Introduction
Abstract
This chapter outlines the contents of the book and provides a brief history of automation, differentiating between process and discrete automation. To this end, the chapter surveys the history of industrial robots from the first installation in the 1960s onward, outlining the key milestones in the development of industrial robot technology. The chapter also discusses the development of robot applications, particularly those driven by the automotive industry, as well as the effects of robot use on employment.
Keywords
Industrial robots
Discrete automation
Factory automation
Unimation
PUMA
Robot density
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