• The four standards apply to three kinds of robots: stacking, electronic belt scales, and wheeled.

The four standards apply to three kinds of robots: stacking, electronic belt scales, and wheeled. (Photo : China Daily)

Industrial robot makers now have to abide by standards as the China Association for Science and Technology recently released the first set of rules at the World Robot Conference 2015 in Beijing, China Daily reported.

The event was hosted by the association, along with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Beijing municipal government, to bolster the Chinese robotics industry.

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"Technological innovation is the driving force in the development of the robotics industry, and standards play a crucial role in promoting new technologies," said Song Jun, academic head of the China Association for Science and Technology. "The standards themselves are an important achievement brought about by innovation."

"After publication, we will seek recognition of the standards to make them a common language for international technological exchanges," Song added.

The four standards apply to three kinds of robots: stacking, electronic belt scales, and wheeled.

After its publication, representatives of over 20 leading robotics research institutes and manufacturers came to sign for their commitment to the new standards with open arms.

"The Chinese authorities related to industrial automation had been carrying out successive reforms in recent years, and the publication of the group standard is one of the most promising developments," shared Yang Shuping, a researcher from the Beijing Research Institute of Automation for the Machinery Industry.

"Group standards are a good supplement to national standards," said Yang. "Since the development cycle of group standards is usually fast, it responds quickly to market changes and can lay the groundwork for amendments to national standards."

Standardization has been a priority for quite some time, with the Standardization Administration of China establishing a special team dedicated to such a task back in September. The team, composed of government officials and industrial experts from relevant sectors, is tasked to develop and propose international standards.