Industrial robots are no strange concept for any country with advanced manufacturing. China is supporting Qingdao to become the biggest base for industrial robots in North China, Shangdong TV has reported.

Recently, the first servo robot, a type of industrial robot weighing 500 kilograms, made its debut in Qingdao National High-Tech Industrial Development Zone. Designed by Qingdao Huadong Engineering Machinery Co, it can be used in forging, casting and heat treating industries in place of manual labor. Such machines are able to work around the clock in an environment unbearable for human beings. While first-generation robots still depend on manual operation, the servo bot is a third-generation product and can be operated without a human and at an incredibly high operating speed of 2 meters per second. Its amazing precision gives it a tolerance of less than 1 millimeter. With control, high speed operation and precision, Huadong Engineering Machinery leads the robot-making field in the country.

In a few years, China will utilize more industrial robots than anywhere in the world. To meet this demand, Qingdao has set up an engineering and research center for intelligent robots, an effort to foster the robot industry by providing technical assistance. An official from Qingdao National High-Tech Industrial Development Zone pointed out, "Technical support is crucial in robot production. The R&D institutes in the industrial development zone will pave the way for development of Qingdao's robotics industry."

Qingdao plans to establish an industrial robot center in Qingdao National High-Tech Industrial Development Zone this year. Stretching an area of 1 square kilometer, the industrial development zone will attract related research centers, leading enterprises and other supporting industries. With more than 30 prospective robot-making companies seeking to settle in the area, Qingdao is expected to be the largest industrial robot cluster in North China.

Edited by Michael Thai, Li Xiaoliang and Zhao Jingchen