Pan Helin highlighted the significant advantages of a rental model for the exploration and promotion of humanoid robots. According to data from the General Administration of Customs, China is projected to see a 48.7% increase in industrial robot exports by 2025, marking its first instance as a net exporter of industrial robots, with exports surpassing imports. However, this net export status is merely the starting point for China’s manufacturing sector as it aims for global leadership. To maintain this position, several core challenges must be addressed.
On February 11, Pan Helin, a member of the Expert Committee on Information and Communication Economy under the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, provided insights into these challenges. He emphasized the need to differentiate between industrial robots and humanoid robots, as well as between automation and intelligence. While industrial robots primarily address automation issues, the demand for them spans various sectors, including spray painting, welding, assembly, and logistics. China has achieved self-sufficiency in these areas, demonstrating technological independence.
As the manufacturing industry evolves, it requires new capabilities such as customized flexible production, precise production capabilities, data-driven equipment control based on industrial data, and quality control reliant on sensors. Addressing these needs necessitates different AI solutions for various problems. Therefore, the focus within the intelligent manufacturing sector should be on key components such as computing power, algorithms, and sensors. The most significant challenge lies in the manufacturing technology of advanced computing power chips.
Moreover, a crucial aspect of the supply chain for both industrial and humanoid robots is the quality of materials and precision. Some materials, particularly in the electronic specialty gas sector and photolithography, still depend on imports. Additionally, while some components may appear identical, there are differences in precision and durability between domestic and imported products, which stem from manufacturing processes and the quality of materials. These factors require careful attention.
In discussing how to further integrate AI technology with the industrial robot sector and strengthen China’s net export advantage, Pan Helin suggested that creating demonstration cases is vital. Factories need practical examples to guide their journey toward smart technology, as not all traditional companies possess the capability for intelligent transformation. Many struggle to find solutions and are uncertain about the necessary steps.
Furthermore, it is essential to empower AI-driven companies and expand the productive service industry, allowing intelligent enterprises to proactively adapt to client needs rather than waiting for companies to express requirements. This approach will help industrial firms identify the most feasible and cost-effective solutions for their smart transformations.
Lastly, it is important to avoid superficial implementations where some smart devices may be impractical and disconnected from real business needs, leading to wasted resources. As robots move from factory production lines into broader markets, expectations for their applications continue to grow.
Currently, there is a strong demand for robot rentals. Recently, two robot rental platforms were established in Shanghai, offering a service model where rental fees are just one-third of the purchase price, garnering considerable attention. From an industrial development perspective, the rise of rental models in the robotics sector seems timely. Pan Helin pointed out that while there is a demand for rentals, industrial robot rentals are not a new phenomenon and have existed for quite some time, similar to the rental of other factory equipment. Operational and financial leasing have already been widely adopted, with the choice between leasing and purchasing depending entirely on a company’s investment strategy.
In contrast, humanoid robot rentals have emerged more recently, particularly within the past year. While the user market for humanoid robots remains small, renting these robots greatly benefits their application exploration and promotion. Users not only pay rental fees but also help develop usage scenarios and provide feedback through data collected during use, which can enhance humanoid robot design. Given the current landscape, rental models are indeed timely for the humanoid robot industry, while the industrial robot sector has reached maturity.
China’s robot industry is at various developmental stages. The industrial robot sector is well-established, with the country boasting complete manufacturing capabilities across the entire industrial robot supply chain and a pool of skilled robotic engineers. Chinese industrial robot companies are significant players on the global stage. In contrast, humanoid robots and embodied intelligence are still in the exploration phase. The lack of diverse application scenarios makes it essential to adopt rental strategies to attract more users, fostering collaborative exploration of new applications and ushering in a new era for humanoid robot development.
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