Manufacturing automation plays an essential role in various industrial processes. By installing robotic and other automated systems in place of, or to assist, human workers, businesses can increase production, ensure quality, and substantially reduce the risk of mistakes and injuries.
Automation solutions are cropping up in practically every industry. Manufacturers use technology to automate tasks and processes that include assembly, packaging, material handling, machining, robotic welding, advanced inspections, and shipping. Initially designed to increase productivity by taking on repetitive tasks that humans once performed, automation has now shifted the nature of manufacturing work by increasing productivity and the skill levels needed to maintain that productivity.
As the country shifts toward normalcy with the COVID-19 pandemic waning, unemployment rates are declining. But business owners across the country face the challenge of finding enough workers to meet increasing demand.
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When you’re preparing for a first manufacturing automation project, it probably seems like there’s always more to learn about types of robots, end-of-arm-tools, how systems come together, and all the additional equipment that comes into play. Each new example you see can simultaneously provide inspiration and leave you with even more questions.
If you’ve ever had the fleeting thought that robots in factories, homes, and even amusement parks will suddenly go berserk and attack or take over the world, you’re not alone. Movies, television, and literature are full of humanoid and mobile robotic machines that eventually turn on the people they’re supposed to be helping. From science fiction writer Isaac Asimov’s three laws of robotics to the very real implications of AI and machine learning technology, there has always been an undercurrent of mistrust when it comes to robotics.
We can all agree the current COVID-19 global pandemic and the economic, employment, and social upheaval it’s causing is disastrous. So much is uncertain from day to day and it seems the outlook for health and business changes with each new news story. Business leaders might instinctively decide to table many of their plans and focus on maintaining the status quo for the foreseeable future.
