INDUSTRY WATCH
RESEARCHERS AT MIT
FOUND THAT HUMAN-
ROBOT TEAMS WORKING
FOR BMW WERE
APPROXIMATELY 85%
MORE PRODUCTIVE THAN
EITHER HUMANS OR
ROBOTS WORKING ALONE.
T
he role of physical robots is well
recorded in the manufacturing
industry, although not necessarily
in the humanoid forms that frequent
our television screens. The recent ‘Made
Smarter’ review of British manufacturing
argues that digital technologies
such as automation could give the
sector a significant boost and create
thousands of new jobs. The speed of
these developments is reflected by the
emergence of a second generation of
robots, capable of much more than
the rigid, single-arm machines often
associated with the so-called ‘Fourth
Industrial Revolution’.
Smaller, nimbler robots are symbolic
of the agility now required of even the
longest established manufacturers. They
are gaining popularity in businesses
of all sizes due to their versatility and
ability to generate real-time data. It is
easy for manufacturers to become pre-
occupied with the potential savings they
can bring, costing around US$30,000
compared to US$100,000 for a typical
rigid unit. However, simple investment
is not enough. Manufacturers should
consider a range of strategic factors
to successfully induct robots into the
business, including everything from data
capture to workflow design.
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people’s skills and strengths to increase
workplace efficiency. They are already
being deployed across manufacturing
organisations, from inserting shock
absorbers or cutting meat on a traditional
assembly line, to drones acting as the
eyes of security officers patrolling a vast
container yard.
In doing so, the new breed of
autonomous co-workers is freeing up
humans to take on higher value work.
Researchers at MIT found that human-
robot teams working for BMW were
approximately 85% more productive
than either humans or robots working
alone. This can take the form of
accelerated time to market for new
products, increased sales through
increased capacity and line flexibility,
or time saved due to shorter product
configuration processes.
Just as robots can free up employees
to focus on strategy, robots can also be
taught new skills. For example, people
are now able to use robotic arms to
teach other robots how to pick and pack
products, enabling them to go far beyond
the task they were initially programmed
to do. This helps to eliminate rote tasks
for humans and gives manufacturers
more for their money.
Bigger is not always better Fitting robots into the data puzzle
When integrated correctly, these
smaller mobile units can amplify Due to the ability of more nimble units
to move throughout the factory floor,
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