Y-Blog

If you think of the food industry as a wheel, safety is the hub and its spokes are: production, cleanliness and labor. The rim tying these spokes together ought to be automation because it can directly improve each one. Here’s how:

Boosting Production…

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Manufacturers of over-the-road vehicles (also referred to as OTR or long-haul trucks), and to a lesser degree car manufacturers, are improving fuel economy and reducing the weight of their vehicles with aluminum. Assembling frames, trailers and other components made of aluminum requires welding, and there are important differences between robotically welding steel components versus those made of aluminum. Read More

When you’re staring down a dirty, tedious (or even dangerous) job, you know how good it feels to get it completed. The first time you do it – even the first few times – there’s a sense of accomplishment. Over time, these jobs can not only wear down workers but also keep them from higher value tasks in a plant.

This may come as a surprise given what we do for a living, but installing an industrial robot to take over grimy or monotonous work may not always be the answer. That’s because not all robots are equal.

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My master’s thesis dealt with job satisfaction in the workplace. At the time I wrote my thesis, I was working for a global manufacturer of aircraft parts. In the mid-1990s, I watched my employer go through massive layoffs, reducing its workforce by more than 60 percent in three years. Watching the turmoil made me aware of how important it is to consider people when dealing with shifting economics, production needs and skill gaps.There is no single best answer when evaluating your need for talent because every manufacturer’s situation, even when it appears similar, is unique. Take these situations for example. Read More

At this year’s IMTS in Chicago, I had a number of discussions with manufacturers that were looking for ways to improve their manufacturing process.

• Some were part of an industry experiencing stagnant growth, and they were looking to prepare for future growth opportunities.
• Some were looking to address the cost of reworking parts so that they could maintain costs.
• Others were investigating ways to increase production levels since their business is booming.

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