作者：Jessica Twentyman - 2018年8月31日
正如Jessica Twentyman所報道的那樣，機器人即服務的概念正在製造和物流方面取得進展，該機構認為公司應當支付機器人的訂閱費而不是先購買機器人。
為什麼購買機器人只需按照每月訂閱付費，根據它在工廠車間提供的結果嗎？
機器人即服務（RaaS）的概念在製造業中迅速崛起，其最新支持者之一是工業機器人公司Kuka，它將這一想法提升到一個全新的水平。
這家德國公司於2016年被中國消費品製造商美的收購，最近宣佈將推出一項新的SmartFactory即服務計劃。MHP是一家專門從事汽車和製造業的保時捷集團諮詢公司，也是保險巨頭慕尼黑再保險公司的代表。
閱讀更多： 汽車：智能工廠每年可以創造1600億美元的收益 - Cappgemini
一個工廠在一個盒子裡
這種新的按需服務的客戶將獲得基於庫卡技術的機器人人員自動化工廠; 幫助MHP實施和整合; 和慕尼黑再保險公司的風險管理和融資服務。
該想法是，該服務為製造企業（尤其是汽車製造商）提供了一個機會，可以將資本密集型業務外包，避免前期投資成本和卸載風險。合作伙伴聲稱，SmartFactory即服務可以將某些製造產品的上市時間縮短30％。
根據Kuka首席執行官Till Reuter博士的說法，“工廠的適應能力是使製造適應未來的關鍵標準。
“我們的客戶面臨著迅速靈活應對市場需求的挑戰。SmartFactory即服務可以實現這一點，“他說。
他補充說，與MHP和慕尼黑再保險公司的合作“使未來的商業模式更加接近”。 然而，並非如此接近：合作伙伴承認，在他們將SmartFactory即服務實時實施並在客戶端站點上運行之前，它可能還需要幾年時間。
閱讀更多： 中國的全球機器人優勢計劃加快步伐
機器人出租
顯而易見的是，Kuka是一個非常雄心勃勃的願景：出租一個機器人和另一個出租整個工廠是一回事。然而，與此同時，有很多公司致力於更為適度的基於服務的工業機器人方法。
根據ABI Research的2018年5月報告，機器人即服務是一個彈性概念，對不同的供應商來說意味著不同的東西。但一般來說，它廣泛用於描述基於租賃或租賃機器人作為全方位服務的商業模式，而不是要求客戶預先付款以擁有它們。
ABI Research分析師Rian Whitton表示，“雖然機器人市場持續增長，但機器人供應商持續保持利潤率的壓力意味著他們希望擴大市場機會，而不僅僅是將機器人作為產品銷售。”
總體而言，ABI Research估計RaaS的安裝基數將從2016年的4,442個增長到2026年的130萬個，而RaaS提供商的年收入預計將從2016年的2.17億美元增加到2026年的近340億美元。
“這將使RaaS提供商的年收入，包括所有服務支付，大於工業機器人的出貨收入，目前佔據了機器人行業在收入方面的最大份額，”Whitton解釋道。
閱讀更多： IIoT和cobots的崛起
取和攜帶
這種提供商的一個例子是位於加利福尼亞州聖何塞的Fetch Robotics。今年早些時候，該公司被世界經濟論壇（WEF）選為61個最有前途的技術先驅之一，有可能“塑造第四次工業革命”。其主要關注領域之一是為在線零售商自動化倉庫運營。
根據Fetch首席運營官Carl Showalter的說法，較大的公司傾向於以傳統方式購買機器人，提前支付資本支出，但隨後會為預測性維護服務支付年度雲服務費，等等。較小的客戶不需要預付任何費用，而是通過Fetch簽署每月每機器人費用。
另一個例子是位於加利福尼亞州洛杉磯的InVia機器人公司，該公司最近宣佈了2000萬美元的融資，並提供電子商務訂單履行公司，如樂天超級物流（RSL），以及基於倉庫的揀選機器人。Rakuten最近選擇了InVia的貨物到人履行服務，這是一種基於訂閱的模式。
“對於RSL和我們廣泛的客戶，InVia Robotics提供了一個令人興奮的機會，可以使用RaaS模型擴大需求，管理成本並提高庫存準確性，”RSL首席執行官Michael Manzione解釋道。
根據ABI Research的數據，2016年至2025年之間的RaaS安裝基數預計將達到66％的複合年增長率。預計RaaS使用率最高的市場將是物流，製造和酒店業。
閱讀更多： 機器人之城：機器人和自動化如何解決城市最嚴重的問題
互聯網說
正如變革顧問Sean Culey在今年早些時候的商業互聯網報告中所述，製造業將在未來幾年內經歷根深蒂固的變革。
一系列技術的融合，包括工業機器人，機器人過程自動化，按需製造，3D打印，物聯網，人工智能，傳感器，自動運輸，區塊鏈和共享經濟，將使製造業從單片化流程轉移基於最低的勞動力成本，並根據客戶需求提供更加個性化，自動化和本地化（PAL）的價值鏈。
通過這種方式，製造商將能夠定製生產一雙運動鞋，並在第二天將其交付給當地客戶，其成本與在中國大量生產一百萬雙並在中國運輸世界。
事實上，一家公司 - 阿迪達斯 - 正在通過其Speedfactory計劃做到這一點：小型，本地，自動化，機器人人員配備的設施，可以根據客戶的個人資料生產鞋子。
這些設施可以根據需要提供給客戶公司 - 或多個客戶 - 具有經濟意義，因為它不僅有利於客戶及其客戶，而且還保證了提供商的收入流。
此外，通過將這些設施放置在岸上 - 最接近客戶需求 - 將提高當地輔助就業，並最大限度地減少離岸外包的環境影響。遵循雲模型，RaaS將看到提供商將維護和升級週期納入其按需服務，這意味著隨著更智能，更快速，更可編程的機器人可用，用戶不再需要快速折舊資產。
但是，當然，即服務機器人工廠模型本身就有就業影響。僅在2016年，中國就購買了66,000臺工業機器人。如果每個人都可以完成15人（24×7,365天）的工作，那麼這大約相當於車間100萬人的工作崗位 - 如果考慮到缺乏假期或病假，則更多。
根據中國發展研究基金會和風險投資基金紅杉中國的聯合研究，英國“金融時報”報道，在過去三年中，自動化已經取代了一些中國工業企業高達40％的工人崗位。
中國的自動化速度比地球上任何其他國家都要快，以保持其低成本的勞動力優勢。然而，RaaS和Culey的PAL價值鏈概念的結合表明，可能根本不需要將製造業外包給中國等國家。
【原文】
Manufacturing: How Robotics as a Service extends to whole factories
The idea of Robotics as a Service, which sees companies pay a subscription fee for robots rather than buying them upfront, is gaining ground in manufacturing and logistics, as Jessica Twentyman reports.
Why buy a robot when you could simply pay for it by monthly subscription, based on the results it delivers on your factory floor?
The concept of Robotics as a service (RaaS) is quickly gaining ground in manufacturing, and one of its latest proponents is industrial robotics firm Kuka, which is taking the idea to a whole new level.
The German company, which was acquired by Chinese consumer products manufacturer Midea back in 2016, recently announced that it is launching a new SmartFactory as a Service initiative. Also onboard are MHP – a Porsche Group consultancy specialising in the automotive and manufacturing sectors – and insurance giant, Munich Re.
Read more: Automotive: Smart factories could create $160bn annual gains – Cappgemini
A factory in a box
Customers of this new on-demand service will get a robot-staffed automated plant based on Kuka technologies; help with implementation and integration from MHP; and risk management and financing services from Munich Re.
The idea is that the service offers an opportunity for manufacturing companies – particularly automakers – to outsource a capital-intensive part of their business, avoid upfront investment costs, and offload risk. The partners claim that SmartFactory as a Service could reduce time-to-market for some manufactured products by as much as 30 percent.
According to Kuka CEO Dr Till Reuter, “A plant’s ability to adapt is the key criterion in making manufacturing fit for the future.
“Our clients face the challenge of responding swiftly and flexibly to market needs. SmartFactory as a Service can achieve this,” he said.
The partnership with MHP and Munich Re “brings the business model of the future a great deal closer”, he added. Not that close, however: the partners acknowledge that it could still be a couple of years before they have a live implementation of SmartFactory as a Service up and running at a client site.
Read more: China’s plans for global robotics dominance gather pace
Robots for rent
What’s clear is that Kuka’s is an extremely ambitious vision: it’s one thing to rent out a robot and another to rent out an entire factory. In the meantime, however, there are plenty of companies working on more modest versions of a service-based approach to industrial robotics.
According to a May 2018 report from ABI Research, Robotics as a Service is an elastic concept, meaning different things to different vendors. But generally speaking, it is broadly used to describe a business model based on renting or leasing robots as a full service, rather than asking customers to pay upfront to own them.
“Though the robotics market continues to grow, ongoing pressure on robotics vendors to maintain margins means that they are looking to widen market opportunities beyond just selling robots as products,” said ABI Research analyst Rian Whitton.
Overall, ABI Research estimates that the installed base for RaaS will grow from 4,442 units in 2016 to 1.3 million in 2026, while annual revenues for RaaS providers are expected to increase from \(217 million in 2016 to nearly \)34 billion in 2026.
“This will make the yearly revenue of RaaS providers, including all payments for services, greater than the shipment revenues for industrial robots, which currently accounts for the lion’s share of the robotics industry in terms of revenue,” explained Whitton.
Read more: IIoT and the rise of the cobots
Fetch and carry
One example of this kind of provider is San Jose, California-based Fetch Robotics. Earlier this year, the company was selected by the World Economic Forum (WEF) as one of the 61 most promising technology pioneers that have the potential to “shape the Fourth Industrial Revolution”. One of its main areas of focus is automating warehouse operations for online retailers.
According to Fetch chief operating officer Carl Showalter, larger companies tend to buy robots the traditional way, with an upfront capex payment, but then pay an annual cloud service fee for predictive maintenance services, and so on. Smaller customers pay nothing upfront, but instead sign up to a monthly per-robot fee with Fetch.
Another example is Los Angeles, California-base InVia Robotics, which recently announced a $20 million funding round and provides e-commerce order fulfilment firms, such as Rakuten Super Logistics (RSL), with warehouse-based picker robots. Rakuten has recently chosen InVia’s goods-to-person-fulfilment service, a subscription-based model.
“For RSL and our broad array of clients, InVia Robotics presents an exciting opportunity to scale demand, manage costs, and improve inventory accuracy using a RaaS model,” explained RSL CEO Michael Manzione.
According to ABI Research, the RaaS installed base between 2016 and 2025 is expected to see a compound annual growth rate of 66 percent. The markets with the largest RaaS uptake are forecast to be logistics, manufacturing and hospitality.
Read more: City of Robots: How robotics & automation could solve cities’ most serious problems
Internet of Business says
As change consultant Sean Culey set out in his report for Internet of Business earlier this year, the manufacturing sector will experience deep-rooted change over the next few years.
The confluence of a range of technologies, including industrial robotics, robotic process automation, on-demand manufacturing, 3D printing, the Internet of Things, AI, sensors, autonomous transport, blockchain, and the sharing economy, will shift manufacturing away from monolithic processes based on the lowest labour cost and towards more personalised, automated, and localised (PAL) value chains, based on customer need.
In this way, manufacturers will be able to custom-produce, say, a single pair of sports shoes and deliver it the next day to a local customer for the same unit cost as mass-producing a million pairs in China and shipping them across the world.
Indeed, one company – Adidas – is doing exactly that with its Speedfactory programme: small, local, automated, robot-staffed facilities that can produce shoes to a customer’s personal profile.
That such facilities could be made available on demand to a client company – or to multiple clients – makes economic sense, because it not only benefits the clients and their customers, but also guarantees revenue streams to the provider.
More, by locating these facilities onshore – closest to customer needs – local ancillary employment would be boosted and the environmental impact of offshore outsourcing minimised. And following the cloud model, RaaS would see providers absorb the maintenance and upgrade cycle into their on-demand services, meaning that users are no longer stuck with fast-depreciating assets as smarter, faster, more programmable robots become available.
But the as-a-service robot factory model has employment impacts itself, of course. In 2016 alone, China bought 66,000 industrial robots. If each can do the work of 15 people (24×7, 365 days a year), then that is the approximate equivalent of one million human jobs on the shop floor – more, if one considers the lack of vacations or sick days.
The FT reports that automation has replaced the jobs of up to 40 percent of workers in some Chinese industrial companies over the past three years, according to joint research by the China Development Research Foundation and venture capital fund, Sequoia China.
China is automating faster than any other nation on Earth to retain its low-cost labour advantage. However, the combination of RaaS and Culey’s PAL value chain concept suggests that there may be no need to outsource manufacturing offshore to countries such as China at all.
Additional commentary and analysis: Chris Middleton.
