Market Trends of Global Assembly Line Solutions Industry
This section covers the major market trends shaping the Assembly Line Solutions Market according to our research experts:
Demand from Electric Vehicle Companies Driving the Market
Tesla emerged into the EV market in 2003, but it wasn't until they introduced their mass production Model 3 in 2017 that the market for electric vehicles exploded. Since then, the industry has seen a meteoric rise, growing 67% from 2019 to 2020, and with even greater growth projected into the coming years. In 2021, legacy automakers like Chevy, Ford, Toyota, and others are joining the EV game, along with newcomers like Rivian and Lucid Motors. In many ways, assembling electric vehicles largely follows the same lines of production as their internal combustion engine (ICE) counterparts. However, the big differences emerge at the drivetrain and the battery packs, the latter of which requires a complex fabrication and assembly process.
Robotic assembly is rapidly becoming a mainstay in the automotive section, this includes fully automated systems with machine part tending, semi-automatic systems for predetermined operator involvement, and specialized processes for pressing, torquing, riveting and joining systems. For instance, Ford is spending USD 150 million to refurbish its 53-year-old Van Dyke Transmission Plant in Sterling Heights, MI, to mass-produce e-motors. General Motors is also taking a vertically integrated approach with its modular Ultium Drive power train family, which consists of three interchangeable motors.
In Jan 2022, Comau, a member of Stellantis, has deployed an automated e-drive assembly line for Geely Automobile Holdings at its Geely Veremt plant in Ningbo (China), for the end-to-end assembly of the electric motor, gearbox and inverter. Designed in close collaboration with the Geely team, the complete line uses a flexible automatic production system to assemble the permanent magnet motor rotors, gearboxes and electronics drives, in addition to automated quality control and testing. The innovative solution increases the plant's automation rate from 40% to 80% while delivering a full-scale production capacity of 120,000 assembly jobs per year.
According to industry report, electric vehicles are expected to comprise 60-80% of all new car sales in 2050. The forecast has prompted automakers to look for ways to automate the assembly of e-axle drives, which combine electric motors, transmissions and power electronics in a single unit. This has created opportunities for industrial automation companies such as Comau.
Assembly Line Automation in Heavy Machinery Manufacturing:
Manufacturing and assembling industrial equipment are tough jobs, so companies integrate automated equipment into strategic areas for welding, material handling, pick and place, and repetitive tasks. Typically, companies use a combination of robotic arms, sensors, conveyance, guided vehicles, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to improve quality, traceability, efficiency, and throughput. Manufacturing heavy equipment like large tractors, combines, and excavators can be dangerous.
Today, many manufacturers follow an overall lean manufacturing strategy, whereby automation is only added to steps in the assembly process where it will add value. In these systems, comprehensive studies are done to determine where automation adds value to the process and areas where it does not - these stations are stripped to basics relying on humans to carry out the tasks.
Stronger-than-expected growth last year has many manufacturers feeling optimistic about 2022. In fact, more than 80 percent of AEM members anticipate rising demand for agricultural and construction equipment over the next year. Specifically, 65 percent predict that demand for agricultural machinery will be above normal, while 44 percent believe demand for construction equipment will be above normal. Many heavy machinery manufacturers are investing in automation to compensate for a lack of workers and to maximize the production capacity of current facilities.
