Robotics and wrestling have a lot in common. Flexibility and reach are important to both. Robots and wrestlers also have numerous categories that are based on different weight and payload capacities. The sumo wrestlers of the robotics world are high-payload robots. Those machines boast wide work envelopes and can handle heavy-duty loads. Today, more manufacturers are investing in giant six-axis robots to take on tasks that were previously performed by forklifts, hoists, lift-assist devices, overhead cranes and other types of material handling equipment. Big robots are especially popular with manufacturers of cast and forged metal parts. They’re also attractive to companies that need to move automotive floor pans, car bodies, rear-axle assemblies, large household appliances, tractors or other bulky objects, such as sections of airplanes, railcars and ships. Allied Market Research predicts that demand for super heavy payload robots will grow 4 percent annually between now and 2025. Those types of machines particularly appeal to automotive manufacturers for applications in body shops, foundries and engine or transmission assembly lines. A good example is Ford Motor Co.’s Michigan ...