Mobile Manipulator Market - Forecast(2024 - 2030)

Mobile Manipulator Market Overview

The market for Mobile Manipulator market is estimated to be $470.2 million in 2021 and is analyzed to grow at a CAGR of 11.1% during forecast period 2022-2027. As a result of the high labour costs in developed nations, increase in complex manufacturing processes, growing focus towards high productivity, and lack of adequate labor, the demand for automation solutions is mushrooming across the globe. And this factor is significantly increasing the adoption of mobile manipulator robots, which is contributing towards the market growth. Swift warehouse robots enable maximum picking productivity, thanks to their sophisticated integration of perception sensors, inverse kinematics, autonomous navigation, manipulation, and artificial intelligence (including deep learning and machine learning). Owing to this the demand for mobile manipulator is on a constant upsurge in the transportation & logistics industry. Furthermore, the increasing manufacturing industries such as food & beverage, automotive, electronics, and more is also anticipated to aid in the mobile manipulator market growth during the forecast period. However, the global pandemic of COVID-19 had two consequences for the mobile manipulator industry. First, it aided in the growth of medical professional mobile manipulator robots, as it helped augment critical infrastructure staff and alleviate supply chain stresses. On the other hand, the market for industrial mobile manipulator robots was hampered due to the production constrain in the automotive and electrical/electronic industries.

Report Coverage

The report: “Mobile Manipulator Market – Forecast (2022-2027)”, by IndustryARC covers an in-depth analysis of the following segments of the Mobile Manipulator market

By System Type: Omni-Directional Manipulators, Non Omni-Directional Manipulators
By Platform Configuration: Cartesian, SCARA, Delta, Cylindrical, 6-Axis
By Modes of Operation: Fully Automatic, Manual, Semi Automatic
By Safety Standard: ANSI/RIA R15.08, R15.06, ISO 13849-1, ANSI/ITSDF B56.5, EN 1525, ISO 9283 and Others
By Application: Warehouse & Distribution, Personal Assistance, Security & Surveillance, Quality Control, Packaging & Palletizing, Patient Care & Consultation, Robot Assisted Surgery and Others
By End Users: Manufacturing (F&B, Automotive, Pulp and Paper, Metal and Machinery, Electronics and Semiconductor and Others), Transportation and Logistics, Space Exploration, Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals, Aerospace and Defense, Hospitality, Energy and Power, Oil and Gas, Retail and Consumer Goods and Others
By Geography: North America (U.S, Canada, Mexico), South America (Brazil, Argentina and others), Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy, Spain, Russia and Others), APAC (China, Japan India, SK, Aus and Others), and RoW (Middle east and Africa)

Key Takeaways

• The omni-directional manipulators can turn on the spot, crab sideways, and follow complex trajectories. These manipulators can perform tasks in environments with static and dynamic obstacles, as well as narrow aisles, with ease. And such environments are often found in factory, workshop, warehouses, hospitals, and other facilities, owing to which the omni-directional manipulators are the preferred system type, which is positively contributing towards the market growth.
• The SCARA is a type of industrial robot. Selective Compliance Assembly Robot Arm or Selective Compliance Articulated Robot Arm is the abbreviation for SCARA. SCARA robots can be used for mechanical automation in a variety of industries, including automatic assembly, painting, handling, and welding.
• R15.08-1 is a new document that lays out the technical requirements for designing and integrating industrial mobile robots. Industrial mobile robots (IMRs) and fleets (IMRFs) will become a more common type of robot application in the future due to the rapidly developing capabilities of mobile robots. The safety of human workers around mobile robot applications must be ensured in order for this productivity boost to succeed.
• The demand for full automatic mobile manipulators are increasing majorly to ease the production process without putting in much labour effort. Furthermore, the full automatic mobile manipulators offers advantages such as reduced operating cost, increased production output, increased product manufacturing flexibility, and more.

Mobile Manipulator Market, By Region, 2021

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Mobile Manipulator Market Segment Analysis – By Application

The warehouse & distribution segment held the largest share in the mobile manipulator market in 2021 and is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 11.5% by revenue through the forecast period 2022-2027, owing to the increasing demand for mobile manipulators in the warehouse & distribution sector. As distribution center operations continue to evolve, there is an accelerating need for smarter, more adaptable, automated equipment that can easily be adjusted and scaled up to meet a business’ changing needs. Drop-in equipment such as mobile manipulators are, by definition, flexible and scalable. With flexible automation and specifically autonomous mobile manipulation robots, the changes necessary to the warehouse infrastructure are relatively minimal and less expensive. Thus with the advent of this new technology in robotics, there is an upsurge in the demand for mobile manipulators, owing to this the market is flourished in the warehouse & distribution sector.

Mobile Manipulator Market Segment Analysis – By End User

The manufacturing segment held the largest share in the mobile manipulators market in 2021 and is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 12.9% by revenue through the forecast period 2022-2027, owing to the increasing application and utilization of mobile manipulators in the manufacturing industry. Modern industrial manufacturing relies heavily on flexible production. Autonomous mobile manipulators can perform a variety of tasks, including logistics, pick and place, and handling. As a result, autonomous robotic systems have the potential to improve the flexibility of existing manufacturing environments. Furthermore high throughput rates and high repeatability offered by mobile manipulators, results in product cost reduction, Thus with the advantages associated with this technology, there is an upsurge in the demand for mobile manipulators, owing to which the market is flourished in the manufacturing sector.

Mobile Manipulator Market Segment Analysis – By Geography

Asia-Pacific held the largest share in the mobile manipulator market in 2021 and is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 12.6% by revenue through the forecast period 2022-2027, owing to the increasing government initiatives in the region, which is spurring the automation adoption in the Asia-Pacific region. For instance, the Chinese government launched a national campaign, Made in China 2025, which encourages automated processes and intelligent manufacturing. The Japanese government introduced Society 5.0, which envisions a sustainable, inclusive socio-economic system, powered by digital technologies such as big data analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things and robotics. According to the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), in India 4,771 new industrial robots were installed in 2020, increasing by a record 39 percent over the 3,412 units in 2019 which in turn rose by 30 per cent over the 2,627 units installed in 2018. Thus, with the increasing adoption of automation in Asia-Pacific, the demand for mobile manipulators is also gradually rising, which is aiding the market growth in Asia-Pacific during the forecast period.

Mobile Manipulator Market Drivers

Increasing E-Commerce Industry is Driving the Demand for Warehouse and Distribution Centres

The increased focus on supply chain resilience, as well as the societal shift to e-commerce, are driving up demand for warehouses and distribution centres. This can be attributed to e-commerce companies' differing requirements, such as storing company stocks to enable easy delivery to nearby consumption areas; distribution of stock and commodities from another city/state/country for further distribution; smaller entrepreneurs who lack storage space; and stock protection from damage and pilferage. The e-commerce industry is gradually growing in various regions. For instance, according to Office for National Statistics (ONS), E-commerce sales by non-financial businesses in the UK totalled £668.9 billion (US$853.5 billion) in 2019, up from £639.7 billion (US$854 billion) in 2018. According to the India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF), By 2025, the Indian e-commerce market is expected to have grown from US$ 46.2 billion in 2020 to US$ 111.40 billion. Thus, with the growing e-commerce industry more warehouse and distribution centres are being constructed. For instance, in August 2019, Thyssenkrupp Materials Services, the distribution and service arm of the Thyssenkrupp Group, announced abut its plan to build a €60 million (US$67.1 million) logistics centre in Germany, set to open in 2021. The move is part of the company's European warehousing and logistics network's modernization and expansion strategy.

Integration of Mobile Manipulators in Industrial Manufacturing

The fourth industrial revolution, also known as industry 4.0, is one of the most significant events taking place around the world, particularly in developed and high-industrialized countries such as Europe and North America. Automation, data exchange, and digitalisation are three of its main characteristics. Thus, fourth industrial revolution or Industry 4.0 has opened the way to multiple forms of automation in the manufacturing facilites, that aim to optimize productivity and improve work processes. Many different collaborative robots are already in use by a variety of companies of various sizes. After collaborative arms (cobots) and collaborative mobile robots, the mobile manipulators (robot arm onboard a mobile robot) are the next step (CMR). A paradigm shift in current manufacturing needs is causing a shift from the current mass-production-based approach to a mass customization-based approach with smaller and more variable production volumes. Current processes are heavily influenced by the previous paradigm and lack the necessary adaptability to meet new production demands. To solve this problem, industrial mobile manipulators are being used. The robot has a number of sensors that allow it to sense its surroundings and perform complex tasks in dynamic environments. The robot is capable of autonomous navigation, safely avoiding obstacles, in order to meet the current needs of the industry. It is adaptable enough to handle a wide range of tasks, with the ability to switch between tasks quickly thanks to skills-based programming and the ability to change tools independently. Furthermore, its security systems allow it to work alongside human operators. Thus, owing to the above mentioned factors mobile manipulators are being increasingly integrated in industrial manufacturing activities of industries such as food & beverage, automotive, electronics & semiconductor, metal & machinery, and more.

Mobile Manipulator Market Challenges

Safety Concerns While Working With Humans

To meet the demand for increasingly flexible automation in modern manufacturing, the use of robot technologies is rapidly expanding globally and across a wide range of industrial domains. The development and integration of technologies in manufacturing environments is outpacing the evolution of standards and test methods used to ensure the safety of humans in these environments as a result of this rapid growth. As an example of this rapid growth, mobile manipulators (robot arms mounted on mobile bases) are now more common as a way to extend the utility of manufacturing automation. Safety standards have been published for industrial robot arms and automated guided vehicles (AGVs) to reduce the risk to humans in industrial environments, but only for their respective platforms. True flexible factory environments for lean manufacturing are made possible by the marriage of mobility and dexterity. It does, however, bring with it an increase in capabilities for which the existing robot and AGV standards are insufficiently protected.

Mobile Manipulator Market Landscape

Technology launches, acquisitions, and R&D activities are key strategies adopted by players in the Mobile Manipulator market. In 2021, the market of Mobile Manipulator market has been consolidated by the top players

1. Kuka
2. Yaskawa
3. Omron
4. Universal Robotics
5. Boston Dynamics
6. Fetch Robotics
7. IAM Robotics
8. Robotnik Automation
9. Neobotix
10. Waypoint Robotics

Launches/Acquisitions

• In March 2019, LD-250 was launched by the Omron Corporation with the combination of the LD-250 with Omron TM Collaborative Robots has created a market for bulky "mobile manipulators" that can handle material transport as well as manipulation activities.
• In January 2019, KUKA AG launched mobile manipulator for cleanroom chip handling for the semiconductor industry application. KUKA has developed the world's first single-source solution for the automated transfer and handling of semiconductor cassettes with the KUKA wafer handling solution. A standardized automated guided vehicle (AGV) and the service-proven LBR iiwa lightweight robot make up the application. A sophisticated gripper mechanism has also been designed. The software has also been developed by KUKA AG. 

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