I wonder how long the foundry as we know it will still be around? Certainly, when I got my first taste of this industry some 20 years ago, the industry looked a lot different to what it does now.

Sure, for the foreseeable future, there will always be a place for a traditional foundry as we know it. Foundries won’t be disappearing overnight, and even blacksmithing is making a comeback as people look to use their hands again and are drawn to the natural human need for making things with their hands.

But now foundries are evolving.

This is partly due to legal and environmental pressures, and partly due to the natural evolution of workplace practices and the pressures of technology adoption.

I doubt many of us would have imagined a foundry adopting artificial intelligence (AI) and industrial robots 20 years ago. For one, AI wasn’t even around, and two, something like computer-aided quality assurance for a foundry would have been laughed off as impossible by the foundrymen of yesteryear.

But this is how industrial r(e)volution works. New technologies emerge and humans and industries adopt them at varying paces. The foundry industry has however seen a rapid adoption of new technologies in recent years. And if you don’t stay abreast of developments you will lose out on competitive advantages.

Nexery’s study published earlier this year and titled ‘Humanoid Robot Study 2025’ reveals that this year will already see “the first market-ready humanoid systems crossing the threshold into industrial use.”

A few years ago, this would have been hard to believe. But now it’s a reality.

The study says that these new robots combine several key technologies including: “High mobility through advanced joint and drive systems enabling complex handling tasks; artificial intelligence for navigation and decision-making, allowing safe operation in dynamic, unstructured environments; safe human-robot collaboration thanks to advanced sensor technology and real-time collision avoidance; and, modular, adaptable gripping systems for handling a wide variety of workpieces and tools.”

A few takeaways assume a drastic adoption of these humanoid robots including that expected market volume by 2030 will amass $1 trillion with 20 million humanoid robots deployed; that up to 40% of manual activities in manufacturing companies
can be automated; and that the expected average purchase price for one of these robots will fall significantly by 2030 to potentially around $55 000. That could bring about a very quick ROI.

Continued Tobias Bock, Managing Partner at Nexery and an expert in technological strategies for industry: “These features make humanoid robots a viable economic option for foundries for the first time – not just as a technological showcase, but as a productive addition to daily operations.”

With regards to specific use cases in foundries, Bock states: “The greatest current potential lies in two areas: Intralogistics and quality assurance. In intralogistics, humanoid robots can handle material transport between stations, prepare tools, or sort components. In quality assurance, they can perform visual inspections, detect surface defects, and classify components accordingly.”

“In the medium term – as technology matures – further tasks will become feasible: Operating machinery, finishing cast parts, carrying out maintenance work, or even assisting in setup processes.”

“The most promising benefits are: Reduction of physical strain on employees; consistent process quality regardless of shift, daily condition, or staffing levels; and, higher process stability, even with smaller batch sizes or varying orders.”

Bock concludes saying, “Those who act today will gain a competitive advantage. In addition to short-term efficiency gains, there is the strategic opportunity to proactively meet future requirements – such as stricter occupational safety regulations or higher quality demands.”

“Humanoid robotics marks a turning point in industrial automation. Especially in foundry technology, these systems close gaps for which there have previously been no economically viable solutions. They combine the flexibility of human labour with the precision and endurance of machines.”

“Companies that address this technology now will secure not only their productivity but also their long-term competitiveness.”

So I wonder when I will see my first humanoid robot in operation in a foundry? Probably sooner than I think.

You can download a presentation on the complete Humanoid Robot Study 2025 from www.nexery.de

Damon Crawford
Online Editor / Journalist