Taiwanese Manufacturers Lead the Charge in Intelligent Robotics Development

The march toward Industry 4.0 and smart manufacturing is accelerating, and intelligent industrial robots are taking center stage. Recognizing this pivotal shift, Taiwanese manufacturers like Foxconn, HIWIN, Delta Electronics, Techman, and NexCOBOT are actively developing cutting-edge software and hardware solutions to power the next generation of intelligent robotics.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs of Taiwan (MOEA), referring to a report by market research firm Zion Market Research, projects that the global industrial robotics market will reach a value of US$81.4 billion by 2028. This forecast indicates a doubling of growth compared to the figures from 2022.

Taiwanese manufacturers have established a robust supply chain for essential components of intelligent industrial robots. This supply chain encompasses a wide range of components, including upstream controllers, sensors, actuators, drivers, servo motors, drivetrains, and machine vision systems. Furthermore, it extends downstream to encompass industrial computers, robotic arms, Delta or SCARA robots, and Cartesian robot systems…

However, Taiwan's manufacturers still have considerable potential for growth in system integration. The Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) Industrial Economics and Knowledge Center analysis reveals that Taiwan has room for development in industrial robot application software and articulated robots. Nevertheless, in areas like Cartesian robot systems, collaborative robots, and autonomous mobile robots, Taiwan remains competitive and maintains its edge.

Taiwan's electronics titans, such as Foxconn Technology Group with its FARobot, FIH, and Foxconn Industrial Internet, are aggressively investing in intelligent industrial robotics. Their efforts are concentrated on developing integrated software and hardware solutions aimed at automating production lines for intelligent manufacturing.

FARobot has successfully integrated into the plants of its major shareholders, Foxconn and ADLINK. Additionally, it has been incorporated into the production line of Taiwan's largest chemical fibers manufacturer in the south and into panel manufacturers closely associated with ADLINK. Internationally, FARobot has also been deployed in the IC packaging and final testing production line of an American semiconductor company in Malaysia.

HIWIN, a leading manufacturer of motion control and systematic technology, has deployed single and multi-axis robots, Equipment Front End Modules (EFEM), and wafer robots, which have been integrated into the operations of international semiconductor equipment manufacturers. Additionally, HIWIN has developed Cartesian robot systems and welding robot solutions, as well as the HIWIN Robot Simulation for enhanced mechatronics applications.

Delta Electronics is advancing automation in production lines by developing intelligent industrial robots that can integrate with peripheral application modules. The company is also enhancing its intelligent manufacturing solutions, which have been successfully applied in electronics manufacturing services, semiconductors, photovoltaic panels, and food production.