THE IMPACT OF ROBOTIC TECHNOLOGY IN THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY

robotics robotic technology robotics in manufacturing

Technology is continuously progressing in the manufacturing industry. With new developments in automation, the industry is introducing the use of robots in the workplace. Since the technology is so new, there are many concerns that robots will essentially take over manufacturing, leaving people without jobs and changing the industry as a whole.

Though the concerns are valid and change can be frightening, the introduction of robots in the industry actually has a positive impact on both manufacturing and the employees.

There are many ways in which industrial robots affect the workplace, including the creation of new, more intellectually concentrated jobs, the promotion of productivity, cost and time efficiency, and even the promotion of a greener workspace. Here is a closer look at how robots are impacting manufacturing:

Robots allow the creation of new jobs in different industries.

A common concern of manufacturing employees is that robots are going to take away their jobs. However, this is not the case. Robots have the ability to eliminate undesirable jobs that are either mundane or too dangerous and replace them with jobs that are more appealing, like engineering or programming.

Through the elimination of unappealing jobs, labor is freed up, allowing people to become more skilled at a specific craft. Instead of thinking of this as a loss of jobs, it should be looked at as an opportunity for the creation of new jobs in different fields.

While there may be less people on the actual factory floor, more will be getting done. Manufacturing employees will become more skilled in different disciplines, will be better paid for their work, and will be creating more valuable products, like technology that will help them become even more time and cost effective.

Robots promote efficiency in manufacturing.

Productivity and performance are major components to any successful workplace. Time is valuable, and one major impact of the addition to robots regarding time is the idea that robots can be programmed to fit any schedule. They have the ability to run on hours that do not typically fit into a human employees schedule, and can essentially work 24/7. This maximizes the use of time and productivity.

Since robots can move quickly and efficiently, there would be a great reduction of mistakes that could potentially be made by a human hand. Multitasking, which may be hard for human employees to complete without making mistakes, can easily be done by robots, which will eliminate the need for extra, less efficient machinery. This allows for a steady flow of production that will promote productivity and efficiency.

Not only are robots cost effective in the workplace, they also can have an impact on local economies. Through a boost in productivity, companies will no longer have to look to other countries as a source of labor. With the implementation of robots, all labor can be done locally, and in a manufacturers own space.

Robots in the workplace promotes a greener environment.

There is a growing interest in green manufacturing all around the world. To be “green” means energy efficiency and environmentally friendly manufacturing processes.

By replacing manufacturing floor workers with robots, the environment inside of the factory can change. Since there are no longer humans working, there do not have to be any regulations on the temperature inside of the factory, or whether the lights are on or off. By reducing energy involving air conditioning, heat and lighting the facility, a greener workplace will be promoted.

The efficiency and precision of robots will decrease the amounts of scraps that are created within the workplace. Less scraps is less waste that enters the environment. Impacting the environment through waste reduction and energy conservation will allow for a company to become green and help conserve the environment.

The introduction of robots into the manufacturing industry has the ability to majorly impact both the industry itself, and the rest of the world. Though making the switch from human employees to robots may seem like a big leap and some may be concerned about the survival of manufacturing, the lasting impact will positively affect the jobs within the industry, the overall productivity and efficiency, and the sustainability of the environment.

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