Headlines today will tell you that A.I. (Artificial Intelligence) and Robots are taking over our jobs. This isn’t the case. Yes – automation elements are integrated, well, almost everywhere – but the reality is that automation still needs people, and in fact, automation is a key resource for reducing human struggle personally and on the job.
Automation at Work and Home
Programmable thermostats, coffee-makers, phone apps, automatic bill pay, access to information and help 24×7 and Alexa are all examples of how the evolution of automation has reduced human-struggle in our personal lives. (Spell check is one of my personal favorites!)
And while many of us see automation in manufacturing environments as large machines with robotic arms protruding and laser eyes, in most cases automation is a simple adjustment or addition to a production line or work cell designed to streamline a process and minimize or eliminate repetitive, manual tasks for workers that can cause physical and mental strain. Automation opens up opportunities for workers as well. By automating the more mundane, repetitive work, we can elevate job opportunities and leverage people for more fulfilling, challenging tasks.
Reducing Human Struggle for Carlos
One of our favorite customer impact stories features Carlos, a line supervisor for a medical foam manufacturer. One of his responsibilities includes overseeing quality inspection for foam density of cut foam sheets used in medical applications. The original inspection process involved a worker picking up a single sheet of cut foam, putting it on a table, and measuring random points on the sheet to ensure density was in tolerance. Physically and mentally this was a manual, repetitive task. Our solution integrated an in-line automated quality inspection system with the foam slicer, streamlining the process and automatically confirming that resulting sheets met established tolerances while collecting inspection data to meet end-customer compliance requirements. The solution is more efficient, consistent, and now Carlos has an easier time retaining workers and has more time to work on new and exciting manufacturing opportunities on the floor. And, equally important to us, Carlos looks forward to seeing us on the floor, knowing that we are making his life easier.
Contact us today to learn more about creating a happier workforce and a more efficient production process.