RESOLVERS MARKET SIZE AND SHARE ANALYSIS - GROWTH TRENDS AND FORECASTS (2023 - 2030)

Market Challenges And Opportunities

Resolvers Market Drivers:

• Increasing use in defense equipment: The use of resolvers is increasing significantly in defense applications such as radars, motion control systems, satellites, and other navigation and positioning equipment. Resolvers are highly reliable and accurate, which makes them suitable for defense applications. For instance, Northrop Grumman utilizes rugged resolvers on the turret drive system for its AN/TPY-2 radar. Increased defense spending globally is driving the adoption of resolvers in critical defense electronic systems. Defense forces are also retrofitting legacy equipment with modern resolvers for improved capabilities. The robust design and resistance to vibration enables long service life for resolvers in defense applications. Northrop Grumman Corporation is an American multinational aerospace and defense technology company. With 95,000 employees and an annual revenue in excess of $30 billion, it is one of the world's largest weapons manufacturers and military technology providers.
• Growth of industrial automation: Growing automation across process industries is creating a substantial demand for resolvers in servomotors, robotics, CNC machines, and other automated systems. Resolvers enable accurate tracking of angular position in feedback control systems for automation. Key industries driving resolver adoption include automotive, metals & mining, oil & gas, power generation, chemicals production, and food & beverage. For example, resolvers are used extensively in automotive powertrain systems and assembly lines. The increasing investments in Industry 4.0 technologies is accelerating the automation trend in the industrial sector. This is likely to spur the adoption of resolvers significantly.

Resolvers Market Opportunities:

• Potential applications in electric vehicles: Resolvers present significant opportunities for angular position sensing in electric vehicle powertrain systems including traction motors, power inverters, gearboxes, and rotors. The shift towards electric vehicles globally will drive the adoption of resolvers in e-mobility applications requiring fault-tolerant position sensing. Resolvers can withstand harsh conditions in electric vehicle and enable precise torque control for electric motors. Leading automotive companies are utilizing resolvers to develop safer and smarter electric vehicles. For instance, according to the International Energy Agency, electric car sales jumped 41% in 2021 to roughly 6.6 million despite ongoing semiconductor chip shortages. The agency predicts that electric cars could account for over 60% of new car sales by 2030.
• Integration with wind turbines: Modern wind turbines require reliable solutions for blade pitch control and yaw positioning. Resolvers can provide accurate position feedback for wind turbine drive systems operating under tough environmental conditions. Resolvers do not get affected by debris, humidity, or temperature fluctuations in wind turbines. Original equipment manufacturer are integrating resolvers in wind turbine generators and gearboxes to maximize power generation efficiency. The growing global investments in wind energy projects will spur the adoption of resolvers in wind turbines. For instance, According to the International Renewable Energy Agency, the world is increasingly using renewable energy sources such as wind power to meet carbon reduction targets, and the number of installed wind turbines  is projected to nearly double by 2026.
• Use in collaborative robots: Collaborative robots require precise joint control and human safety systems for effective functioning. The high accuracy and absolute positioning ability of resolvers enables enhanced control of collaborative robot joints and limbs. Leading robotics firms, such as Fanuc and ABB, are implementing resolvers for precise joint positioning in cobots. Resolvers also allow advanced torque sensing capability for safer human-robot collaboration. The surging adoption of cobots across industries is likely to drive resolver integration in collaborative robots.
• Adoption in space applications: Resolvers are finding increasing application in spacecraft attitude control, antenna positioning, and other pointing systems. They can provide accurate positional feedback in harsh space environments. Resolvers do not get affected by radiation and thermal fluctuations in space. Space organizations, such as National Aeronautics and Space Administration, The European Space Agency, Indian Space Research Organisation , and leading aerospace firms, are utilizing resolvers extensively in launch vehicles, satellites, and spacecraft payloads owing to their reliability advantages. For example, NASA's ambitious Artemis program that aims to establish a long-term human presence on the Moon by 2030 will require the deployment of various rovers, stations, and modules on the lunar surface. All of these will need resolver sensors for tasks like robotic arm controls, antenna positioning, and sample collection. Resolver sales for NASA projects were upwards by US$ 30 million in 2021 according to the NASA procurement database.

Resolvers Market Restraints:

• High costs compared to encoders: Resolvers are relatively more expensive than optical encoders. Encoders can provide higher resolution and faster processing speed at lower prices. This can restrain the adoption of resolvers in some applications where cost is critical. However, resolvers outperform encoders in harsh environments involving temperature fluctuations, vibrations, and electromagnetic noise. Encoder costs are also declining owing to mass production, presenting a major challenge for resolvers. For instance, as per the United Nations International Trade Statistics Database, the global trade of industrial process control instruments including sensors rose by 12% from 2020 to 2021.
• Performance limitations at high operating speeds: Standard resolvers have limited operational speed capacity ranging from 6,000 to 10,000 rpm. This makes them unsuitable for very high-speed applications such as microturbines and machine spindles. Optical encoders perform better at high speeds owing to fast digital processing. However, manufacturers are developing high-speed resolvers using advanced ASICs and multiple pole configurations to suit high rpm applications.
• Complex designs and integration challenges: Resolvers have relatively more complex hardware structure versus digital encoders. Their integration into different rotary systems for position feedback requires precision engineering expertise. Proper alignment and calibration is vital for desired resolver functioning. This poses challenges during new product development for OEMs. The design complexity can drive the preference for simpler encoders in some applications. For instance, according to United Nations Industrial Development Organization (2021), around 30% of manufacturers especially in developing countries face difficulties in designing resolvers suitable for their miniature production needs. The lack of proper engineering capabilities and testing facilities limits the ability of resolver manufacturers to fully satisfy the demands of original equipment manufacturers.