Robotics Integrators

In 1954, George Devol invented Unimate, the first digitally operated and programmable robot. “Devol’s patent for the first digitally operated programmable robotic arm represents the foundation of the modern robotics industry,” according to the National Inventors Hall of Fame. The first Unimate was installed at a General Motors plant in 1961. Technicians could program it to retrieve and stack hot die-cast metal pieces.

The career of robotics integrator emerged due to the need by manufacturers to add robotics technology to their production lines. The transition to advanced manufacturing—which uses advanced robotics, high-end artificial intelligence, digital design, and prototyping to improve efficiency and production quality and meet other goals—has creating growing demand for robotics integrators. The International Federation of Robotics reported that there were more than 4.2 million industrial robots operating in factories worldwide—up from 2.7 million in 2020. In addition to manufacturing, robotic systems are increasingly used in transportation, agriculture, law enforcement, and other non-manufacturing sectors.