Assembly Planbook - March 2009 - (Page 19) North American Robot Orders Fall 21 Percent ANN ARBOR, MI—Robot sales to North American manufacturers fell 21 percent in units and 16 percent in dollars in 2008, according to a recent report by the Robotic Industries Association (RIA). According to the RIA, the decline accelerated in the fourth quarter of the year, when orders fell by 26 percent in units and 33 percent in dollars compared with the same period in 2007. In all, North American robot manufacturers sold about 12,500 robots valued at $894.9 million in 2008, down from approximately 15,800 robots valued at $1.07 billion in 2007. On the plus side, the industry continues to expand its presence in nonautomotive markets, where terms of units sold, the breakdown was 51 percent automotive, 49 percent nonautomotive. This is very important for our industry as we continue to make progress in reaching new customers.” The RIA and other industry analysts have long maintained that the robotics industry needs to diversify its markets if it is to remain successful over the long term. Cut waste tomorrow The learning curve for lean just got shorter IPS Begins Delivering ThinFilm Batteries LITTLETON, CO—Infinite Power Solutions Inc. (IPS), which manufactures solid-state, rechargeable thin-film batteries, has begun shipping its Thinergy micro-energy cells to a number of trial customers, including Lockheed Martin Corp. (Bethesda, MD). IPS thin-film micro-energy cells are extremely small, yet robust enough to last the life of the products they serve, eliminating the need for battery replacement. “We believe micro-energy cells will help enable a new class of miniature, networked, autonomously powered mobile electronic devices that are perpetually recharged via ambient energy harvesting,” says Macy Summers, director of strategic development at Lockheed Martin Information Systems. Eliminate waste: Prevent overproduction. Reduce inventory. Cut space requirements. Avoid errors. Optimize flow and ergonomics. Two guidebooks show how. Lean manufacturing promises benefits throughout your assembly operations. But to reap those benefits, you have to do it right. With decades of experience, Bosch Rexroth can help. We’ve packed dozens of tips into two new guidebooks: “Lean Manufacturing — Principles, Tools and Methods” and “Efficient Material Flow in Lean Production.” Download them today, or order them online at www.boschrexroth-us.com/lean. Also, check out our other lean tools, including our e-mail webletter on lean production. It’s our way to help you stay on top of all things lean. Go to www.boschrexroth-us.com/lean and download your copy or use Web Code US0405 Although overall robot sales were down in 2008, the number of units sold to nonautomotive customers, like this unit at work in the solar panel industry, was up compared to 2007. Photo courtesy Adept Technology Inc. orders actually rose 9 percent in units and 7 percent in dollars compared to 2007. The strongest gains came in the semiconductor and electronics markets, where the number of units sold rose 63 percent. “Nonautomotive orders actually topped automotive orders in terms of dollars for the first time since we began collecting numbers 25 years ago,” says RIA executive vice president Jeffrey Burnstein. “In Volvo Selling Buses in Canada, U.S. GOTEBORG, Sweden—As part of an ongoing campaign to expand its market share globally, Volvo Buses has begun marketing its products in North America, specifically its 9700-model vehicle. The company has long had an indirect market presence on this side of the Atlantic, thanks to its Canadian subsidiaries, Prevost and Nova Bus. However, this is the www.assemblymag.com March 2009 / ASSE M B LY 19 http://www.boschrexroth-us.com/lean http://www.boschrexroth-us.com/lean http://www.boschrexroth-us.com/lean http://www.assemblymag.com
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