems, machine tool CNC devices, etc., widely used in different production links such as assembly, handling, welding, casting, spraying, and palletizing, to meet the different needs of customers.
Figure 6: FANUC logo.
2. Epson
Founded in May 1942, Seiko Epson is a global technology leader committed to continuous innovation in the four major areas of printing, visual communication, quality of life, and production and manufacturing, and to provide products and services that exceed customer expectations. Epson's main product lines cover from inkjet printers, printing systems, 3LCD projectors to industrial robots, smart glasses and sensing systems.
3. Yaskawa
Yaskawa Electric was founded in 1915 and initially specialized in the production of electric motors. The core technologies such as servo and motion controller mastered by Yaskawa Electric give Yaskawa Electric a unique advantage in developing robots. Yaskawa produces a variety of automated robots for welding, assembly, painting, and handling.
Figure 7: Yaskawa logo.
4. Kawasaki
Kawasaki Robotics is part of Kawasaki Heavy Industries, a well-known Japanese company. Today, Kawasaki develops and supplies high-quality, high-performance robots for welding, assembly and handling, painting, palletizing and other purposes.
5. Nachi-Fujikoshi
Founded in 1928, NACHI is a Japanese comprehensive machinery manufacturer specializing in mechanical tools and robots. Fujikoshi's robot products are mainly concentrated in the fields of loading and unloading, palletizing, dust-free workshop handling and welding.
3. United States (2 Companies)
American robot technology is comprehensive, advanced, and highly adaptable.
1. Adept Technology
Adept Technology was established in 1983. It is a high-tech manufacturing enterprise specializing in industrial automation. It has very advanced technologies in SCARA robots, parallel robots, AGV robots and machine vision. In 2015, Omron acquired Adept Technology Inc.
Figure 8: Omron Adept logo.
2. American Robot
American Robot is a manufacturer of industrial robot controllers, industrial robots and automation systems. It is headquartered in Pittsburgh, USA. It has been producing military and aerospace-specific control products and mechanical devices since the early 1990s.
4. China (6 Companies)
"Made in China 2025" has established ten major industries such as robots as the key development directions for the next stage. Under the influence of this policy, robots will also usher in a new round of explosion in China.
1. SIASUN Robot & Automation Co., Ltd.
SIASUN was founded in 2000. It is a high-tech company with robotics and intelligent manufacturing solutions as its core, engaged in the design, manufacturing and sales of industrial robots, complete sets of logistics and warehousing automation equipment, and other products.
Figure 9: SIASUN logo.
2. Wuhu EFORT Intelligent Equipment Co., Ltd.
EFORT is a high-tech company focusing on the industrial robot industry. Based on the R&D and manufacturing of general-purpose robots, EFORT provides solutions in multiple application fields such as spraying, welding, palletizing, handling, loading and unloading, etc.
3. GSK CNC EQUIPMENT CO.,LTD
GSK was established in 1991. Its main business includes: CNC system, servo drive, servo motor R&D and production, CNC machine tool chain marketing, machine tool CNC engineering, industrial robots, etc.
4. Shanghai STEP Electric Corporation
STEP, founded in 1995, is an industrial robot developer integrating R&D, design and production. Its main products are multi-jointed industrial robots and SCARA robots, which can be widely used in 3C, white goods, auto parts, food and beverage and other fields.
5. Nanjing Estun
Estun Automation was established in Nanjing in 1993 and has become one of China's domestic providers and service providers of high-end automation core components and motion control systems, industrial robots and intelligent manufacturing systems.
Figure 10: Estun Automation logo.
6. Guangdong Topstar Technology Co., Ltd.
Topstar was established in 2007. Through intelligent equipment with industrial robots, injection molding machines, and five-axis linkage CNC machine tools (CNC) as its core, as well as three core technologies of control, servo, and vision, it creates an intelligent hardware platform driven by core technologies to provide manufacturing companies with overall smart factory solutions.
5. South Korea (3 Companies)
Currently, South Korean industrial robot manufacturers account for about 5% of the global market share.
1. HYUNDAI
Hyundai Heavy Industries has independently developed industrial robots that lead the world in technology since 1984. Through continuous technological development, it has owned a number of core patents in automation systems.
2.Doosan Robotics
Doosan Robotics is a collaborative robot company supported by Doosan Group, South Korea's oldest and most famous enterprise group. Doosan Robotics was established in 2015. Since its establishment, Doosan Robotics has been committed to providing diversified collaborative robot products for the global market and has continuously introduced new ones, which have been used in different industries such as manufacturing, logistics, catering, and healthcare.
Figure 11: Doosan logo.
3. Robostar
Founded in 1999, Robostar is a leading company in the production of industrial robots in South Korea, providing systematic high value-added customer services to South Korea's domestic industrial markets such as automobiles, mobile phones, and FPDs.
