The future of robotic manufacturing

[RickK]

This factory is cool
https://www.youtube.com/embed/8_lfxPI5ObM?rel=0

[GoneFission]

That is pretty cool - may not be many workers needed in the factory of the future - but programmers will be in demand! 

[CLM65]

Sure, it's all fine and dandy now, but when those robots rebel against mankind....

[DOCREED]

When I visited my daughter in SC last year I toured the BMW factory there.  It was amazing to watch the robots work.

[JimInPB]

Automated manufacturing is the mainstay of my day job.  That is a nice looking plant, but it is not anything special by modern standards.  I don't see anything there that was not commercially available 15 or 20 years ago, with the possible exception of that particular brand of robot.  Kuka is one of a growing number of knock offs of the Fanuc industrial robots that are the backbone of many automated processes around the world.   ABB & Motoman are the only knock offs that I've seen in any real quantity before seeing this video. 

The guys that have the high end, cutting edge toys in their factories, do not let videos out on You tube.  In fact, they make us outside contractors sign very carefully worded nondisclosure agreements before we can even set foot in the plant.  I often see cameras listed before firearms in the list of things that are not allowed in the facility.

I'll assume that the BMW plant that Docreed spoke of is probably the one in Greer?  If so, that place has fastening technologies that are beyond what was listed in this video. 

And yes, programmers...& mechanics will still be in demand.

[DOCREED]

You were correct.  Greer it was.

[obxdiy]

Howdy people!

This is my first post, thought I'd throw out something useful before I start poking around for my neutral safety switch issue on my 19887 170 Aquasport center console.

I own a Makerspace in Kitty Hawk, NC called OBXDIY, I'm a software engineer w/a lot of background in electronics and manufacturing electronics, and we have 3D printers and CNC Routers here in our facility that we leverage.  Right now I'm printing parts with a 3D printer that'll...make another 3D printer ;)

Anyways, I just got this boat in early spring and the plan is to print or machine a lot of new parts for her like the console overlays, cooler clips, cup holders, etc., etc.  It's painful doing 3D modeling after work if you just finished 8 hrs in front of a PC slinging code, so it may take 10 years to get the first part out haha.  If I make some cool stuff, I'll post it for sure. 

Another thing we are doing at the OBXDIY Makerspace:  melting blocks of UV-resistant HDPE plastic into blocks that we can machine with the CNC router.  I'm excited about that because it floats and it's very strong, the possibilities are limitless.  We will be using that HDPE soon in our underwater drone project if all goes according to plan.

Ciao for now.

[RickK]

That's cool.  Welcome aboard.

[mshugg]

Looking forward to seeing your work.