Robots are getting more sophisticated every day, and for many metal foundries, they’re actually the only way to go. One of the biggest benefits is that robots have a much higher level of productivity than humans do- so not only will you get faster production, but less human error as well! This article discusses how robotization has changed the industry in general, and what it means for future jobs. Read below!
(A) The Industry:
Robotization is the new way to go in many metal foundries. Robots are faster, more accurate, and can work longer hours without resting. Some jobs that used to require 3-4 people working with an average of 15-minute breaks every hour can now be done by a robot that works practically nonstop. This has both positive consequences (increased productivity > less human error > increased quality) as well as negative consequences (reduction in available jobs).
(B) Specifics:
The job market might not look exactly the same as it did before robotization took place, but what does this mean later on? According to Dr Venkataraman Krishnan, a professor from the University of Akron, robots will only get more sophisticated. According to him, “In the next five years or so it’s going to get really interesting.” In other words, get ready for even more changes!
Statistics, facts, & inferences about the subject:
- According to research done by M.H. Sierakowski in “Robotic Automation in Metal Founding” for the Iron and Steel Technology Conference, robots took over 3/4 of all aluminium castings production in 2014, with similar numbers for iron foundries as well.
- The study also talked about how robotization has led to an increase in process uniformity throughout foundries, which means that every part is made the same way each time it’s manufactured. This means less scrap due to incorrect procedures or misaligned parts! The study also noted that customer orders are more difficult than ever before because of this uniformity – clients ask for many different secondary processes, so workers have to be extremely flexible.
- Robots are especially useful for tooling applications because they don’t get annoyed or distracted by the noise produced by all of the other machines in a foundry! Humans can only stand so much noise before it starts affecting their productivity at work, but robots never complain.
- Automation has made it possible for people who might not otherwise have jobs to do meaningful things instead- less repetitive tasks that humans do poorly but also typically dislike doing. Now, these people are free to focus on other important aspects of production, like quality control and problem-solving – or even more creative projects like building new machines or designing new parts entirely.
- “To Automate or Not To Automate: That is the question.” This article talks about how automation could cut down on production time and reduce the risk of injury, but it also notes that many foundries are reluctant to change their routines because they’re afraid robots will take over jobs. There’s also a concern that automation will eliminate certain roles altogether – for example, if workers are only needed to maintain or troubleshoot newly robotized systems then that means fewer people in the workforce overall. However, there is some positive news as well- sometimes new machines can be used to build better moulds with more complex pieces, which creates more skilled positions at the foundry where before they didn’t exist!
- While robotization is creating some problems for metal foundries today, it seems like the trend is looking up overall – and that means more metal castings for everything from construction to electronics.
- According to a survey done by Smithers Pira in their “2014 World Foundry Technology and Market Report,” foundries plan to use robots even more in the next few years – whereas only 14% of respondents were using extensive automation in 2013, 40% plan to increase robotics usage in 2014! The study goes on to say that this increased production could reach up to $2.9 billion US Dollars.
- “Robots Taking Over Metal Foundries.”
- Robots will continue to take over many jobs currently held by humans, but also keep in mind that they’re not meant to be replacements: they’re meant to work in tandem with humans. What this means is that automation will cause foundries to hire different kinds of workers than before – people who are more skilled and who work well with these robots, or even just in general.