CIIF 2025 in Shanghai: Robots are no longer isolated tools

The National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai is hosting the China International Industry Fair (CIIF) 2025, covering nearly 30,000 square meters with over 3,000 companies from 28 countries and regions. The exhibition is divided into nine zones, including robotics, digital production platforms and advanced materials.

The Chaifu robotics area feels almost like a miniature "smart factory." At its center is the SF180-C3200, one of the largest robots on display. Weighing nearly three tons and capable of lifting 180 kilograms over 3.2 meters, it handles tasks that smaller machines simply cannot, from transporting heavy components to complex assembly operations.

Heavy-duty manipulators, smaller precision arms, humanoid robots, wheeled machines, and multi-legged inspection units all work together, completing full production processes from picking and inspection to transport and assembly under a unified scheduling system.

Alongside these giants, more agile machines like Dobot ATOM show another side of automation. Compact and flexible, ATOM handles delicate assembly, inspection, and transport tasks that require precision. It works in tandem with larger robots, forming a coordinated ecosystem where strength and finesse complement each other.

Observing the interaction between the SF180-C3200 and ATOM makes clear how contemporary production lines balance raw power, accuracy, and adaptability – a balance that is increasingly crucial in the era of flexible manufacturing.

One clear impression emerges: Robots are no longer isolated tools. In the DOBOT area, humanoid, wheeled, and four-legged robots perform tasks together, forming an integrated system. The focus has shifted from individual innovations to entire ecosystems. It is not only about demonstrating new products but showing how production processes themselves can evolve.

CIIF 2025 also highlights the broader industrial landscape. Alongside robotics displays, forums on autonomous driving, integrated circuits, and workforce development emphasize that these technologies are part of a larger push toward intelligent, high-end, and sustainable manufacturing. Watching the choreography of heavy-duty and nimble robots in action offers a glimpse of how future factories might operate: coordinated, adaptable, and capable of tackling complex tasks efficiently.

In Shanghai, a city that embodies rapid urban and industrial transformation, these exhibits are more than demonstrations. They are a lens on where industry is headed. From massive robots moving tons of material to compact units performing precise tasks, the fair makes it clear that the next wave of manufacturing is about systems, not isolated machines.