The automation has this general negative connotation implying that the jobs are replaced and employees pushed out on the street. This is largely undeserved, as many machine shop owners and employees know. In fact, in many cases, automation replaces humans where the task at hand is tedious. Such is the case at Superior machine shop, where loading turning machine, hugely unpopular job, is now done by a robotic system. Proponents argue that automation, when deployed in this way, also helps recruiting new employees.
Key Takeaways:
- The robotic cell was brought onboard to perform an unpopular task at this facility.
- the cost needed to be justified, no matter how much sense it made to have it there.
- Automation here isn’t new, but an actual robot is something they have never had before.
“Instead, its focus has been optimizing metal removal inside the machine, and much of this work relates to tooling strategies and tool management.”
