Robots have ruled industrial production for decades in many fields, from the auto industry to food processing and consumer electronics. The Singularity isn't here yet—but in the world of manufacturing, it's been knocking on the door for years.


The luddites among us might feel resentful, since plenty of humans are quite good at welding, painting, and assembling things. We're just not as fast, precise, or reliable. But whether you see them as a threat or an engineering marvel, it's hard to deny they're beautiful. Check out a handful of the best below.

Automated car factories first became common in the 1980s. Here, robots and multi-welders work spot-welding the body shells of Ford Sierra cars at a Ford factory, in 1984.


Photo: Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

This robot assembles engines at Nissan Motor Co. Ltd's Yokohama Plant, which was established in 1935 as the first integrated mass-production automobile plant in Japan.

Photo: Koichi Kamoshida/Getty Images

A robot assembles washing machines at the BSH Bosch Siemens Hausgeraetewerk Nauen consumer appliances factory, in Nauen, Germany.


Photo: Andreas Rentz/Getty Images

A vehicle is welded by robot arms as it goes through the assembly line at the General Motors Lansing Delta Township Assembly Plant in Michigan.


Photo: Bill Pugliano/Getty Images

A robot welder works on bridge components at the Mabey Bridge factory, where prefab combat bridges are manufactured, in Gloucester, England.


Photo: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images

Robots at the Aleo factory assemble solar panels in Pritzwalk, Germany.


Photo: Sean Gallup/Getty Images

A welding robot works at a factory of Chery Automobile Co., Ltd. in Wuhu of Anhui Province, China.


Photo: China Photos/Getty Images

The prototype of an automated rice planter, equipped with GPS, plants rice along pre-programmed routes, which are based on the shape of rice fields in Japan.


Photo: Junko Kimura/Getty Images

A battery exchange robot changes the batteries in an electric car at China's largest electric vehicle battery recharging station, in Beijing.


Photo: Feng Li/Getty Images

In Tokyo, a FANUC Robot M-430iA—a highly-advanced robotic arm that picks and packs food—places edible products into boxes that are carried by a conveyor at the Robot Awards 2007.


Photo: Junko Kimura/Getty Images

Robots help to assemble Chrysler and Dodge minivans at the Windsor Assembly Plant in Ontario, Canada.


Photo: Bill Pugliano/Getty Images

Xbox testing robots are seen in Xbox's Accessories Lab in Redmond, Washington.


Photo: Stephen Brashear/Invision for Microsoft/AP

Rosser Pryor, the President of Factory Automation Systems in Atlanta, sits next to one of his robots. Pryor was forced to cut 40 of 100 workers at his plant during the recession.


Photo: David Goldman/AP

Robots assemble a Tesla Model S at the Tesla factory in Fremont, California.


Photo: Paul Sakuma/AP

KUKA Robotics makes some of the most advanced types of robotic arms—many of them are used in industrial foundries.


Photo: KUKA Robotics/Facebook

Here, large pieces of plate glass are unloaded by robotic arms.


Photo: ICAPlants/Wikimedia Commons

A FANUC P-50iA paint robot sprays industrial-strength automobile paint onto parts.


Photo: RoboGuru/Wikimedia Commons



Is this Japanese robot prototype, HRP-2, the future? The completely humanoid 'bot is designed to operate machinery and collect data at dangerous construction sites.


Photo: Junko Kimura/Getty Images

Top photo: Robots work on the bodies of new Nissan Muranos on the assembly line at Nissan Motor Company's Kyushu Plant on November 23, 2007 in Kiyakyushu, Japan. Photo: Junko Kimura/Getty Images


Are any important robotic workers missing from this list? Please add its photo in the comments below!