Weidmüller advances research and implementation of robotics solutions in China

The Weidmüller team at the opening of the Robotation Academy in October.

The topic of robotics is currently transforming the value chains in manufacturing, particularly impacting mechanical engineering.

The electrical engineering company Weidmüller, a specialist in connection and automation technology as well as a technical partner of the Robotation Academy Hannover (RAH), is participating as a founding partner in the Robotation Academy Foshan (RAF) in China. This is a collaboration of global market leaders and local players – with a focus on "Smart Production," i.e., Industry 4.0. The grand opening took place on October 12, 2017, in Foshan. "The Robotation Academy will be our new platform to showcase our comprehensive robotics solutions for customers in Guangdong Province," explains Lance Zhao, Weidmüller Executive Vice President Asia. "Through collaboration with other partners in Foshan as well as with the German Robotic Academy in Hannover, we can build a robot ecosystem in Southern China that will accelerate the transformation of the local manufacturing industry."

Weidmüller, together with 21 partner companies from robotics, automation, and Industry 4.0, will offer training courses and conferences for the rapidly growing robotics industry in the high-tech region of Guangdong. "In the new high-tech center, we are presenting, among other things, innovative connection solutions for supplying robots with energy, data, and signals from the field level to the control cabinet," clarifies Jörg Scheer, Head of the Division Device and Field Connectivity at Weidmüller. These include systems for contactless power transfer, power supplies, I/O systems, heavy-duty connectors, energy meters, network infrastructure, and energy bus systems. With these technologies, the vibration resistance, response speed, as well as the performance and reliability of electrical connections on robots are optimized. "The academy creates the framework for cross-sector research and development, providing opportunities to make concrete applications tangible and to learn from them," Scheer explains.

The topic of robotics is currently transforming value chains in production, especially in mechanical engineering. Recent figures demonstrate the significant leverage: The industry association International Federation of Robotics (IFR) estimates that the number of industrial robots will exceed three million by 2020. "With approximately 1.8 million industrial robots currently in factories worldwide, this would be a clear doubling – and in less than three years," Scheer states. At the same time, robotics and Industry 4.0 are becoming increasingly important in China, as the country struggles with extremely high wage increases and is driving a transformation process away from the extended workshop of the West toward more automation.