kuka robotics

kuka Robotics’ core competence is in developing, manufacturing and selling high-tech industrial robots together with the associated controls, software and linear units. The robots’ payload ranges from five to 1,000 kg. Highly flexible kuka robots are now being used in over 20 general industry sectors (general industry refers to all markets outside the automotive industry). Within the past number of years, kuka Robotics has established an international network of systems partners and is continuously penetrating new markets with new applications. As always, kuka robots continue to be used in a wide variety of automotive industry applications.

The product portfolio is based on a modular system. Six basic types can be combined with a large number of mechanical and electrical feeding and loading options, enabling kuka Robotics to supply custom tailored systems that meet customer needs. The robots are assembled at the central Augsburg plant and shipped to customers from there.

On November 17, 2008, kuka Robotics won the coveted “Manufacturing Excellence Award 2008” (mx Award). Over the past number of years, it has become one of the most important process industry awards in Germany. In addition to the top prize, kuka also won first prize in the product innovation category after a multistage selection process. According to the jury, kuka set new benchmarks for customer orientation and product innovation in comparison to other competitors. It was the first time in the history of the “mx Award” that one company won two prizes.

growth driven by customer orientation

kuka Robotics was again able to grow faster than the market. Orders received rose 6.8 percent from last year’s € 434.9 million, reaching € 464.4 million. Sales revenues came in at € 474.4 million versus € 412.9 million in 2007, an increase of 14.9 percent. Order backlog as of the December 31, 2008 cutoff date was € 100.2 million, which compares to € 103.9 million the year prior. The operating result (ebit) increased as a result of higher capacity utilization and a more profitable product mix, coming in at € 42.0 million in 2008 versus € 33.6 million in 2007. The division’s return on sales improved accordingly, rising from 8.1 percent in 2007 to 8.9 percent in 2008.

demand for robots again slightly higher

Worldwide demand for industrial robots again rose slightly. The International Federation of Robotics (ifr) estimates that robot sales for the year in total grew between 1 and 2 percent (in number of units) compared to last year. Growth in the first half year was particularly strong, coming in at 8 percent. The total number of robots sold in 2008 was 116,000 units, which compares to 114,300 the year before. Growth in Europe was above average at 8 percent, while Asian markets reported an average increase of 2 percent. In the United States, sales plummeted 15 percent after strong growth the year prior. The demand for articulated robots was up 6 percent compared to other robot types, thus continuing to be above average.

The concentration of industrial robots used by the manufacturing industry is expressed in terms of robot density. This indicator is an expression of the ratio of the number of robots per 10,000 employees in the manufacturing industry. According to this indicator, Japan has the greatest robot density when all types of robots are taken into consideration. The country reported 310 robots per 10,000 manufacturing employees. Germany is in second place with 234 robots per 10,000 manufacturing employees. Next is Korea with 185 robots, ahead of Italy and the United States, which have 116 robots each. At the present time, the automotive industry is the furthest advanced when it comes to the number of robots used for automated manufacturing.

innovation leadership

kuka Robotics offers high-tech solutions for industrial robot applications. New generations of robots that are capable of robot-robot cooperation, human-machine cooperation and manufacturing assistance and are based on modular, interactive robot technologies will drive the growth of this division over the course of the next years.

Cooperating robots contribute to higher automation and flexibility – and not only for car manufacturing in the automotive industry. Here, several robots work simultaneously side-by-side to share a task in order to reduce cycle times, or to help each other when manipulating heavy payloads. Safe cooperation between humans and robots also helps maximize the utilization of overlapping workspaces and activities: kuka Safe Robot technology makes it possible. Prerequisites for the success of this innovation are a close customer relationship, the flexibility to accommodate customer wishes and the ability to develop new technologies from these requirements.

growth driven by general industry

One focus of the division’s activities was the expansion of its sales and service network, particularly in Eastern Europe, America and Asia. General industry includes all markets outside the automotive industry, especially plastics and food, metals machining and processing, healthcare technology and logistics. In these markets, robot-based automation can generate substantial productivity advantages when compared to manual manufacturing. This now also applies to low-wage countries, as they must meet higher quality specifications as soon as they start to manufacture products for export. Overall, kuka Robotics was able to considerably improve its orders received from general industry. They went from € 156.2 million in 2007 to € 194.3 million in 2008, an increase of 24.4 percent.

Examples of general industry orders in fiscal 2008 included orders for palletizing robots, which were shipped to other European countries as well as China and Brazil. The first Titan heavy load robot was purchased by the plant engineering company Grenzebach Maschinenbau GmbH for use in the glass industry. The building technologies company Grundfos in Denmark ordered robots to assemble water pumps. kuka shipped machines for automating a water valve grinding and polishing process to systems partner shl Automatisierungstechnik ag. Systems partner lewa Attendorn GmbH received orders for robots to be used in an arc welding application. An agreement was reached with machine tool manufacturer Gildemeister ag and Maschinenfabrik Berthold Hermle ag for the supply of robots for automating machine tools. Other noteworthy orders came from the plastics, chemical and metals sectors.

kuka Robotics received an order from the aviation industry for the supply of 41 omniMove type mobile platforms, which will be used to assemble the new Airbus A350. A blanket order with a term of five years was placed by the purchaser. These platforms will be used in various European Airbus factories to manufacture the wings and fuselage sections of the plane. omniMove platforms feature an extremely precise and flexible horizontal range of motion in all directions, and they can also rotate on the spot. A specially designed system of rollers makes them extremely maneuverable and gives them a very small working envelope. Bulky parts can thus be handled in a very tight space. omniMove platforms are capable of accepting a large variety of tools. They also give robots mobility.

kuka robotics – key figures

(in € millions)

		2007		2008		Change in %
Orders received		434.9		464.4		6.8
Sales revenues		412.9		474.4		14.9
ebit		33.6		42.0		25.0
% of sales		8.1		8.9		0.8 %-points
% of capital employed (roce)		34.6		37.2		2.6 %-points
Capital employed		97.1		112.9		16.3
Employees (Dec. 31)		2,023		2,261		11.8

automotive orders decline

The automotive industry remains the most important individual market. kuka Robotics has been supplying industrial robots to many international carmakers for over 30 years and has become the market leader in the automotive business. The automotive industry has the strictest engineering and innovation capability requirements. In the automotive business unit, orders received in 2008 declined, mostly in the fourth quarter. They fell 14.1 percent, from € 197.3 million in 2007 to € 169.5 million in 2008.

Important orders in 2008 came from bmw for the 5 and 7 Series successors, as well as from bmw in China. kuka Robotics received orders from vw in South Africa and India. An order came from Brazil for kuka robots for the vw Gol, a compact car for the Latin American market. Other major orders were booked for various Mercedes models. In addition, Renault ordered robots for manufacturing the Renault Master van.

expanded service

kuka Robotics’ service activities have started to expand as a result of the substantial increase in general industry business. The Service business unit provides training, repairs, maintenance and spare parts for general industry and automotive customers. The business is based on an installed base of more than 80,000 kuka robots around the world. The business unit’s orders received climbed 23.6 percent, to € 100.6 million in 2008 from € 81.4 million in 2007.

new applications: entertainment and healthcare technology

In 2002, kuka Robotics unveiled the Robocoaster for the entertainment industry, the first and only passenger robot in the world. Today it is a fixture at many amusement parks around the globe. kuka has now launched a 4-d simulator, in which two passengers can climb into a closable capsule attached to a robot arm with six axes, giving it six degrees of freedom in its range of motion. Inside the capsule, the passengers experience various simulations with accompanying images projected onto an integrated screen, for example, a break-neck ski race, while the Robocoaster simulates the motion. To make the experience even more authentic, a blower integrated into the system creates the sensation of an icy headwind on their skin. This Robocoaster feature opens the door to the fourth dimension. The simulator can also be used for innovative product presentations or thrilling roller coaster rides.

The strength of kuka robots – high flexibility, top safety and precision, low down time and maintenance – also set new standards in the medical technology field. New treatment systems have been developed in cooperation with other international manufacturers. For example, in the field of particle radiotherapy, kuka robots optimize the position of the patient for irradiating tumors. A further application for cancer therapy is the “Cyberknife” – a proven x-ray application. Instead of a scalpel, a robotic x-ray head capable of delivering collimated radiation precisely destroys the tumor cells. The results of kuka’s activities in healthcare technology can also be transferred to general industry and automotive industry tasks.

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