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Robotics Group Shifts Direction Sign Up to receive Daily News Alerts in your E-mail Inbox
Posted on Wednesday, December 26, 2007 3:30:00 PM |
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Richard Litt's recent appointment as the new president of the Robotic Industries Association may signal a turning point for the robot industry as a whole.RIA, founded in 1974, was created solely with the needs of robot manufacturers in mind. But over the decades, as more sophisticated robots entered the scene, the need for people who can integrate robots as part of a holistic manufacturing system has become just as important.RIA President-elect Litt is the founder and CEO of Genesis Systems Group, LLC, an independent systems integrator focused primarily on arc welding applications. His appointment marks the first time in RIA's history that an individual from the systems integration segment has held the role of president. Litt sees this as a significant shift for the organization."There's a lot of opportunity for RIA, as an association, to change and really deliver value to the integrators, who are increasingly at the heart of the success of this industry," Litt said, in an interview with Managing Automation.To that end, Litt's mission as RIA's leader is twofold: "My first charge is to maintain the momentum RIA has built in the historical core areas. But, really, my goal is to work with RIA to identify how we can better serve the needs of integrators."For example, RIA has always provided its membership, comprising robot manufacturers, suppliers, integrators, and end users, with workshops that offer information on robot applications. New types of workshops designed specifically for integrators might include sessions on design control and management systems or modeling and simulation systems, Litt said."It might even include programs for retaining engineering talent, so there's a human resources element we may focus on," he said. The important thing to understand, he said, is that robots are evolving with new technologies, applications, and solutions to meet the needs of a variety of industries.As part of its service, RIA tracks robot sales each year. In its most recent report, published in November 2007, RIA noted a 34% increase in units shipped by North American-based robotics companies for the first nine months of 2007, reflecting a 22% increase in revenue. While the automotive industry purchased the majority of systems last year, other industries, including life sciences, pharmaceutical, food, consumer goods, and the plastics and rubber industries, contributed to robot manufacturers' revenues.Given the new demand, "the biggest change in the industry I see now is the need for speed," Litt said. Program development, which used to be done in weeks or months, may now have to be delivered in days."Often, when we pick a supplier, it's not necessarily which one is the cheapest, but, more frequently, who is the fastest," Litt said.During his two-year term, Litt hopes to accelerate change, not only within the robot industry, but within RIA as well.
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