The Democratization of Automation

The Automate Show in Detroit put a whole universe of robots and automation systems on display.

Rob Spiegel

May 24, 2023

3 Min Read
Automate Show
Automate Show

Many of the terms that describe technology developments were first born at a trade show. In 2014, the term “Industry 4.0” was touted by Dr. T. (James Truchard, former president and CEO of National Instruments) at NI Week. He brought the term home from that year’s Hannover Messe show in Germany. Around the same time, the term Internet of Things (IoT) came to life at a trade show.

This year, I heard the term Democratization of Automation all over the floor at the Automate show.

The show features tons of robots, end effectors, motors, AMRs, AGVs, you name it. A good portion of the products were aimed at small- to mid-size enterprises (SMEs).

The term Democratization of Automation seems to capture three congruent trends:

  • Robots and automation systems have become less expensive.

  • The equipment is easier to configure – you don’t need a ton of original programming.

  • The dearth of workers is forcing small manufacturers to seek automation.

Everybody Can Afford Robots Now

There were some in-your-face examples of the trend in lower automation costs. At the igus booth, the company had about six robots on display. Each one had its price prominently on display. Each price was less than $10,000. Michael Rielly, the company’s head of public relations, explained this was a new tactic designed to show how inexpensive automation can be.

Even Siemens -- a company known for its massive automation projects with the largest companies in automotive, aerospace, and consumer goods -- emphasized its involvement with smaller manufacturers. Barbara Humpton Siemens USA president and CEO, liked the term, Democratization of Automation. Asked whether Siemens was getting more involved with small manufacturers, she noted that Siemens has long done 85% of its business with small- to mid-size companies.

Humpton agreed that automation has become more accessible. “The most exciting thing about automation is that in the past you had to have EEs to do it. Now it’s as intuitive as your phone,” she told Design News. “Multigenerational teams work together on automation. The people who have been at for decades have priceless knowledge, but digital natives have a great ability to adapt to new technology.” She noted that using multi-player video games can be a decent training ground for virtual collaboration on automation.

The Proliferation of Automation Marketplaces

Another indication of the expansion of the automation market is the number of relatively new automation marketplaces. We’ve seen marketplaces launched by igus, Universal Robots, and Digi-Key. These marketplaces conveniently bring together products from multiple vendors: end-effectors, robots, vision systems, and software platforms for control. This is a giant step away from the single-shop automation systems of the past.

The new SME manufacturers are not aiming to integrate an entire production line. They’re much more likely to build their automation station-by-station, mixing and matching vendors. Their integrator may be the tech help at an automation marketplace, and the equipment instruction is probably going to involve a series of YouTube videos. The increasing sophistication and ease of use of technology have opened a Wild West of automation solutions. It’s the Democratization of Automation indeed.

About the Author

Rob Spiegel

Rob Spiegel serves as a senior editor for Design News. He started with Design News in 2002 as a freelancer covering sustainability issues, including the transistion in electronic components to RoHS compliance. Rob was hired by Design News as senior editor in 2011 to cover automation, manufacturing, 3D printing, robotics, AI, and more.

Prior to his work with Design News, Rob worked as a senior editor for Electronic News and Ecommerce Business. He served as contributing editolr to Automation World for eight years, and he has contributed to Supply Chain Management Review, Logistics Management, Ecommerce Times, and many other trade publications. He is the author of six books on small business and internet commerce, inclluding Net Strategy: Charting the Digital Course for Your Company's Growth.

He has been published in magazines that range from Rolling Stone to True Confessions.

Rob has won a number of awards for his technolloghy coverage, including a Maggy Award for a Design News article on the Jeep Cherokee hacking, and a Launch Team award for Ecommerce Business. Rob has also won awards for his leadership postions in the American Marketing Association and SouthWest Writers.

Before covering technology, Rob spent 10 years as publisher and owner of Chile Pepper Magazine, a national consumer food publication. He has published hundreds of poems and scores of short stories in national publications.

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