Malaysia’s robotics sector can benefit from collaborative ecosystem
26 Dec 2022
Universal Robots (UR), the Danish collaborative robot (cobot) company, urged Malaysia’s robotics industry to leverage its extensive global ecosystem to realise the benefits of strategic collaboration.
To facilitate this ecosystem, UR has custom-built its UR+ platform to work with third parties who are experts in their respective fields of technology.
Universal Robots’ ecosystem comprises four main parts: UR+, its distributor network, certified system integrators, and original equipment manufacturers (OEM) – totalling 1,100 partners globally. The UR+ platform includes over 300 UR+ partners and over 400 certified UR+ components, application kits and solutions.
Verified Market Research projected Malaysia’s robotics market to produce 4,742 units of robots by 2027, at a CAGR of 16.77% from 2020 to 2027. Creating a robotic system requires hardware and software development, application development, sensors and numerous interfaces. The main challenge faced by technology companies across Southeast Asia region including Malaysia is the lack of expert knowledge in every domain.
“By combining the UR platform with the talent of the industry’s largest ecosystem, UR+ allows easier identification of tools compatible with UR cobots and helps distributors, integrators and OEM customise the right products for the market,” said Ix Lee (pic), head of sales, Southeast Asia and Oceania, Universal Robots.
Universal Robots has identified three key benefits for Malaysia’s robotics industry in leveraging a collaborative ecosystem:
Drives Innovation
Collaboration fosters strength and expertise. An extensive and integrated platform drives innovation while maintaining high standards, encouraging collaboration and creativity that ultimately benefits end users. Collaboration of engineers across different areas of expertise inspires creativity and ensures the highest quality and best possible outcome.
Provides Widest Choices
Problem solving is part of every business. Having access to a diversity of expertise with more choices means that a company can meet their customers’ needs. A dynamic ecosystem promotes competition that will uncover underserviced niches.
Eliminates Gaps with Customer
Leveraging the sheer size and diversity of Universal Robot’s global network of ecosystem enables industry players to be closer to their customers as a one-stop-shop.
Malaysia’s National Robotics Roadmap 2021-2030 has identified three high-impact sectors that could benefit from automation and significantly impact Malaysia’s gross domestic product: retail & healthcare (services), agriculture and manufacturing. In Malaysia’s Shared Prosperity Vision 2030, adoption of technology in the manufacturing and services sectors is still low at 37% and 20% respectively.
Businesses need to innovate constantly and remain adaptable in order to survive and expand. They will rely ever more on technology and innovation to break new ground. Cobots are designed to perform common tasks alongside humans that are dull, dirty and dangerous.
According to The Collaborative Robot Market 2022 Report, the cobot industry is projected to grow to US$2.2 billion by 2026. While cobots remain instrumental for picking, packing, palletising, welding and assembly, they will continue to expand into different industries as the ecosystem continues to grow.
“As more businesses turn to collaborative automation, the number of complete turnkey solutions is growing. These are often created by original equipment manufacturers (OEM) which have seen an advantage in embedding the UR platform into their own products. OEM solutions contain a UR cobot, hardware, software, installation, support and training,” said Lee.
He concluded that collaboration with partners on full solutions enables UR to address some of the most common application needs in manufacturing thus making it easier for businesses to automate.
Source: The Sun Daily
