Facility Evolution in the Age of Industrial Robotics

As robot technology grows more sophisticated and its use increases throughout industrial facilities of all kinds, building configurations and human roles evolve as well. The primary drivers of this change are the mobility and flexibility of the robots being employed by manufacturers, warehouses and other industries along the product supply chain.

Industrial robot accommodations no longer mean simply providing sufficient operating space and a safety barrier to prevent human injury. Instead, plants and warehouses are reconfiguring to optimize the benefits of robots that can work side-by-side with human colleagues, “learn” to perform multiple tasks, and move in programmed routes or even independently throughout a facility.

This transformation is not limited to the major automakers and other heavy industries that have employed robots for decades. As the complexity of the technology rises, the size and cost of industrial robots falls. This has ushered in the opportunity for companies across a far broader spectrum of types and sizes to use industrial robot technology.