Industrial automation innovation has dropped off in the last year

Research and innovation in industrial automation in the airport equipment supply, product, and services sector has declined in the last year.

The most recent figures show that the number of industrial automation-related patent applications in the industry stood at 25 in the three months ending January – down from 48 over the same period in 2021.

Figures for patent grants related to industrial automation followed a similar pattern to filings – shrinking from 23 in the three months ending January 2021 to 19 in the same period in 2022.

The figures are compiled by GlobalData, which tracks patent filings and grants from official offices around the world. Using textual analysis, as well as official patent classifications, these patents are grouped into key thematic areas and linked to key companies across various industries.

Industrial automation is one of the key areas tracked by GlobalData. It has been identified as being a key disruptive force facing companies in the coming years and is one of the areas that companies investing resources in now are expected to reap rewards from.

The figures also provide an insight into the largest innovators in the sector.

Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies was the top industrial automation innovator in the airport equipment supply, product and services sector in the latest quarter. The company, which has its headquarters in the US, filed 18 industrial automation-related patents in the three months ending January. That was down from 57 over the same period in 2021.

It was followed by the US-based FedEx with 15 industrial automation patent applications, the US-based Royal Caribbean Cruises (12 applications), and South Korea based Samsung Heavy Industries (12 applications).