AS JEFF FRYMAN, the director of standards development, pointed out in an article for the Robotics Industries Association, “Our nation’s industries are stronger and more competitive than ever, and much of that competiveness can be credited to new and innovative applications using industrial robots safely.” He goes on to state, “A key word in manufacturing today is lean: a reduction of waste — wasted time, wasted energy, wasted effort and wasted cost. Eliminating these wastes means thinking out of the box.”
In October, a startup company known as Rethink Robotics began offering a new kind of manufacturing robot: one that can work safely and efficiently in proximity to humans without the need for additional safety walls or features. Dubbed “Baxter” by the company’s founder and CTO, Dr. Rodney Brooks, the robot is designed to be a “smarter, more adaptable, low-cost robotic solution that can help manufacturers to improve efficiency, increase productivity and reduce their need for off-shoring.” Dr. Brooks hopes his creation will enable humans to step away from monotonous, repetitive tasks and allow machines to fill the void.
If car wash manufacturers are to survive in an ever-changing society, must they be willing to embrace new technologies and experiment with unconventional ways to get the job done? According to Paul Fazio, CEO of SONNY’S The Car Wash Factory, robots like Baxter might be too exotic an answer. He draws a definite line between robotics, which are mandatory to keep up in the fast-paced world of manufacturing, and robots, which he says seem more at home in a science fiction novel than on a factory floor. “Robotics are necessary,” Fazio said. “Robots, on the other hand, are a novelty.”
Others are more optimistic about the scenario of robot workers. David Krause, president and CEO of CSI and Lustra Car Care Products, enthusiastically responded to the question: Are robots viable? “Absolutely,” he said. “Business has changed dramatically in the last three years, and creativity is necessary. You have to think about the possible applications of a robot and how they could affect a specific portion of your manufacturing line.”
Krause’s optimism is fueled in part by experience within his own manufacturing lines. “We have a new product line that a person can handle,” he said. “However, the task is too repetitive for a human; the job is too straining and requires too much rotation. These tasks are ill-suited for people but are perfect for a robot.”
Robots vs. Robotics
The debate between robots and robotics ultimately boils down to two factors: proven efficiency and floor space. Robotics have become ubiquitous on the factory floor. Fazio uses them for a number of tasks on his manufacturing lines, largely focused on the preparation of large parts to ready them for assembly, or for tasks that would be difficult for a human to perform with accuracy time and again. “We use robotics on the manufacturing line for repetitive, high-precision tasks such as welding,” he said. And, he believes, the presence of robotics will continue to increase. “The way we process everything has to be changed. Those that don’t use the latest technology won’t be competitive,” he said.
Krause also acknowledges the necessity of automation. “Currently we use robotics extensively; they are used to fill containers, they seal property, they self-audit and they label boxes. We have entire cartons made, sealed and labeled using automation alone.”
Without the automation provided by robotics, Krause said it would be difficult to succeed. “I truly believe that technology and robotics are incredibly important to maintaining the competitive edge. To remain on the leading edge and avoid the bleeding edge, you have to think this way as a company.”
But, Krause maintains, robots offer something that robotics never can. “Real estate,” he said simply. Large amounts of floor space must be devoted toward the safety mechanisms necessary to operate robotics and, Krause said, he wants that space back. “We are forced to screen off that space and nobody can go into that area while the robotics are functional.” According to estimates by Fryman, new robots like Baxter could “allow for the reduction of robot application footprints on the order of 30 percent.”
All Bark and No Bite?
But optimism is only hope if companies are not willing to invest in robot workers. CSI/Lustra is willing to put their money where their mouth is. The company is “currently looking to automate the act of moving the cartons to the pallet,” said Krause. “We want a robot that can pick cases for multiple product orders. For instance, whenever we get an order for several different products, we want a robot that can distinguish between the products, load the appropriate number of each onto the pallet, and complete the order,” he said.
The company has already made contact with a number of programming and technology firms in their area to attempt to find a design that would fulfill the needs of their manufacturing line. Robots that eat up less real estate and can work hand-in-hand with humans may very soon become a reality on the floor of CSI and Lustra factories. When he learned of Rethink Robotics and Baxter, Krause immediately embraced the idea. “We would absolutely consider investing in something like [Rethink].”
Fazio maintained his skepticism. His company fully intends to continue investing in robotics and technology but is wary of the value of offered by a robot. “Is it possible that robots will change manufacturing? Yes,” he said. “Will they change it substantially? No.”
Dr. Brooks, meanwhile, envisions a changing landscape where robots like Baxter are the norm. “Soon,” Dr. Brooks predicts, “robots will be mingling with humans, routinely and safely.”
