Materials for Robots Market - Forecast(2024 - 2030)

The Materials for Robots market size is forecast to reach USD 89 billion by 2029, after growing at a CAGR of 9% during the forecast period 2024-2029. The Materials for Robots market has grown significantly in recent years, due to the new materials and devices that will significantly enhance robots. The development of increasingly intelligent and powerful robots is being fueled by technological developments in robotics. To achieve the performance criteria of sophisticated robotic systems, these improvements call for materials with specialized attributes including high strength, durability, flexibility, and lightweight. For example, Robotics has progressed from rigid construction to soft, compliant robots. Smart materials' unique qualities, including stimuli-responsiveness and autonomous behavior, have led to several technological advancements.

The report “Materials for Robots Market – Forecast (2024-2029)”, by IndustryARC, covers an in-depth analysis of the following segments of the Materials for Robots market.

By Robot Design: Materials for Traditional Robots, Materials for Soft Robots.

By Type: Metals, Plastics, Composite Materials, NVH and Elastomeric Materials, Smart Materials, Coating Materials, and others.

By End-User: Industrial Robots, Service Robots.

By Geography:  North America, South America, Europe, APAC, and RoW.

• In 2022, A strategic partnership and investment were announced by United States Steel and Carnegie Foundry, a robotics and artificial intelligence studio. The two Pittsburgh-based businesses are teaming up to use artificial intelligence and sophisticated robots to expedite and expand industrial automation. With the help of this finance, Carnegie Foundry plans to expand and promote its robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) industrial automation portfolio, which includes products for advanced manufacturing, industrial robots, integrated systems, autonomous mobility, voice analytics, and other fields.

• Association for Advancing Automation (A3), with 5,196 sales, North American businesses ordered 9,853 million robots in the second quarter of 2021—a substantial increase over 2020—creating new job possibilities. Furthermore, an 83% increase in the number of industrial robots purchased by automobile OEMs for process automation has been identified by the Robotic Industries Association (RIA) as the primary driver of the year-to-date increase in industrial robot sales.

• The industrial revolution, known as "Industry 4.0," has sparked the creation of new technologies such as AI-enabled robots and collaborative robots, among others, and allowed enterprises to employ robots to improve productivity, reduce errors, and streamline numerous operations. The increased safety of the workplace and increased production capacities have spurred industries to invest more in robotic systems. As a result, the materials for robots market is expanding.

Materials for Traditional Robots dominated the Materials for Robots market in 2023. Traditional Materials have the greatest market share. This is due to the continued strong demand for traditional robotics materials, particularly in industries that require precision, dependability, and high-volume manufacturing.

Today, steel, aluminum, cast iron, and hard plastic are among the most frequently utilized materials for industrial robots. Material science has played a significant role in these robots' success in the industry by developing materials that make them stronger, lighter, stiffer, and more precise. The growing fundamentals of increased productivity in major industries such as metals and machines and automotive are driving market demand. These robots are ideal for high-volume production. Traditional industrial robots are built for speed and precision. As technology advances, it is projected that more advancements in robotics materials and applications will emerge.

Carbon fiber-reinforced composites are a new material for classical robotics that can significantly enhance robot performance, safety, and energy consumption. Carbon fiber-based composites hold great promise for the future of robotics because they are significantly stronger and lighter than metal.  However, mass production is still difficult and their manufacturing costs are still expensive.

Metals dominated the Materials for Robots market in 2023. Out of all the materials, metals like titanium, steel, and aluminum have the most strength and durability. Metals offer the structural integrity required for dependable performance over an extended period in robotic applications where components are exposed to high stresses, large loads, or abrasive conditions. Robots operate in harsh environments with fluctuating temperatures, high pressure, and corrosive materials in applications like deep-sea research, space exploration, and military activities. Because metals can survive in such hostile settings, robotic systems are certain to be resilient and long-lasting.

The 20th century saw the beginning of the modern era of robotics, and since then, the field has developed rapidly, with discoveries and innovations being created daily. It is a multibillion-dollar sector today, with many uses in space exploration, manufacturing, healthcare, and military activities. Advancements in artificial intelligence coupled with the rising availability of rare metals like tungsten have made it possible for robots to carry out jobs that are more and more complicated.

Industrial Robots dominated the Materials for Robots market in 2023. Numerous fundamental operations in various industries are overseen by industrial robots, which are integral to the manufacture of industrial automation. Electronics, the automobile industry, and e-commerce have all grown along with regional economic growth.

Considering the cost-benefit analysis, the increasing inclination of new car owners towards electric vehicles is encouraging. With automakers utilizing automated robotic systems for high-volume vehicle production, it is anticipated to have a substantial impact on the industrial robotics sector. For instance, The United States saw a 14% growth in robot installations to 34,987 units in 2021, according to the International Federation of Robotics, making it the second-most successful year in the history of the sector. This was more than the 33,378 units that were at the pre-pandemic level in 2019. 9,782 industrial robots are used in the US automotive industry by 2021.

APAC dominated the Materials for Robots market in 2023. The demand for industrial robots in Asia continues to rise, owing to developments in automation and Industry 4.0 trends. For example, Robot density in China is rapidly increasing, the International Federation of Robotics states that Singapore had the highest robot density in 2019, with 918 units per 10,000 employees.

According to the International Trade Administration, Japan is home to several of the world's leading manufacturers and robotics firms. As of 2022, Japanese businesses created or designed 45% of all industrial robots worldwide. A record $7.35 billion worth of industrial robots were ordered from Japanese manufacturers in 2022, an increase of 1.6% over the previous year.

Furthermore, the demand for biocompatible and biodegradable materials for soft robotics applications is projected to create market opportunities in the foreseeable period. These materials include natural polymers like collagen, cellulose, and chitosan, as well as synthetic polymers like polycaprolactone (PCL) and polylactic acid (PLA).

Recent years have seen an exceptionally rapid advancement in the field of robotics, challenging preconceived notions about the construction and functionality of robots. The creation of bio-hybrid and bioinspired robots, which draw inspiration from biological things to develop multifunctional and autonomous systems, is another difficulty related to materials science. In addition, the mechanical and self-healing qualities of cutting-edge robotics materials are linked to robots' ability to adapt to harsh and complicated settings.

Furthermore, one of the most important problems of the twenty-first century is the management of electronic trash, or "e-waste." Only a relatively small portion of the estimated 100,000 tons of electronic garbage that are dumped every day gets recycled. Owing to their intricate compositions, which frequently contain rare and hazardous components, consumer electronics are usually disposed of in landfills. As a result, cutting-edge robotics materials must consider circularity while advancing new and environmentally friendly technology, which is driving the market demand.

For instance, in October 2023, LG Chem introduced eco-friendly plastic in wearable robots. This is the first instance of replacing a robot's metal elements with environmentally friendly plastic, aimed at the lightweight materials industry. In association with T-Robotics, a global leader in vacuum robot technology, it has created a wearable walking aid robot known as "Healbot-H."

For instance, in June 2023, A team of international researchers led by Penn State discovered a new type of ferroelectric polymer that is highly effective at converting electrical energy into mechanical strain. This polymer maintains a guarantee as a high-performance motion controller or “actuator” via the enormous potential for applications in medical devices, sophisticated robotics, and precision positioning systems.

Soft robotics presents a chance for the industry to significantly lessen its environmental effect compared to standard robotics. Soft robots typically have fewer complex structures since they rely on materials that have various functions, such as actuation and structural elements. As a result, they are intrinsically easier to recycle.

The increased investments across industries like Automotive, Pharmaceuticals, Consumer Electronics, Packaging, and Equipment are expected to drive the materials for robot’s market growth.

The requirement for robots in these industries is based on the type of robot they need to install throughout their facilities to harness industrial activity and reduce expenses. For example, players in the consumer electronics industry could install collaborative robots more quickly to improve production flexibility. As a result, large investments are being made in the industry, raising the need for these robots. 

The market for materials for robots will continue to grow as long as robotics technology continues to progress and finds wider applications across industries. This is because there will be an increasing need for materials that can suit the unique requirements of these robots.

For instance, The Indian government has set an ambitious goal to become a global robotics superpower by 2030, according to the Ministry of Electronics and Internet Technology's (MeitY) recently released draft National Strategy on Robotics. The "Made in India 2.0" plan of the union government lists robotics as "one of the 27 sub-sectors to further strengthen India's integration in the worldwide value chain." With 5,4% growth to 4,945 units in 2021, India would have the 10th-highest annual deployment of industrial robots globally.

In February 2024, Tamil Nadu Infrastructure Fund Management Corporation (TNIFMC) led a seed investment round led by US$470,000 in Torus Robotics, an Indian deep tech startup that specializes in powertrain technology for electric vehicle (EV) automotive, defense, aviation, and other markets (TNESSF).

Exorbitant upfront and recurring investment expenditures restrict market expansion. For organizations with little or no relevant experience, making the initial investment may be tough. Procurement, integration, programming, accessories, and maintenance, among other things, need a significant financial investment. This may limit market expansion. 

Small and medium-sized enterprises struggle to park huge sums of money due to low-volume manufacturing and a low return on investment. Balancing costs and benefits remains critical. ROI is a factor that's frequently taken into account by organizations assessing the use of robotics technology. Companies are deciding to postpone or completely abandon robotics initiatives due to the high upfront costs and hazy ROI estimates, which will have an effect on the market for related materials.

Technology launches, acquisitions, and R&D activities are key strategies adopted by players in the Materials for Robots market. in 2022, The major players in the Materials for Robots market are DuPont, BASF SE, Covestro AG, SABIC, Toray Industries, Inc., Teijin, Saint-Gobain, LG Chem, RTP Company, and Others.

 In October 2023, LG Chem introduced eco-friendly plastic in wearable robots. This is the first instance of replacing a robot's metal elements with environmentally friendly plastic, aimed at the lightweight materials industry.

 In March 2022, Toray Industries, Inc. developed a stretchy film that produces circuit mounts with remarkable resistance value stability. The outstanding shape recovery and heat resistance of REACTISTM are well known. Stretchable device circuit boards have a wide range of potential uses, such as industrial and biological sensors and robots.