Manufacturers Prefer Practicality When It Comes to Robots
Humans have been fascinated with robots since the days of the old Jetsons cartoons. Back in those days, flying your car home from work to your home in the sky seemed like it might be possible by 2025. But alas, cars still don’t fly. Robots that clean your floors, though, have become reality, so not all is lost.
Today, robots take many forms. Kids in grade school commonly work on simple robots in the classroom. Robot vacuum cleaners and even robot lawnmowers can be found in homes across the country. The most common place for humans to interact with robots, though, is at work.
Robots represent one of the most common types of advanced automation technology that has transformed industry, especially in a sector like manufacturing. From robot dogs that help improve preventive maintenance to humanoid robots that mimic not only human abilities, but also the human form, robots have become ubiquitous throughout modern manufacturing.
So, what’s the go-to robot for most manufacturers? Those who have long feared humans being replaced by robots might worry that humanoid robots fit that bill perfectly. However, experts note that manufacturers thus far seem to prefer function over form.
According to a recent Reuters article by Akash Sriram, specialist robots have captured the attention of manufacturers: “their ability to do single tasks cheaply and efficiently is attracting investor dollars as focus shifts to function from flash.”
Specialist robots are not “the sleek humanoids of science fiction that are meant for complex and adaptive work.” To the contrary, these “boxy and utilitarian robots – some the size of industrial tool chests – are built to handle tasks such as hauling parts, collecting trash or inspecting equipment.”
Their popularity stems from the fact that “they offer a clear path to profitability, given the stress on automation across industries, including retail, defense and waste management.” This is a stark contrast to humanoid robots that “are still grappling with technical challenges, including limited training data and difficulty operating in unpredictable real-world environments.”
While more complex humanoid robots may become more popular in time, current funding reveals that specialist robots will continue to dominate manufacturing facilities for the foreseeable future. “Data from PitchBook shows robotics companies globally raised $2.26 billion in the first quarter of 2025, with more than 70% of that capital funneled into firms making task-focused machines.”
Another key factor supporting the popularity of specialist robots is cost: “[t]he cost of humanoids is also far higher than task-specific robots. Components such as cameras and lidar sensors can push manufacturing costs for humanoid robots to between $50,000 and $200,000 per unit, compared with $5,000 to $100,000 for task-specific machines.”
Regardless of what type of robot any manufacturer chooses, it’s clear that companies will need to hire new skilled workers or upskill current workers to make the most of these new advanced automation technologies.
How can you be sure a worker has the advanced automation skills needed to excel in the workplace of the future? Many companies look for workers with industry-standard certifications that prove they have the hands-on skills employers need.
The Smart Automation Certification Alliance (SACA) has been hard at work collaborating with industry leaders to develop a wide variety of industry-standard certifications that will help employers find workers who possess the advanced connected-systems skills they need to take their businesses to the next level.
For example, SACA’s Certified Industry 4.0 Robotics Specialist certification confirms that certified individuals can succeed as a robotics technician in modern production environments that use Industry 4.0 technologies. This certification verifies that individuals can install, program, test, interface, and maintain industrial robot systems and workcells. SACA offers a wide variety of other industry-standard certifications focused on advanced automation technologies and related skills. Be sure to check out SACA and all it has to offer!
- Published in News
Creating a Digital Roadmap for U.S. Manufacturing
In today’s technology-driven world, how you think about the task of navigating from Point A to Point B can reveal a lot about your age and the time in which you grew up. If you can read a paper map or ever used printed Mapquest directions to find your way to a destination, then it may be time for your annual colonoscopy.
Nowadays getting somewhere you’ve never been is as easy as asking Siri for directions and following the step-by-step instructions in your map app. While the technology in your smartphone might guide you to an address, it unfortunately won’t be much help if your destination isn’t quite as tangible as a physical location.
For example, a small- to medium-sized manufacturer (SMM) hoping to transform its operations with advanced automation technologies will need more than Siri and an iPhone. The digital manufacturing landscape is evolving rapidly and navigating it can be daunting, leaving many leaders of SMMs asking “Anybody have a map?”
Fortunately, the answer to that question is “yes” and the organization with the map(s) is known as MxD or The Digital Manufacturing and Cybersecurity Institute. According to a recent 3D Printing Industry article by Ada Shaikhnag, MxD “has released its Strategic Investment Plan (SIP) for 2025-2027, presenting a detailed roadmap to bolster the competitiveness, resilience, and cybersecurity of U.S. manufacturing.”
MxD’s SIP, “[s]haped by insights from manufacturers, technology providers, academic institutions, and government partners,…lays out a targeted investment strategy in digital engineering, factory modernization, supply chain resilience, and workforce development.”
By focusing on things like “digital engineering and design, future factory systems, supply chain visibility, and cybersecurity integration,” MxD intends to “address persistent challenges within the industrial base, particularly among…SMMs…that often lack the resources needed to adopt and scale digital manufacturing solutions.”
So, what should SMMs be keeping in mind as they look to incorporate advanced automation technologies? Here are a few key areas of focus according to MxD:
- Data Lifecycle
MxD developed “a technical framework called the data lifecycle…[that] maps the flow of data across the various stages of a product’s lifecycle, from development and manufacturing to deployment and support.” MxD believes “seamless data movement and high-fidelity data collection…are vital for unlocking capabilities such as predictive maintenance, quality control, and secure information sharing throughout supply chains.” - Interoperability and Data Standards
According to Shaikhnag, “MxD is working on a…[p]laybook to consolidate and harmonize data standards used by manufacturers. This effort addresses the challenge of fragmented data formats and standards across different systems, which can hinder consistent data flows and semantic interoperability. - Future Factory Development
MxD has its eyes on the factories of the future and its “projects in this area aim to build digital environments that support real-time process optimization, data-driven decision-making, and production lines that can adapt quickly to disruptions and new customer demands. Initiatives around digital twins, 5G/6G integration, and cybersecurity best practices will help shape these future factories.” - Cybersecurity
In addition to its other digital focuses, MxD serves as “the National Center for Cybersecurity in Manufacturing. With manufacturing identified as the most targeted sector for cyberattacks in recent years, MxD’s cybersecurity projects aim to enhance protections for both operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT) environments.”
As manufacturers prepare for an increasingly digital future, MxD also believes that “workforce initiatives [are] critical, noting that 1.9 million manufacturing jobs could remain unfilled by 2033 without targeted upskilling efforts.” To that end, MxD offers “advanced role-based training programs in data analytics, cybersecurity, and extended reality applications” as part of its Virtual Training Center.
In addition to upskilling current workers, it’s critical for manufacturers to hire highly skilled workers that can manage cybersecurity risks, in addition to operating, maintaining, troubleshooting, and repairing the advanced automation systems that are being implemented. Unfortunately, due to the ongoing “skills gap” issue in the manufacturing sector, finding highly skilled workers remains a significant challenge.
How can manufacturers find the workers they need? And how can they be sure that workers have the hands-on skills they need to succeed in the modern workplace? Today, more and more manufacturers are looking for workers with industry-standard certifications that prove they have the skills employers need.
For example, if workers possess a certification from the Smart Automation Certification Alliance (SACA), employers can feel confident they’ve already proven they have the knowledge and hands-on skills needed for working with advanced smart automation technologies.
SACA has been hard at work collaborating with industry leaders to develop a wide variety of industry-standard certifications that will help employers find workers who possess the advanced connected-systems skills they need to take their businesses to the next level. Be sure to check out SACA and all it has to offer!
- Published in News
SACA & Vincennes University to Host Cobot Credential Development Work Group
The Smart Automation Certification Alliance (SACA) is pleased to announce that it is partnering with the Vincennes University Center for Applied Robotics & Automation to host an exclusive Credential Development Work Group meeting on July 16th, 2025, in Lebanon, Indiana.
WHO IS IT FOR?
We’re inviting top professionals and innovators in advanced manufacturing to join us in crafting a credential that meets the real-world demands of modern industry with a key focus on Collaborative Robotics and Connected Workspaces. Your input will directly influence the development of a nationally-recognized, occupation-specific certification that reflects the evolving needs of a smart manufacturing workforce.
WHAT IS THE NEED?
Are you struggling to find workers for your open positions? Are you investing in automation and now need to upskill/reskill your employees? Do you want a workplace culture where people seek to learn, grow their skills and stick around long-term?
Discover how industrial employers are hiring, training, and retaining highly-skilled workers using micro-credentials from the Smart Automation Certification Alliance
- Learn about the only Industry 4.0 certifications developed by employers, for employers
- Get a roadmap to align highly-targeted micro-credentials with the exact skills incumbent workers in your company need
- Discover how to recruit SACA-certified employees graduating from advanced manufacturing programs
Interested? Here are the details:
SACA & Vincennes University Cobot Credential Development Work Group
July 16, 2025
Gene Haas Training and Education Center
316 N Mt Zion Rd, Lebanon, IN 46052
Click here to download a flyer with more information.
Plan to attend? RSVP here.
About SACA
SACA sits at the forefront of the effort to certify students and workers who demonstrate the required knowledge and hands-on smart automation skills employers so desperately need. SACA’s certifications were developed in conjunction with industry partners who could speak from experience about their needs when it comes to workers able to work alongside a variety of advanced automation technologies.
SACA offers a wide variety of certifications in popular industrial skill areas, including certifications at the Associate, Specialist, and Professional level. For those wishing to focus on building a strong foundation of skills employers need, SACA also offers many micro-credentials that allow students and workers to add certifications as they master new areas.
For workers, SACA certifications can help market their smart automation skills to potential employers. For those employers, SACA certifications represent confirmation that a worker has the skills to hit the ground running in the workplace. To learn more about Industry 4.0 certifications and how SACA can help both future workers and industrial employers begin the task of bridging the Industry 4.0 skills gap, contact SACA for more information.
- Published in News
