The future isn’t about isolated robots

C Balaji, PSG Head, TVS Electronics draws a rough, but realistic, picture of factories that embrace robots for new business models as well as faster (and smarter) assembly lines and packaging. It’s an age of managed automation, performance-based services, flexible manufacturing, mass customisation, vision-intelligence, serialisation and traceability across all areas. But would this world be with or without taxes, accidents and retrofitting? Let’s take a walk with Balaji around what’s changing and what’s staying.

What would future factories look like? How strong is the evolving scope of robotics and automation in manufacturing?

The role of robotics and automation in manufacturing is expanding from doing discrete, high-value tasks to orchestrating entire value chains. We are moving towards factories where automation doesn’t just mean faster assembly, but intelligent systems that connect design, production, inspection, and logistics. The real edge will come from combining robotics with Automatic Identification and Data Capture (AIDC) technologies like scanners, RFID, and vision cameras, which allow machines to capture and act on data in real time.

Vision-guided robots will help manufacturers handle SKU variations without expensive retooling.

What’s helping as a catalyst here?

Falling hardware costs, better AI and vision, and mature integration platforms have made it possible to deploy automation in areas that were once uneconomical. As a result, we’ll see factories deliver shorter lead times, higher equipment effectiveness, and predictable quality at lower cost. The future isn’t about isolated robots, it’s about modular, interoperable systems that scale from pilots to full factories and create measurable business outcomes.

With predictive maintenance powered by sensors and analytics, factories can cut unplanned downtime dramatically.

Where does India stand? What are our forte areas already, and where do we catch up next?

India already has strong foundations in automotive manufacturing, electronics assembly, and packaging automation. These are areas where high-volume production and established supplier ecosystems have created scale and cost advantages. We’ve also seen steady demand for conventional automation in packaging for food, beverage, and pharma. But the next leap forward will come from adopting advanced robotics, vision-driven inspection, and intelligent integration of systems.

How?

This means moving from basic mechanisation to true intelligent automation. The way forward is through partnerships with vision specialists and system integrators, building local R&D for sensors and end-effectors, and aggressively skilling engineers in automation and data-driven maintenance. Quick wins can come from running short pilot projects, for example packaging lines with vision checks or traceability systems, before scaling them across plants. India has already built strength in AIDC adoption, particularly in automotive and pharma. The next catch-up lies in using vision and smart packaging automation to meet global export standards more efficiently.

Will this, and how much will it, change aspects like design and assembly lines?

The impact will be significant across all areas. In design, products will increasingly be developed with automation in mind where fixtures, modules, and components will be optimised for robotic handling and testability. Simulation and digital twins will shorten development cycles and speed up time-to-market. On assembly lines, flexible automation like collaborative and vision-guided robots will help manufacturers handle SKU variations without expensive retooling.

What about side-effects on maintenance and factory uptime?

Maintenance and uptime are perhaps the most transformative areas. With predictive maintenance powered by sensors and analytics, factories can cut unplanned downtime dramatically with pilot studies often showing reductions between 20 and 50 per cent. The key metrics that will matter are overall equipment effectiveness, first-pass yield, mean time between failures, and mean time to repair. By embedding traceability through barcodes or RFID at the design stage, validating every component on the assembly line, and using real-time asset health data, automation supported by AIDC will deliver higher uptime, better quality, and faster cycles.

There are also concerns around this shift- like labor replacement, brownfield turbulence and accidents. What are your thoughts here?

Labor displacement is a sensitive but unavoidable aspect of automation. Many repetitive, manual tasks will be automated, but this does not mean a one-to-one replacement of jobs. Instead, we will see a shift where new opportunities open up in areas such as robot maintenance, automation engineering, and data analysis. Companies and governments will need to invest in reskilling programs, redeployment pathways, and incentives that link productivity with employee growth.

Brownfield sites will always face more turbulence compared to greenfield facilities because of legacy systems and physical constraints. Here, modular retrofits such as vision cameras, fixed scanners, or cobots can help minimise disruption and capital expense. Safety is another critical area. Automation reduces human exposure to hazardous tasks, but it introduces new risks around human-robot interaction and system failures. Companies need strict adherence to safety standards, simulation-based testing, and rigorous operator training.

Brownfield sites will always face more turbulence compared to greenfield facilities because of legacy systems and physical constraints.

What are your views on robot taxes?

On policy, robot taxes have been debated in a few markets but are rarely implemented in blanket fashion. The balance has to be between encouraging innovation and ensuring a smooth workforce transition.

What else should we be worried about or excited about?

There is a lot more to be excited about than worried about. Automation, robotics, and AIDC together open the door to data-driven manufacturing where every scan, weight, or vision capture becomes a source of intelligence. This enables predictive quality, dynamic scheduling, and even new business models such as managed automation or performance-based services. Flexible manufacturing will allow companies to handle smaller batch sizes, mass customisation, and faster product launches. At the same time, serialisation, traceability, and compliance-ready automation will make it easier for Indian manufacturers to meet global export requirements in sectors like pharma, F&B, and auto parts.

Is it all risk-proof?

The risks are real but manageable. Integration complexity, cybersecurity, skills gaps, and vendor lock-in need to be addressed with open systems, strong governance, and continuous investment in people. The key is to prioritise automation that drives measurable ROI rather than pursuing novelty. If we get that balance right, India has the opportunity to leapfrog into intelligent automation at scale.

pratimah@cybermedia.co.in