AUTOMATION/SMART FACTORY FANUC Can manufacturing raise robotics
uptake by learning from Europe? FANUC examines the potential reasons behind the UK and Ireland’s reluctance to automate – and asks what we can learn from our continental cousins…
D
espite punching well above our weight as a manufacturing powerhouse, the UK and Ireland are in danger of slipping down the
international rankings unless we increase our levels of automation. Now sitting at 25th
in the global robotics league
table, the UK is the only G7 nation outside the top 20 and have been eclipsed by most of our European counterparts in terms of numbers of robots per 10,00 workers, including Italy, Belgium, Switzerland and the Czech Republic.
AN IMPROVING PICTURE and automation technology are greater than ever, helping us to meet net zero targets, boost productivity and underpin our key industries. And with an estimated 70,000 vacancies in manufacturing, robots are also alleviating the longstanding labour shortages which have only worsened since Brexit and COVID.
UK: FOCUSED ON SHORT-TERM ROI Among the many potential explanations for this are a focus on short-term payback rather than longer-term total cost of ownership (TCO); a fear of change; outdated perceptions of engineering as a career; a lack of government incentives; our reliance on cheap manual labour; and no long-term national manufacturing strategy.
While some of these are beginning to change – the government recently announced a £4.5 billion package of support for British manufacturing, for example – should we also be looking to our European neighbours for some automation inspiration?
GERMANY: PRIORITISING PRECISION AND INNOVATION Dr Bob Struijk certainly thinks so. As the vice president of FANUC Europe, Dr Struijk has overseen automation installations across numerous countries, and believes there are a variety of reasons why certain nations are further ahead of the UK on their automation journey. “Germany is the clear European automation
powerhouse and owes a large part of its success to a profound respect for engineering and manufacturing,” he explains. “The German model emphasises the meticulous craftsmanship of products, fostering a culture that places a premium on precision and innovation. Catapulted by the
16 April 2024 Irish Manufacturing
automotive industry, robotics and automation have been at the forefront of bringing Germany to its position today as a manufacturing leader.” In addition, bridging the gap between industry and academia has helped to boost German innovation. “In Germany, collaborative efforts between industry and academia contribute to a continuous cycle of research, development and implementation, creating an ecosystem that thrives on technological advancement. The German apprenticeship system also provides a seamless The UK can learn from this by cultivating a similar synergy between its educational institutions and industrial sector to breed a culture of continuous improvement.” FANUC UK is working hard to help develop a pipeline of manufacturing talent through a range of different initiatives. The company’s Training Academy at its Coventry HQ offers accredited courses that feed into educational programmes, giving students hands-on robotics experience; it recently young people aged 16-18; and the 2023 FANUC WorldSkills UK Industrial Robotics competition.
NORDIC NATIONS: A SUPPORTIVE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT At sixth place in the global automation league table, Sweden boasts an impressive 343 robots for every
10,000 workers. Neighbours Denmark have 274, Finland has 168 and Norway has 103 – all sit higher than the UK.
“With their realistic approach towards return
on investment (ROI), the Nordic countries have successfully integrated automation into their industries,” outlines Dr Struijk. “By focusing on the business environment that encourages companies to invest in automation technologies. “While the UK could draw inspiration from the Nordic model by fostering an environment automation, this must also be backed by supportive government policies and incentives.”
EASTERN EUROPE: PUTTING WORKER WELFARE FIRST Eastern European countries such as Slovakia, Hungary and the Czech Republic have embraced automation as a means of prioritising worker welfare.
“By automating dull, dirty and dangerous
tasks, these nations have not only increased their overall wellbeing of their workforce,” said Dr Struijk. “There is no doubt that manufacturing is already one of the UK’s greatest success stories. By investing in automation and robotics, UK manufacturers can help to futureproof their business.”
www.irish-manufacturing.com
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