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Revolutionary changes in industrial automation

06.06.2025

Over the past two decades, the field of industrial automation has undergone revolutionary changes that have influenced not only the technical solutions of equipment but also the design processes of the products manufactured and assembled with them. How is product design evolving in response to automation possibilities?

Since the turn of the millennium, the widespread adoption of robotics, along with other automated systems not solely based on robots, has significantly facilitated the development of new manufacturing and assembly equipment. Compared to approximately 30,000 robots sold in 2000, the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) forecasts nearly 550,000 units by 2024. Robots are becoming increasingly accessible and represent genuinely cost-effective solutions for handling tasks.

Alongside the growth of the robotics market, camera-based inspection systems are also becoming more widespread. Rapid technological advancements and cost consolidation of these systems have enabled their application not only in quality control and traceability but also in other process control tasks. This is further supported by the widespread adoption of new artificial intelligence (AI)-based image processing and deep learning solutions.

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Photo: Robot

Today, it is commonplace for a robot to perform its tasks enhanced by a high-level image processing unit. Vision-assisted position control solutions, which compensate for assembly inaccuracies arising from manufacturing tolerances, greatly aid in achieving low defect rates. Camera inspection of parts, correcting the robot’s pick-and-place points, has become a standard requirement in assembly tasks.

Meanwhile, products themselves have changed. Features designed for precise fitting, finely tuned manufacturing tolerance chains, and technological surfaces that ensured clear positioning of assembled products are gradually disappearing. It has become normal for components to be designed without precise orientation, anticipating that they will be assembled using position-controlled manipulation. A typical example: a robot aligning two surfaces based on design specifications, followed by a screwdriver fixing the positions.

Whether this phenomenon is due to “poor design” enabled by technological capabilities or if cost-reduced design methods required such technological developments is perhaps a moot point, but the phenomenon is certainly present.

Technological advances have also impacted product and automation design in other ways. The widespread adoption of finite element simulation allows for virtual testing of products early in the development phase, which was previously only possible with physical prototypes. Validation testing is still necessary, but initial test samples are now produced with greater reliability after validation with simulation tools.

Advanced simulation tools also play a role in automating product assembly. Virtual prototypes allow for testing of the assembly process and modification of parameters without excessive development and testing time, not to mention cost.

Imagine designing a heat staking process—a polymer riveting technology where the stake is preheated near the melting temperature and then riveted using a cooler tool. Previously, this painstaking work was done using physical samples to find optimal parameters. This process can be drastically shortened, allowing determination of technological parameters such as temperature, airflow etc., with a virtual prototype.

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Photo: Heat staking process

Technology development cycles are noticeably shortening, and available automation technologies are constantly evolving. We have witnessed two exciting decades, and we can be sure that there is no stopping – today’s interdisciplinary approaches offer exciting new opportunities.

In this dynamic automation landscape, Econ Engineering leverages advanced engineering simulation and virtual prototyping to optimize product design and manufacturing processes. With a deep understanding of these automation shifts, we provide bespoke automation solutions that integrate cutting-edge robotics and vision systems, ensuring your projects achieve peak efficiency and reduced costs from initial concept to automated production.


Source: Econ Engineering

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