Robotic Welding Market Size, Share & COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Type (Arc, Spot, MIG/TIG, Laser, Others), By Payload Capacity (Low (6-22 kg), Medium (30-60 kg), High (80-300kg)) By Industry (Automotive, Aerospace & Defense, Construction, Mining, Railway & Shipbuilding, Electrical & Electronics, Others) and Regional Forecast, 2021-2028

The global robotic welding market size was USD 5.42 billion in 2020 and is projected to grow from USD 5.80 billion in 2021 to USD 9.76 billion in 2028, exhibiting a CAGR of 7.7% during the forecast period from 2021-2028. The Asia Pacific dominated the robotic welding market with a share of 35.06% in 2020.

The global impact of COVID-19 has been unprecedented and staggering, with robotic welding witnessing a positive impact on demand across all regions amid the pandemic. Based on our analysis, the global market exhibited a lower growth of 6.9% in 2020 as compared to the average year-on-year growth during 2017-2019. The rise in CAGR is attributable to this market’s demand and growth, returning to pre-pandemic levels once the pandemic is over.

Robotic welding is an automated process in which mechanized programmable tools are utilized to weld and handle the industry's equipment. Nowadays, industrial robots are becoming an essential component across several industrial sectors such as automobiles, construction, oil & gas, and others. Additionally, the adoption of robots has resulted in giving outstanding outputs in terms of surface finish and dimensional accuracy across the industry.

It has been observed that the industries such as automotive, construction, and others are making consistent efforts to implement advanced robotic technology and then automating the processes in manufacturing the products. As a result, sales are increasing owing to the implicit efforts of the manufacturers and their investments in research & development activities.

The level of solving complications and the refinement in operations by robotic systems are of optimum level. They adjust to real-time variations across weld situations efficiently, that leads to minimal human injury risk while handling extreme processes. Therefore, the growing adoption of robotic welding systems is expected to drive growth across aerospace, automotive, and other industries. The systems provide advantages such as competitive unit cost, safety, weld characteristics, flexibility, enhanced productivity, workspace utilization, and economized labor costs.

COVID-19 Impact: Immediate Shutdowns of Industrial Plants to Restrain Growth for Short Period

The immediate lockdown in various countries had a drastic impact on the supply chain and operations of several industries. According to secondary sources, with the pandemic continuing for a considerable period across countries including India, France, Spain, U.K., U.S., etc., the manufacturing facilities could resume operations slowly. This could be done by following social distancing norms and guidelines imposed by the government across the respective countries.

The global robotic welding market growth is expected to experience a moderate impact due to the shutdown. This is mainly due to the absence of the workforce across the manufacturing plants, wherein the industrial robots prove to be the vital support for the manufacturers. Post-recovery period of COVID 19, the demand for welding robot is expected to propel significantly, as manufacturers such as Yaskawa America, KukA AG, ABB, FANUC Corporation, and others are majorly focusing on mass production of robotic products.

LATEST TRENDS

Adoption of Industry 4.0 Laying Foundation for Evolutionary Upgrades

The manufacturers are constantly emphasizing on the development of advanced software interfaces with every new method, which, in turn, generates the need for innovation. The adoption of industry 4.0 is one such method that has revolutionized these processes. It is revolutionizing the manufacturing process by setting the trend of data exchange and automation to cater the increasing demand for operations across automotive, mining, construction, railway & ship building industries.

Robot welding with the adoption of Industry 4.0 improves the accuracy and efficiency of the production process in a repetitive nature. The leading manufacturers are also focusing on the adoption of industry 4.0. For instance, in July 2020, ABB India announced the opening of a new robotics facility to deliver the Industry 4.0 benefits, such as industry-leading robotics and digitalization technologies to industries across the electronics, automotive, and other upcoming sectors. These factors are laying the foundation for the growth of the market.

DRIVING FACTORS

Utilization of Automated Welding Equipment to Favor Market Growth

The market is growing with the effect of technological advancements in automation technology. It is the enhanced version of automated process that adopts robotic technology to enable a higher level of the process. The major advantage of automating the industry is the reduction in production time.

Equipment such as nozzle cleaning stations, wire cutters, retaining heads, liners, and machine communication software, takes the automated process to a superior level of productivity. Additionally, this is expected to reduce safety challenges and the cost of labor safety. Hence, the increasing demand for automation is expected to contribute to the growth of the market during the forecast period.

RESTRAINING FACTORS

High Initial Investment and Major Safety Issues to Hinder Market Growth

High investment is required at the initial stage for procurement, programming, and maintenance. New entrants and SMEs find it difficult to capitalize on high funds owing to low-volume production. Additionally, the industry has been facing a major issue of occupational injuries that occur during work in various manufacturing sites. It is attributable to the excessive exposure of the human body to the current emissions that exceed physiological tolerance.

SEGMENTATION

By Type Analysis

Highly Accurate and Repeatable Welding to Depict Highest Market share for Arc Type Segment

On the basis of type, the market is categorized into arc, spot, MIG/TIG, and others.

Arc welding is anticipated to hold a dominant position in the market revenue. This is mainly owing to the demand for arc type across the automotive and other industries, which needs high accuracy and repeatability. Additionally, this type has been widely used due to its low cost, convenience, and extensive applicability.

Spot welding is anticipated to grow at a considerable rate attributed to the high accessibility and ability for robot automation compared to other methods that make it an ideal choice for automotive production.

By Payload Capacity Analysis

Medium (30-60 KG) Payload Capacity Segment to Hold Highest Market Share Backed by Prolonged Arc and Spot Welding Operations

In case of payload capacity, the market is characterized into low (6-22 Kg), medium (30-60 Kg), and high (80-300 Kg).

The medium payload capacity segment is dominating the market share in the year 2020 owing to the wide variety of applications in case of tough conditions across automotive and other industries. Kuka AG, FANUC Corporation, and others are offering a wide range of special-purpose robots for arc welding. These robots are optimized for continuous operation with low maintenance and operating costs.

The high payload capacity segment is expected to capture the highest CAGR attributed to the rising demand for electric vehicles. Additionally, ease of loading and unloading operations also complimenting the growth of the segment. Whereas, the low segment is expected to witness steady growth owing to the traditional spot and arc-based operations across the industries.

By Industry Analysis

Utilization of Advanced Technologies to Holds Highest Market Share for Automotive Industry Segment

Based on industry, the global market is classified into aerospace & defense, automotive, construction, railway & shipbuilding, mining, electrical & electronics, and others.

The automotive industry is projected to hold the highest market share in 2020, owing to the growth of automobile manufacturing. It has been observed that the industry prefers to embrace advanced technology in order to make the best use of high tensile strength steel for a robust assembling process. Spot welding is anticipated to influence the growth of these machines in the automotive industry.

The growing construction of commercial and residential buildings is expected to drive the construction segment during the forecast period. In addition, the governmental support for infrastructure development in developing countries is uplifting the demand for robots across various applications.

REGIONAL INSIGHTS

Asia Pacific to Dominate Market due to Increased Utilization of 4.0 Technology

The Asia Pacific is projected to emerge as the dominant region in the global market. The growth is attributed to the rising industrial automation and manufacturing industry, specifically in Japan, China, South Korea, and India.

Additionally, the utilization of Industry 4.0 techniques is supplementing the growth of the welding robotics market potential. Moreover, the presence of established companies across China is the primary reason for the Asia Pacific to dominate the market size. The presence of local registered and unregistered manufacturers in China is expected to bode well for the growth of the market in the region.

India to Witness High Demand for Welding Robots Attributed towards Expanding Manufacturing Processes

The demand for the robotic welding has been growing across the electrical & electronics, shipbuilding, and automotive transportation sector in India for the past few years. The growing manufacturing facilities of electric vehicles & other automotive products, electrical & electronic components, and others are influencing the market's growth. For instance, in February 2021, Ola selected ABB as one of its partner for automation and robotics solutions for its Scooter’s mega factory in India. Ola is utilizing ABB’s robots and automation solutions for manufacturing process line that includes, painting, motor, and battery assembly lines. As a result, the penetration of robot welding systems is growing across the country.

North America is expected to hold the second position and showcase significant growth in the market. This is ascribable to factors such as the presence of prominent players across the U.S. These players emphasize making massive investments in adopting advanced and automated processes rather than manual systems.

Europe is projected to witness steady growth during the forecast period. The developed countries such as Germany and the U.K. are contributing to the market growth in the region. Italy and France are significantly adopting automated welding, which would be a key driver for the market growth in the region.

The Middle East and Africa, and South America are projected to witness moderate growth in the market owing to the technological expansion and development of the industry in recent years.

KEY INDUSTRY PLAYERS

Key Players Emphasize on Acquisition & Merger Activities to Expand Market Presence

Driven by growing competitive prices and industry demand, welding robots have been subject to new product offerings from prominent manufacturers, which are leading to the adoption of automation technology in industrial welding more effectively than ever. Key players are focusing on improving the programming skills of their welders to gain expertise in handling advanced software controls.

Additionally, the market players are focusing on introducing new technologies in order to develop new machines and systems. For instance, in April 2019, Novarc Technologies partnered with ABICOR BINZEL to expand its spool welding robot equipped with ABICOR BINZEL's seam tracking sensors and welding torches on a global level.

FANUC Corporation Focuses on Expanding Product Portfolio

Fanuc Corporation is focusing on introducing advanced technology to upsurge its competitive position in the global market. Additionally, the company is adopting various marketing strategies, such as product launch, collaborations, and others to expand its sales across the countries. For instance, in November 2019, FANUC Corporation’s subsidiary, FANUC America Corporation, introduced collaborative arc welding robots (Cobots) at FABTECH in Chicago. A built-in sensor permits the Cobot to work safely together with people without the necessity for guarding.

LIST OF KEY COMPANIES PROFILED:

• FANUC Corporation (Japan)


• Kuka AG (Germany)


• Kemppi Oy (Finland)


• Yaskawa America (United States)


• ABB (Switzerland)


• Panasonic Corporation (Japan)


• OTC DAIHEN Inc. (U.S.)


• DENSO CORPORATION (Japan)


• Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. (Japan)


• The Lincoln Electric Company (U.S.)


• Miller Electric Mfg. LLC (U.S.)


• IGM ROBOTERSYSTEME AG (Austria)


• Abhisha Technocrats Pvt. Ltd. (Maharashtra, India)


• Acieta LLC (U.S.)


• EWM AG (Mündersbach, Germany)


• Carl Cloos Schweisstechnik GmbH (Haiger, Germany)


• SIASUN CO., LTD. (China)


• SMENCO (Australia)

KEY INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS:

• May 2021: The U.S.-based Path Robotics raised USD 56.0 million for aggressive AI-powered expansion. The company pioneered in the robotic welding industry and has developed an autonomous system in the market.


• July 2019: Yaskawa America, Inc. launched three new products in the robot welding space that includes an extended-reach industrial robot, a new easy-to-use pendant application for arc welding, and an updated work cell for demanding production environments.

REPORT COVERAGE

The global robotic welding market research report provides detailed information regarding various insights into the industry. Some of them are growth drivers, restraints, competitive landscape, regional analysis, and challenges. It further offers an analytical depiction of the market trends and estimations to illustrate the forthcoming investment pockets. The market is quantitatively analyzed from 2021 to 2028 to provide financial competency. The information gathered in the report has been taken from several primary and secondary sources.

Report Scope & Segmentation