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How robots can help UK manufacturers tackle skills shortages and drive productivity
07 February 2025
The manufacturing industry in the UK is grappling with significant challenges that are impacting competitiveness, including a growing shortage of skilled labour and a need for greater flexibility in production.
Julian Ware – Sales Manager Robotics UK & Ireland looks at how robots are playing a pivotal role in overcoming these challenges by enhancing performance and reshaping how manufacturers approach labour shortages, adaptability, and production capacity.
The problem of a shortage of skilled labour is one that is affecting manufacturing companies worldwide as the pool of available labour shrinks due to factors such as ageing populations and younger people choosing alternative careers.
A recent survey revealed that 97 percent of UK manufacturers cite the hiring and retention of skilled labour as a significant challenge, with 75 percent considering it the most substantial barrier to growth[1]. As experienced workers retire and fewer new talent enter skilled trades, automation, particularly in the form of robots and cobots, is providing an invaluable solution.
Robots are well-suited to take over tasks that are either difficult to fill due to their repetitive, dangerous, or dirty nature, or where a shortage of skilled workers – such as welders – exists. For instance, the welding sector alone is expected to face a shortfall of 35,000 skilled professionals by 2027. Companies are increasingly turning to automation to bridge this gap.
An example is the Finnish metal fabricator Lankapaja Corporation, which faced significant challenges in hiring welders for its Swedish factory. In response, Lankapaja deployed two ABB GoFa™ collaborative robots to assist in welding tasks alongside manual workers.
The cobots can operate continuously, enhancing the company’s capacity and maintaining consistent, high-quality welding results. Furthermore, automation has freed up human workers for other, higher-value tasks, improving overall efficiency.
Similarly, Metec, a German machining company, used ABB's GoFa cobots in an automated machine-tending cell to handle CNC machine tools.
By taking over repetitive, physically demanding tasks, these robots not only help mitigate worker shortages but also increase the company’s productivity and allow employees to focus on more complex work.
Reducing complexity in robotic systems
One of the key hurdles many manufacturers face in adopting robotic automation is the perceived complexity of programming and operating robots. There’s a significant skills gap in managing robotics systems, with many companies hesitant to invest in automation due to concerns about the difficulty of training staff.
To address this, companies like ABB have worked tirelessly to simplify the process. The GoFa cobot, for example, offers a lead-through programming feature that allows operators to easily teach the robot its tasks by manually guiding the arm into the desired positions.
Additionally, ABB's Wizard Easy Programming software provides a drag-and-drop interface that eliminates the need for complex coding skills, making robotic automation more accessible to manufacturers of all sizes.
In addition to simplifying programming, ABB has introduced AppStudio, a tool that enables companies to create custom interfaces for controlling robots. This offers even more flexibility in how robots are managed across different production environments, from tablet interfaces to mobile phones.
With these innovations, ABB is helping companies reduce the barriers to adopting robotic automation and accelerating the shift toward increased productivity.
Rethinking production and logistics with autonomous mobile robots (AMRs)
Alongside the rise of cobots in manufacturing environments, the use of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) has also gained significant traction. These robots, which navigate autonomously through production facilities, are being deployed in production lines and logistics applications to enhance operational flexibility and efficiency.
AMRs are equipped with advanced technology, such as Visual SLAM (Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping), which enables them to navigate without the need for fixed markers. This allows them to adjust to dynamic environments, avoiding obstacles while optimising their routes. For example, in production lines, AMRs can deliver parts and components just in time, enabling faster and more efficient production processes.
In logistics, AMRs are being used to handle material transport, such as moving pallets and stacking goods, thereby relieving manual workers from time-consuming and physically demanding tasks. In one recent example, industrial baker Pimad (best known for Bimbo-branded baked goods) uses two ABB stacker AMRs with laser guidance to transport finished products around its warehouse.
The AMRs are equipped with long forks that allow them to transport four pallets simultaneously, reducing the number of trips needed.
The vehicles automate the flow of finished products from the wrapper machines to the warehouse, optimising the available storage space. Similarly, vehicles feed the line with empty pallets for an uninterrupted goods flow operation.
Increasing production capacity and reducing waste
Robotic automation plays a crucial role in increasing production capacity. With robots capable of working around the clock without fatigue, manufacturers can significantly increase throughput.
The consistency of robotic performance also ensures that production quality remains high, contributing to higher output levels and faster turnaround times.
The Fedegari Group is an Italian engineering company that manufactures specialised autoclave pressure vessels for the pharmaceutical industry. By using automated production cells with ABB industrial robots, the company has reduced its production time by 50 percent. This increase in efficiency resulted in a 35 percent boost to production capacity, enabling Fedegari to meet growing demand without the need for additional labour.
Furthermore, robots are helping companies reduce waste by achieving first-time-right production. Human errors, often caused by fatigue or inattention during repetitive tasks, can lead to defective products and increased scrap rates.
With precise, consistent performance, robots help manufacturers minimise these errors, ultimately reducing material waste and improving the overall sustainability of manufacturing processes.
Sustainable manufacturing through robotics
In addition to reducing waste during production, robots are also enabling manufacturers to adopt more sustainable practices. Through AI-powered decision-making, robots can optimise manufacturing processes to reduce resource consumption and improve energy efficiency. In this way, they are enabling companies to develop new approaches to both manufacturing and recycling that can significantly reduce the impact of waste through enhanced circularity.
An example is FPD Recycling, an Irish tech start-up, which has developed a fully automated robotic system to handle the complex and hazardous e-waste generated by millions of flat-panel displays each year. The patented artificial intelligence (AI)-based system, which uses two ABB robots, can process up to 120 screens, when running at full capacity.
The system fits into a 40ft container, with the processing of TVs, monitors and laptops separated into two machines, which can be used standalone or connected to one another.
The system provides the added benefit of being able to collect data on every device that it handles. Details on weight, size, manufacturer, barcode number and model number are all collected and stored, providing manufacturers, regulators and compliance organisations with valuable data on what is being recycled.
ABB is also focusing on the sustainability of its robots themselves. Through a remanufacturing and buy-back program, ABB ensures that 60-80 percent of a robot can be reused, reducing waste at the end of the robot’s operational life. These efforts contribute to the broader goal of creating a circular economy within the robotics industry.
The future of automation in manufacturing
While the current generation of robots and cobots offers significant advantages in terms of productivity, flexibility, and sustainability, the future promises even greater advances. The integration of advanced AI, machine learning, and deep learning is expected to make robots even more autonomous, capable of complex decision-making tasks, and adaptable to ever-changing manufacturing environments.
The next wave of robots will likely feature enhanced sensory and vision capabilities, allowing them to perform more complex tasks with even greater accuracy. Additionally, as the collaboration between humans and robots continues to evolve, we can expect to see more intuitive interfaces and seamless integration between robotics and other automation technologies.
As the manufacturing sector adapts to the realities of labour shortages, production demands, and sustainability goals, robotics will continue to play a central role in reshaping the future of industrial production.
Conclusion
The adoption of robotic automation in manufacturing is rapidly accelerating, driven by the need to overcome labour shortages, increase efficiency, and reduce waste. By integrating robots and cobots into production lines, manufacturers are not only enhancing their capabilities but also preparing for the challenges of the future.
With continued innovation in AI, machine learning, and automation technologies, robots can play a key role in transforming the future of the UK manufacturing sector.
References:
[1]. The Manufacturer / Barclays Corporate Banking - Now hiring: understanding and tackling the skills shortage in UK manufacturing
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