The robotics industry is growing continuously and offers new opportunities for measurement technology and process automation. According to Statista, revenue in the robotics market is estimated at around €34.96 billion in 2024, with an annual growth rate of 4.28% until 2028. Global demand for robots is increasing as companies look for more efficient and cost-effective solutions.

Robots are also becoming a crucial element in automated measurement and testing technology. At GTM, we see the shortage of skilled workers and the digitalization of process data as key challenges. Sensors and the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) are becoming increasingly important in order to increase efficiency.

Even if the robotics industry itself still poses challenges, for example with high implementation costs and training requirements, the benefits that apply to both small and medium-sized enterprises and global corporations outweigh these: Increased productivity, improved quality, reduced labor costs and new business opportunities.

Multi-axis force measurement in practice

Multi-axis force measurement measures dynamic and static forces and moments, which opens up numerous application possibilities. These methods are used in particular to measure stresses, strains and torsional forces. In robotics, they are used in non-destructive material testing, flow measurement technology and in the handling and processing of materials.

Application examples and advantages

• Manufacturing processes: Precise recording of forces during welding, grinding, polishing and painting work improves process control and quality.
• Assembly, handling, inspection and quality control: Precise recording of forces increases the quality of assembly and inspection as well as the performance of robots.
• Increased efficiency: Captured measurement data enables a reduction in energy consumption and an increase in the working speed of the robots.
• Reduction of downtimes: Early detection of potential problems and preventive measures prevent breakdowns.

Outlook and conclusion

At GTM, we expect the importance of multi-axis force measurement in robotics to continue to grow, primarily due to the increasing complexity of tasks. New sensor technologies that can be seamlessly integrated are crucial.

The combination of AI with classic sensor solutions, using digitized measurement values, could significantly increase the performance and efficiency of robots.