Meet MOTOMAN NEXT – An adaptive robot

"Over the past decade, robots and cobots have become deeply integrated into the manufacturing industry," shares Ajay Gurjar of Yaskawa India Pvt. Ltd. In response to this evolution, Yaskawa has unveiled a gamechanging innovation MOTOMAN NEXT, an open automation platform designed to redefine industrial productivity.

- Ajay Gurjar COO & Director| Robotics Division | Yaskawa India Pvt. Ltd.

How has the adoption of robots and cobots evolved in the manufacturing sector over the past decade?

Over the past decade, industrial robots have moved from being a specialised solution to a central part of modern manufacturing, in high-volume and precision-driven sectors like automotive, metal fabrication, and electronics. In India, robot installations have seen a steady surge post-2020, driven by the push for automation and quality consistency. Cobots have also gained momentum, particularly in SMEs, due to their user-friendly operation, builtin safety features, and adaptability for tasks with human-robot collaboration.

Which industries or manufacturing processes are seeing the most significant adoption of robotic automation?

The automotive industry continues to lead the way, especially with the rapid rise of electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing. There is also notable growth in sectors such as electronics, FMCG, furniture, logistics, pharmaceuticals, construction and metal fabrication.