Issues in Manufacturing Automation & Robotics within the Past 4 Decades and Vision for the Next

The past four decades are characterized by the implementation of digital solutions in the production sector, and the advent of robots being used for rigid and fast material handling. This time domain is the implementation phase of the 3rd Industrial Revolution. By today, we can witness the evolution (rather than revolution) of new technologies, that enable far more changes in the digitized factory environment compared to the previous transitions. The authors selected events and episodes from this time-frame to highlight and give appreciation to the pioneers of robotics in Hungary. The authors demonstrate the harmonized vision for the next decade, how the manufacturing in Europe might deepen research in Robotics and in Bio-transition in manufacturing.