Abstract
Domestic Industrial Robotics Companies Need to Revise Pricing Strategies to Stave off Challenge from Low-cost Countries
Manufacturers of flat display panels, electronic devices, and semiconductors from regions such as the Asia Pacific -- which has low-cost resources -- have a huge market in North America due to their cost-competitive products. This places enormous pressure on domestic manufacturers to revise their production strategies so that their products cost less. Since robotics requires huge capital, manufacturers seek less expensive semi-automation solutions, which however, do not provide the flexibility of robotics. The sector that has been worst affected by these pricing pressures from overseas competitors is the semiconductors industry. As end-user awareness of the advantages of robotics increases, there is likely to be a corresponding rise in the adoption rates of cleanroom robots.
This Frost & Sullivan research service provides an overview of the North American industrial robotics market for cleanroom applications. The study has been divided into four segments based on end-user applications of robotics: flat display panel handling, electronic storage media, semiconductors industry, and medical and pharmaceuticals. The research enables companies to align their positioning strategies to benefit from the changing markets and obtain maximum return on investment.
Clinical Sterility Requirements Drive Adoption of Robotics in Medical and Pharmaceutical Applications
Medical and pharmaceutical markets have been extensively using robotics for applications such as material handling, transfer of objects, and accurate performance of repetitive tasks. Medical devices manufacturing is a particularly promising market for robotics, since most tasks performed in this sector need cleanroom standards. Robotics will eliminate any product contamination that might be caused as a result of employing human labor to perform these jobs.
Apart from contamination and probability of error being high, clinical and pharmaceutical research operations could also lead to motion injuries in humans. "Automation of these tasks using robotics has decreased the errors drastically and increased the productivity and efficiency of the labs," says the analyst of this research. "Robotics is also used to assist surgeons in minimally invasive surgeries in hospitals and in the treatment of cancers using radiosurgery."
Robotics Market Gains Fresh Opportunities with Transition of Wafer Standards from 200 mm to 300 mm
Cleanroom robotics has received new lease of opportunities with the semiconductor industrys significant transition in wafer standards from 200 mm to 300 mm. End-user manufacturers have been increasingly adopting this standard. "Cleanroom robots are used for machine loading, unloading, transfer of parts as well as assembling, packaging, and testing of wafers," notes the analyst. "Robotics is expected to be extensively used in handling of these wafers on chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) machines and in other applications such as photolithography and ion implantation."
Due to the 200 mm wafer standards increasing obsolescence, advancement of technology, and growing use of robotics in CMP machine processing tasks, cleanroom robotics is expected to see a surge in sales.
Table of Contents
1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Market Overview
- Executive Overview
- Introduction
- Market Segmentation
Major Research Findings
- Opportunities and Forecasts
- Market Segment Analysis
- Strategic Moves and Conclusions
2 TOTAL CLEAN ROOM ROBOTICS MARKET FOR NORTH AMERICA
Introduction
- Market Overview and Definitions
- Market Segmentation
- Primary Challenges
- Secondary Challenges
- Market Drivers
- Market Restraints
- Market Engineering Measurements
Cleanroom Classifications and Standards
- Federal Standard 209E
- ISO 14644-1 Standard
- Comparison of Standards
Market Analysis
- Total North American Market for Cleanroom Robotics: Unit Shipment Forecasts
- Total North American Market for Cleanroom Robotics: Revenue Forecasts
- Total North American Market for Cleanroom Robotics: Price Forecasts
- Competitive Structure
- Geographic Analysis
- Competitive Share
Key Market Strategies and Directions
- Flat Display Panel Handling Market
- Electronic Storage Media Market
- Semiconductor Industry Market
- Medical and Pharmaceuticals Market
Frost & Sullivan Awards
- Market Leadership Award
- Technology and Market Leadership Award
- Customer Value Leadership Award
3 APPENDIX
Decision Support Database tables
- Semiconductor Industry
- Installed Base of Mobile Handsets
- Country Share in Total Mobile Handset Sales
- Installed Base of Personal Computers
- Installed Base of Televisions
- Printed Circuit Boards
- Diagnostic Research Facilities
