The Robot Cable Market in the Age of Artificial Intelligence


With the video of robot Figure 01 flooding the internet, AI robots appear not far from mature applications. In recent years, the robot cables market has shown constant growth, and with the continued advancement of AI robot technology, This market is expected to maintain a rapid growth rate in the coming years.

According to a report published by Research and Markets, For the year 2030, the global robot market will reach 2318.5 billion dollars. According to ZMS predictions, For the year 2024, The global supply of cables for robots will reach 136.8 million meters, with an annual growth rate of 14%.

Robot con cables
robot cables

Table of Contents

What are cables for robots?

Robot cables generally refer to cables flexible electrical cables installed inside the robots. These cables are designed to connect system components and provide power, signals and control to the robot, maintaining normal operation of the system and providing protection and support to the system as a whole.

Because robots with multiple joints or multiple degrees of freedom mechanical devices need to perform twisting, push-ups and high-intensity movements for long periods, The main cables of the robot must be able to withstand continuous twisting and mechanical bending forces, and must be able to satisfy diverse uses in complex environments. Besides, Robot cables must have high flexibility characteristics, corrosion resistance, wear resistance, oil resistance, and resistance to hydrolysis. The useful life of cables for robots in situations where torsion and bending forces coexist can be prolonged.

High-quality robot cables are generally composed of more than two strands of stranded copper wire and have a smaller stranding distance.. Besides, They have sufficient tensile-resistant fibers in the core of the cable to allow free and continuous movements back and forth.

In addition to arm-type and humanoid robots, robotic cables can be widely used in harsh industrial environments, as industrial electronic energy chain systems, e-chain systems in automated production lines, energy chain systems in logistics transport equipment, energy chain systems in CNC machine tools, and energy chain systems in industrial automation of the metalworking industry, among others.

Key drivers of the robot cables market

Development of the robot industry

With the continuous development of the robot industry and the expansion of their scope of application, The demand for cables for robots is constantly increasing. If the vision of the founder of Figure is fulfilled, Brett Adcock, Who imagines that in the coming decades tens of millions of humanoid robots will be produced?, then the robot cables market will experience explosive growth.

Application of emerging technologies

With the wide application of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data and the internet of things, robotic cables market could find new growth opportunities. Just as the artificial intelligence provided by the OpenAI model has equipped the robot Figure 01 advanced cognitive and perceptual abilities, allowing you to understand and respond to human language, as well as providing him with outstanding visual processing capacity., allowing you to recognize and understand various information from the environment. Collaboration between leading robot and large-scale model companies will further boost the industrialization process of humanoid robots, accelerating innovations in the field of humanoid robots.

Figure Robot
Figure 01 Robot

Increased demand for automation

With the continued increase in digitalization, automation and intelligence in the manufacturing process, which includes the implementation of industrial robots to improve production efficiency, the development level of smart manufacturing is constantly improving, which is generating a great demand for industrial robots. Popularization of the application of robots in automated production of various industries will drive the development of the robotic cables market.

Analysis of the robot cables market

Robot cables will mainly be applied in automotive fields, electronics, chemical products, medical attention, and public services. The automotive field is one of the most widely applied and mature fields in the application of industrial robots., and the demand for robots in this field is due to high efficiency production requirements, high quality and high security. Brett Adcock also says Figure's humanoid robots will be used in factory manufacturing first., and it is expected that it will not be until around 2030 that a wide application of humanoid robots can be seen in domestic environments.

Regional market trend

From a regional market trend perspective, Asia Pacific market to experience rapid growth, occupying a large part of the world market. North America and Europe will follow.. Market growth in the Asia Pacific region is mainly driven by the rapid development of the robot industry in countries such as China and India.

From a perspective of balance between supply and demand, in 2023, global robotic cables market showed a state of basic balance between supply and demand, with a minimum difference between supply and demand. Nevertheless, from a regional market and segmentation perspective, there are still disparities in supply and demand.

In developed countries and regions such as Europe and the United States, due to the high level of robot technology, there is a great demand for electrical cable products for high-end robots, due to high standards of performance and quality. Instead, in emerging countries and regions, due to low level of robot technology, there is greater demand for low-end robot cable products, due to low performance and quality standards. This leads to a structural imbalance in the global robot cables market in different regions and market segments..

Robotic Cable Industry Chain Analysis

Improved integrity of the industry chain

The robotic cable industry chain has been gradually improving in its integrity. From the perspective of the top of the chain, The robot cable industry depends mainly on suppliers of raw materials such as copper, aluminum, plastic, Rubber, as well as suppliers of new materials such as carbon fiber, aramid fiber and fluorinated plastics.

From the point of view of the middle part of the chain, The robotic cable industry is mainly composed of manufacturers of cables of various sizes and types, which include manufacturers specializing in the production of cables for robots and manufacturers producing various types of cables in a diversified way.

Electrical flexible cable
Cable flexible para robots

From the perspective of the bottom of the chain, The robot cable industry mainly serves manufacturers and users of various robot equipment, including manufacturers and users of industrial robot equipment, service and special, in various fields such as automotive, electronics, chemical products, healthcare and public services.

Usually, The robot cable industry chain has formed a fairly complete and stable industrial ecosystem., with relatively fluid cooperation and coordination between the different links.

Increase in concentration of the industry chain

From the top of the chain, raw material suppliers of the robotic cable industry are showing a trend towards industrialization, specialization and group formation. Its main focus lies on increasing production capacity, improve quality and reduce costs.

From the middle part of the chain, los robot cable manufacturers are showing a trend towards industrialization, brand development and internationalization. Its main focus lies on expanding the market, improve technology and encourage innovation.

From the bottom of the chain, Robot equipment manufacturers and users of the robotic cable industry are showing a trend towards industrialization, intelligence and diversification. Its main focus lies on expanding the application, improve efficiency and increase demand.

Usually, The robot cable industry chain has given rise to some leading companies with strong capabilities and significant influence., and the competition and cooperation between the different links are quite intense.

Increase in the degree of internationalization of the industry chain

The robot cable industry chain is also undergoing gradual internationalization. From the top of the chain, raw material suppliers, cable manufacturers and robot equipment manufacturers in the robot cable industry have expanded resources, technology and demand through cross-border mergers and acquisitions, joint cooperation and overseas investments. Usually, The robotic cable industry chain has formed a fairly open and diversified global industrial network, with relatively frequent communication and cooperation between the different links.

Robot cable technology level

With the continuous development of robot technology and the constant expansion of application fields, The performance and quality requirements of robot cables have also steadily increased. To meet these requirements, the robot cable industry continues to innovate in technology.

Robotic arm
Industrial robotic arm

Innovation in materials

By adopting new materials or improving the processes and structures of traditional materials, resistance has been improved, wear resistance, corrosion resistance, temperature resistance, and other aspects of robotic cable performance. For example, the use of light and resistant materials such as carbon fiber, aramid fiber, etc., as core of cables; the use of wear-resistant materials such as polyamide, polyurethane, etc., as outer sheath of cables; the use of temperature resistant materials such as fluorinated plastics, silicone, etc., as cable insulating materials, among others.

Innovation in structures

By using designs and fabrication of new structures or improving traditional structures, flexibility has been improved, reliability, and interference resistance of robotic cables. For example, the use of spiral structures, braided, stacked, etc., has increased the bending radius and load capacity of the cables; the use of shielding layers, antistatic layers, fireproof layers, etc., has increased the resistance to electromagnetic interference and the safety of the cables, among others.

Innovation in functions

By using new features or improving the integration of traditional features, The intelligence and multifunctionality of robot cables has been improved. For example, the use of sensors, chips, communication modules, etc., has enabled smart functions such as self-diagnosis, self-repair, adaptability, etc., of the cables; the use of technologies such as fiber optics, wireless, optoelectronics, etc., has allowed the transmission of data, Energy, signs, etc., of the cables, among others.

Robot cable industry development prospects

Industrial robotic arms
Robotic arms in factories

Large market space

With the development and continuous change of the global economy and society, demand for robot technology and applications will continue to grow. Robotic cable industry has huge market space and great development potential. According to ZMS forecasts, For the year 2025, Global robot cables market size will reach 120 billion dollars, with a market size of cables for industrial robots of 60 billion dollars.

Continuous technological innovation

With the continuous development and change of robot technology and applications, The performance and quality requirements for robot cables will also constantly increase.. To meet these requirements, the robot cable industry will continue to innovate technologically. Regarding the materials, the robot cable industry will continue to develop and apply new lighter materials, stronger, longer lasting and smarter to improve the performance and quality of robot cables. Regarding the structure, the robotic cable industry will continue to develop and apply new, simpler structures, flexible, Reliable and multifunctional to improve the performance and quality of robot cables. Regarding the functions, the robot cable industry will continue to develop and implement new, more intelligent functions, adaptable, self-healing and self-testing to improve the performance and quality of robot cables.

Optimization and updating of the industrial chain

Robot cable industrial chain will be gradually optimized and upgraded. Robot cable industry raw material suppliers to strengthen research and development investment, will improve supply efficiency and reduce supply costs. Robot cable manufacturers will strengthen brand building, will improve technological innovation and increase product differentiation. Robot equipment manufacturers and robot cable industry users will strengthen demand analysis, will improve application effects and increase user satisfaction. Usually, the industrial chain of cables for robots will form a more coordinated and efficient industrial ecosystem, and the cooperation and competition between the different links will be more orderly and healthy.