Quipt: The Newest Addition to Industrial Robots
Howdy! My name is Leann Taylor and I am a Junior Supply Chain Management Major in the Mays Business School at Texas A&M University. Today is my first day as a Marketing Intern for JBKnowledge and I am excited to have the opportunity to learn about technology in such a hands on manner. One aspect that is of great interest to me is how technology is used in an industrial setting, especially since my future career endeavors will involve industrial environments and running their operations more efficiently.
Many traditional factories already use industrial robots, which are programmed to perform a specific task repeatedly. These robots are used in factories where mundane activities are constantly performed, inside of a controlled environment, with no outside human interference. Some major disadvantages of using the traditional industrial robot is the fact that they are programmed to perform one task, they are expensive and they are difficult to operate in settings where humans are also present alongside the robots. However, a new breed of robots is coming into the industrial operations scene.
“You don’t need to be Tony Stark to have a robot assistant anymore.” – Discover Magazine, on Madeline’s project.
This new generation of industrial robots is favored by the industrial community because they are lighter and perform movements with less force than previous machinery. Additionally, these machines are also considered safer for humans to work alongside as they can sense when humans are near in order to avoid injuries. This increase in sensor capabilities also helps the new industrial robots know when an installation of a part is faulty or not. This is something that industrial robots have never been able to predict and prevent in the past.
As stated in the Wall Street Journal, this rapid development and improvement in the technology of industrial robots is beneficial for manufacturing companies globally. Manufacturing companies in developed countries, with high labor costs, are now able to compete with cheap labor forces by implementing the use of these highly skilled robots. Since 2013, the use of industrial robots has increased globally and is only forecasted to increase further into the future.
There has already been recent developments with robots in the construction industry such as the TERMES system. These robots mimic how termites function to work as a self-governing construction crew. However, the higher skill level and preciseness of these new Industrial robots could prove to be a more efficient use of technology in the construction industry than what has been previously available. I am excited to be able to experience firsthand these improvements in industrial robot technology in my future career within supply chain management.
