Companies have finally developed robots dexterous enough to assemble consumer electronics products, such as smartphones, according to The Wall Street Journal. Although robots have been used for years in industrial manufacturing, until recently they weren't flexible enough for intricate products or easy enough to reprogram. In the quick product life cycles of small consumer electronics devices, both qualities are key.
But that's starting to change, and electronics manufacturers are beginning to embrace a new generation of robots. Last fall, Hitachi started using robots to make hard disk drives, according to the WSJ article. The robot replaces a human who used to screw a cover over the drive's fan, saving a minute per disk in production time.
Another article in The New York Times last week describes how robots in a Philips factory in the Netherlands are assembling high-end electric shavers that are even more complex than smartphones.
"With these machines, we can make any consumer device in the world," a Philips assembly line manager told The Times.
These news accounts imply that the current model of assembling electronics products, using many low-cost workers to assemble them by hand, is on the way out. Foxconn has said it plans to install more than a million robots within the next few years. I'd be surprised if other major contract manufacturers don't have similar plans. The Times article notes that Flextronics is increasingly automating assembly work and quotes Mike Dennison, president of Flextronics' high velocity solutions group: "At what point does the chain saw replace Paul Bunyan? There's always a price point, and we're very close to that point."
These new robots could also have a significant impact on distribution. Although electronics distributors have automated much of the warehouse work, last time I looked they still had people driving pallets of goods around. Amazon is leading the way to reducing the number of such people, having bought robot-maker Kiva Systems last spring for $775 million. Large grocery chains are deploying robots in distribution.
The Times article describes the warehouse of one wholesale grocery distributor that's making the transition. The old system covers 500,000 square feet. Shelves are loaded and unloaded by hundreds of pallet jacks and forklifts driven by people receiving directions through headsets. The new system covers only 30,000 square feet. A four-story cage holds 168 go-cart-like robots on different levels. The robots, wirelessly controlled, can move at 25 miles an hour.
Electronics distributors are surely investigating, perhaps already using, these robots. It's worth noting that Stephen Kaufman, former chairman of Arrow Electronics Inc., has served on Kiva's board of directors. And some recent news reports have said that Amazon's acquisition of Kiva could mean that Amazon is getting into the warehouse logistics business. Other cutting-edge robotics companies worth watching: Adept Technology, Symbotic, Industrial Perception Inc., Kawada Industries Inc., Fanuc Corp., ABB Ltd., Heartland Robotics, and Redwood Robotics.
Are you using new types of robots in manufacturing or distribution? Tell me about it at tam@tamharbert.com.
@elctrnx_lyf: I full share this point, warehouses' automation has allowed saving and a better way for providing end users with goods requested; the important step, speaking for myself, is the profit achieved by companies which have adopted automation by robots; I aim it will be invested, also partially, for example in education for workers in order to assure also for them, a step forward.
@AK: well, I have appreciated your thoughts and I agree with the fact that, in a such way, robots' adoption could represent a possible risk for workers' job; I would proceed with your vision about education. Robots need to be conceived, than built, deployed and managed then all those steps could potentially act as now jobs and activities for humans and, in principle, for teaching at schools.
"there will be transformation of the nature of jobs that humans will be doing when new technologies start working for the routine tasks."
Exactly. This transformation you are talking about is something that will happen not only at workforce level but also at creating new careers while older ones disappear as the graduates will not be needed anymore.
Your example of the changes in the banking system is good. More and more we will see bank branches disappearing, and more online and cloud banking being created and used. New jobs in connection with banking are created but the old clerks will disappear completely. Even money will suffer a transformation, and cash will dsappear to give room to electronic transactions in cashless economies. And this is no future or science fiction, this is already happening in Sweden.
I do not mean to say that but my point is that there will be transformation of the nature of jobs that humans will be doing when new technologies start working for the routine tasks.
Take for example the working of banks and stock exchanges which was a purely manual activity a few years backwhci is now wholly working in real time on computerised systems. This has rediced the clerical work force but see how many software development ,support and maintenance jobs it has created worldwide.
I understand, but even that can be translated into a price point. You measure the ROI and everything else and we can conclude: if it costs less than 100,000$, then it's worth it.
Robots can work most effectively for defined set of instructions like the scenario that you have mentioned. Combined with RFID robots are indeed doing a good job with hopefully lesser errors than before.
Unfortunately, the problem comes in when intuition is required for a decision. In those cases, human intervention is required to sort out things. Nevertheless, technologically it seems to be a good solution.
Apart from the electronic waste another compelling issue with the extensive use of robots is the impact on human employment. Industries where robots have been deployed in manufacturing have led to the layoff of many workers.
I am not against the use of technology but I think human resource deployment should be considered before using robots.
Qualcomm has launched a big push to spread its cellular technology, and thus increase its royalty income, not to mention chip sales, beyond mobile phones.
EBN Dialogue enables and encourages you to participate in live chats with notable leaders and luminaries. Not only editors and journalists, but the entire EBN community is able to comment and ask questions. Listed below are upcoming and archived chats.
Archived Dialogues
Thailand Stages a Comeback Join EBN contributor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday August 23, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. EST for a live chat on how electronic manufacturers in Thailand have shored up their supply chain to reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
Euro-Crisis: What It Means for High-Tech Firms Join EBN Editor in Chief Bolaji Ojo and Contributing Editor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday, July 12, at 10:00 a.m. EDT for a Live Chat on high-tech and Europe's economic difficulties.
Microsoft Surface: Potential Winners & Losers What are the implications for the electronics industry supply chain of Microsoft Corp.'s decision to launch its own tablet PC? Join industry veteran and EE Times' systems and OEM expert Rick Merritt on Tuesday, July 3, at 12:00 pm EDT for a Live Chat on this subject.
Join EBN contributor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday August 23, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. EST for a live chat on how electronic manufacturers in Thailand have shored up their supply chain to reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
Peter Drucker famously said "Trying to predict the future is like trying to drive down a country road at night with no lights while looking out the back window." Yet in the razor's-edge world of electronics—with a lean supply chain and just-in-time demands—the need to know the future is vital.
You've heard the saying "the No. 1 supply chain risk is your people." That hasn't always been the case. But today's complex global supply chain requires a new type of multitalented employee. It's one who understands, finance, marketing, economics, is savvy with technology, graceful with relationships and can think analytically.
Where are these people? Are universities properly preparing the next generation supply chain professionals? How do train your existing workforce for these new, demanding positions?
Brian Fuller, editor-in-chief of EBN, will lead a 60-minute Avnet Velocity panel discussion that will ask and answer these and other questions swirling around today's supply-chain talent challenges.
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