Increasingly automated processes and the use of robotics are expected to support greater production and the provision of services safely in a contactless society, says robotics multinational Yaskawa Southern Africa chairperson Terry Rosenberg.

He notes that many businesses are rapidly adopting these technologies to survive. 

A common misconception about robotics is that it is strictly aimed at large enterprises; however, Yaskawa Southern Africa has seen a substantial interest and increase in the use of robots in the small, medium-sized and microenterprise sector in recent times.

“For some smaller companies, the only way they can produce the required quantity of products is through the use of robotics. As an example, we encountered a small company that operates its dispenser business from a farm. Owing to the current pandemic, the demand for its automatic dispensers drastically increased. To meet demand, the solution was to implement a robot that is able to work around the clock.”

While increasing its production, this business has also had to expand its labour force by 50%, creating more jobs, Rosenberg adds.

Globally, the automotive industry robotics market is the second-largest industrial robotics market. It is the same in South Africa where the sector is one of the largest users of robotics solutions although the adoption of robotics in another key industry, the food industry, is also advanced.

“We have seen growth in the food manufacturing industry, particularly in the materials handling aspect of the production line where robots are used for the packing and palletising of large volumes of products. When there are mass quantities and heavy lifting, robots are capable of performing the functions that might be too dangerous or impossible for humans to execute," he explained.

The food manufacturing industry is also cognisant of the impact of the 2017 listeriosis outbreak and the current Covid-19 pandemic. Stringent health and safety measures have always been a massive concern for manufacturers and many organisations will need to double their efforts to meet the new requirements in the post-Covid-19 world.

"There is a need to increase the cleanliness of operations and remove the need for human contact, which can be achieved through the use of robotic solutions."