| A: |
The subject this time is industrial robots. If you look up the word "robot" in the dictionary, you will often find it defined as a type of automatic mechanical humanoid or android. These days, however, the word refers more commonly to industrial robots.
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| B: |
Without the development of computers and control engineering, the industrial robots of today would be inconceivable.
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| A: |
Absolutely. Modern robots would have been impossible to make when vacuum tubes were used in computers. Today's industrial robots not only need to be capable of performing one task repetitively, but must also be easy to reprogram in order to change their work cycles. Robots must be fitted with computers so that each one can be controlled individually. The computer functions as the brain of a robot. At the same time, robots have themselves been progressively miniaturized. The development of sensors which correspond to the human senses of sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste has also emerged as an important new challenge in the field of robotics.
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| B: |
How are industrial robots classified in terms of function?
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| A: |
The Japan Industrial Standards (JIS) provide for six types of robot.
- Manual manipulators: Robots that are operated by a human controller.
- Fixed sequence robots: Robots that are preprogrammed to perform a series of operations in a certain order and under specified conditions, and which are difficult to reprogram.
- Variable sequence robots: Robots which can be easily reprogrammed to perform different tasks.
- Playback robots: Robots which are first "taught" the order of operations, positions and other information by being moved by a human, and which perform these tasks as circumstances require. Welding and painting robots are main examples in this kind.
- Numerically controlled robots: Robots that are instructed to perform tasks by giving them information on sequences and positions, etc. in the form of numerical data. Such robots are used for making precision machinery.
- Intelligent robots: Robots of this type are fitted with sensors and have sensory and cognitive functions that enable them to determine what actions are required. They are used for assembling products and taking measurements for inspections.
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| B: |
I understand that Japan has the highest rate of use of industrial robots in the world.
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| A: |
That's right. In terms of numbers, use of robots has been as follows:
|
1985 |
1990 |
1995 |
1998 |
| Japan |
93,000 (67.2%) |
274,210 (70.7%) |
387,290 (63.0%) |
411,812 (57.2%) |
| United States |
20,000 (14.4%) |
38,980 (10.0%) |
66,286 (10.8%) |
81,746 (11.3%) |
Western Europe
|
24,588 (17.8%) |
65,420 (16.9%) |
117,876 (19.2%) |
162,316 (22.5%) |
| Eastern Europe |
67 (0.0%) |
719 (0.2%) |
2,624 (0.4%) |
2,670 (0.4%) |
| Other regions |
802 (0.6%) |
8,750 (2.2%) |
41,013 (6.6%) |
61,848 (8.8%) |
| Total |
138,457 (100%) |
388,079 (100%) |
615,089 (100%) |
720,392 (100%) |
(Source: International Federation of Robotics)
However, these figures do not include manual manipulator and fixed sequence robots.
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| B: |
What is the situation like with respect to individual countries?
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| A: |
The top five in 1998 were as follows:
| 1. |
Japan |
411,812 |
| 2. |
U.S.A |
81,746 |
| 3. |
Germany |
73,155 |
| 4. |
Italy |
31,517 |
| 5. |
South Korea
|
31,430 |
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| B: |
I wonder why Japan's rate of utilization of robots is always highest.
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| A: |
Nowhere else in the world are large numbers of industrial robots put to use so efficiently and smoothly. In other countries, employees on the shop floor have strongly resisted efforts to introduce robots due to fears that they would lose their jobs to them. Workers therefore need to be persuaded by offering them higher wages and more paid holidays. In Japan, there was little such opposition, and robots were introduced with ease. Robots have been used to perform simple work which people used to do, thus freeing employees to perform other more complicated tasks.
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| B: |
What is the situation like with regard to domestic output and shipments, and exports from Japan?
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| A: |
As follows:
|
Output |
Domestic shipments
|
Exports |
Total shipments
|
| 1989 |
437,613 |
364,747 |
101,183 |
465,930 |
| 1993 |
394,880 |
235,046 |
162,181 |
397,227 |
| 1998 |
465,396 |
258,048 |
224,709 |
482,757 |
(unit: million yen)
48% of output was exported in 1998.
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| B: |
Who are the main exporters?
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| A: |
The main exporting countries in 1998 were as follows:
| U.S.A. |
73,361 |
| Taiwan |
31,435 |
| Germany |
16,161 |
| China |
13,703 |
| Malaysia |
7,896 |
| Singapore |
7,505 |
| U.K. |
6,999 |
South Korea
|
6,884 |
| Netherlands |
5,747 |
| France |
5,131 |
| Others |
49,887 |
| Total |
224,709 |
(Source: Japanese Robot Association; unit: million yen)
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| B: |
Are any imported into Japan?
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| A: |
Only 648 in 1998. 222 were from the U.S.A., 167 from Sweden, 82 from Germany, 60 from Vietnam, and 34 from Singapore. At \1.68 billion, total imports were quite insignificant compared with the \224.70 billion worth of exports. These figures also appear to include reimports manufactured by Japanese firms that have set up operations in the U.S.A., Vietnam and Singapore.
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| B: |
Who are the main manufacturers in Japan? And have any of them expanded overseas?
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| A: |
The main makers include Yaskawa Electric, Fujikoshi, Fanuc, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, and Matsushita Electric Works. I once saw robots making robots at one company, which is quite a strange sight.
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| B: |
What do Japanese manufacturers do about product liability?
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| A: |
Makers take out product liability insurance on an individual basis rather than being covered by the Japan Robot Association.
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| B: |
What are the prospects like for the future?
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| A: |
Due to concerns that the strength of the yen could push down exports, makers are likely to expand sales of "clean robots" for the semiconductor industry, and "handling robots" for assembling and conveying electrical machinery and electronic components and extracting molded products in order to develop domestic markets outside the auto industry.
Acknowledgements: We would like to thank the Japan Robot Association for their help in preparing this article. |
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