Page 11 - Automated Issue 11

GOING GLOBAL WITH AUTOMATION

Three industries

disrupted by automation

The three sectors that automation and robotics have disrupted.
The term, ‘disruptive innovation’ was coined by construct beams, lay bricks or drill. In fact, nearly any
Harvard Business School professor, Clayton M. job in the process can be automated. In future, this
Christensen in his 1997 bestseller, The means construction could be planned and
Innovators Dilemma. It refers to a new coordinated remotely, performed on site only by
technology that disrupts an established robots.
product, shaking up or creating a new industry.

There are examples of disruptive technology across “One area where automated
every industry sector. In consumer technology, the technology is booming is the
personal computer and the smartphone changed the
way we do things. Not only can new technologies surgical robot market, which is
create new markets, they can also have a huge impact currently worth approximately
on industry. Industrially, technologies like additive
manufacturing are changing the way products can be $4 billion a year”
manufactured.
But it is not just manufacturing and consumer Construction environments are less structured and
technology that have been affected. Here, we look at more unpredictable than most manufacturing
three industries that have been changed by facilities, which can make it more difficult to integrate
automation. autonomous technologies, particularly if they are
mobile. However, vision and inspection systems are
Automotive proving extremely popular in the industry.
The automotive industry was quick to adopt
automated technology and automotive production Healthcare
lines already feature some of the latest industrial In the healthcare industry, many of the skills needed in
robots. Automation has been a useful technology in certain roles are impossible to automate, especially
automotive manufacturing as it is flexible and able to those involving human connection. However, there is
respond to the dynamic needs of the industry. Of all still a role for robotics in this sector.
manufacturing sectors, industrial robots have made
some of the biggest waves in automotive One area where automated technology is booming is
manufacturing. the surgical robot market, which is currently worth
approximately $4 billion a year and is expected to
As well as automation being used in automotive grow to $20 billion by 2024. Surgical robots allow
manufacturing, vehicles are getting smarter. Many doctors to perform complex procedures with
already offer partially automated functions, for improved precision and control than was previously
example predictive emergency braking and possible.
parking-related functions. There are a number of
technologies in the pipeline to improve the driving Automation is common across a number of
experience and fully automated systems are expected manufacturing sectors, but it has branched out to a
to be implemented after 2025. range of industries. Companies operating in the
construction, automotive and healthcare sectors are
Construction certainly being shaken up and there is more
Companies are combining emerging technologies to innovation to come.
build complex structures. Robots can now be used to

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