The future isn't about isolated robots

C Balaji, PSG Head, TVS Electronics draws a rough, but realistic, picture of factories that embrace robots for new business models as well as faster (and smarter) assembly lines and packaging. It's an age of managed automation, performance-based services, flexible manufacturing, mass customisation, vision-intelligence, serialisation and traceability across all areas. But would this world be with or without taxes, accidents and retrofitting? Let's take a walk with Balaji around what's changing and what's staying.

- By Pratima H

What would future factories look like? How strong is the evolving scope of robotics and automation in manufacturing?

The role of robotics and automation in manufacturing is expanding from doing discrete, high-value tasks to orchestrating entire value chains. We are moving towards factories where automation doesn't just mean faster assembly, but intelligent systems that connect design, production, inspection, and logistics. The real edge will come from combining robotics with Automatic Identification and Data Capture (AIDC) technologies like scanners, RFID, and vision cameras, which allow machines to capture and act on data in real time.

Vision-guided robots will help manufacturers handle SKU variations without expensive retooling.

What's helping as a catalyst here?

Falling hardware costs, better Al and vision, and mature integration platforms have made it possible to deploy automation in areas that were once uneconomical. As a result, we'll see factories deliver shorter lead times, higher equipment effectiveness, and predictable quality at lower cost. The future isn't about isolated robots, it's about modular, interoperable systems that scale from pilots to full factories and create measurable business outcomes.

With predictive maintenance powered by sensors and analytics, factories can cut unplanned downtime dramatically.

Where does India stand? What are our forte areas already, and where do we catch up next?