JAKARTA - Chinese-made industrial robots are now entering an area that was long dominated by foreign manufacturers, namely car body welding. At Geely's new energy vehicle factory in Yiwu, Zhejiang Province, nearly 100 Siasun robots work on the main welding line.
Based on a Xinhua report, quoted Tuesday, June 9, the large-capacity transport robot performs high-speed welding with high precision. Its mechanical arm moves between the sparks, working on the vehicle body parts that demand strict accuracy.
For China's manufacturing industry, this is not just a change of machine. Car body welding has long been one of the toughest tests for industrial robots. This field has long been dominated by foreign companies because it requires high accuracy, durability, and stability.
Siasun Robot & Automation Co., Ltd., a company based in Shenyang, developed the system with Geely, one of China's major automotive manufacturers.
The collaboration lasted almost four years. More than 1,000 technical obstacles had to be resolved before almost 100 Siasun robots were finally installed on Geely's main welding line.
The system has received full approval from automotive manufacturers. This opens up opportunities for wider use in other major car manufacturers.
"The large-scale application of Siasun industrial robots in Geely's main welding line is an important example of how China's robotics industry rises in the value chain," said smart manufacturing expert Hao Yucheng, as quoted by Xinhua.
Smart manufacturing is a production process that uses robots, sensors, data, and artificial intelligence so that factories work faster, more precisely, and efficiently.
According to Hao, China has built its own development path for the robot industry through systematic innovation for more than a decade.
This progress is supported by government policies, including the 14th Five-Year Plan for the robot industry and the "AI Plus" initiative.
The results are starting to show. China is now the world's largest producer of robots.
Data from the National Bureau of Statistics of China, as quoted by Xinhua, showed that the country's industrial robot production reached a record 602,700 units from January to October 2025. The number increased by 28.8 percent compared to the same period last year.
Foreign markets are also beginning to open. Customs data shows that China's robot exports in the first quarter of 2026 reached 11.32 billion yuan or about US$1.67 billion.
The product is available in 148 countries and regions. Especially industrial robots, exports jumped 42 percent in the same period.
This figure shows that Chinese robots are no longer just filling domestic factories. They are starting to compete in global markets, including in sectors with high technology standards.
"By exporting these products, China is also sharing technological expertise," said Hao.
According to Hao, localization of robot technology can help improve smart manufacturing capabilities and encourage the integration of smart technology in various countries.
The English, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, and French versions are automatically generated by the AI. So there may still be inaccuracies in translating, please always see Indonesian as our main language. (system supported by DigitalSiber.id)
