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Mass customisation makes itself at home alongside mass manufacturing

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While many people might credit Henry Ford with the creation of the assembly line, it was actually one of his employees, Charles Sorensen, who “examined the relationship between people, machines, tooling, and products and organized them to achieve a continuous flow of production”, according to an article by Daniel Theobald, published today on Robotics and Automation News.

Sorensen’s innovation – albeit in Ford’s employ – could be seen as the first example of a cyber-physical system which optimised, indeed launched, a new era of mass manufacturing which emphasised efficiency and productivity.

Sorensen’s assembly line enabled Ford to build a Model T car in two-and-a-half hours instead of the 12 it had previously taken – without compromising quality, and possibly even improving it.  [Read more…] about Mass customisation makes itself at home alongside mass manufacturing

Time Magazine picks several automation technologies in its top 25 inventions of the year

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Time Magazine has chosen several automation technologies in its selection of what it considers the top 25 inventions of 2017. 

Although it doesn’t seem to have listed them in any numerical order, it did place the Jibo home robot at the top.

Jibo is not mobile in the way many home robots are, but its top part moves as it speaks.

Jibo is designed as an interactive companion and helper to families, according to its creator Cynthia Breazeal (main picture), who was interviewed by Spectrum, the IEEE website.

[Read more…] about Time Magazine picks several automation technologies in its top 25 inventions of the year

Job-stealing robots a growing concern for world leaders

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A “RoboThespian” humanoid robot at the Tami Intelligence Technology stall at the World Robot Conference in Beijing, China. Picture: Reuters
A “RoboThespian” humanoid robot at the Tami Intelligence Technology stall at the World Robot Conference in Beijing, China. Picture: Reuters

By Martinne Geller and Ben Hirschler, Reuters

Open markets and global trade have been blamed for job losses over the last decade, but global CEOs say the real culprits are increasingly machines.

And while business leaders gathered at the annual World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos relish the productivity gains technology can bring, they warned this week that the collateral damage to jobs needs to be addressed more seriously.

From taxi drivers to healthcare professionals, technologies such as robotics, driverless cars, artificial intelligence and 3D printing mean more and more types of jobs are at risk.  [Read more…] about Job-stealing robots a growing concern for world leaders

Audi smart factory ushers in new era of manufacturing

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Audi has opened what it calls a “smart factory”, in Mexico, the first such plant opened by a leading automaker in that country.

Professor Rupert Stadler, chairman of Audi, says: “The plant in Mexico is a milestone in the history of our company and an important step in our internationalization.

“It is one of the most modern factories on the American continent. With this facility, we have established an important site for the export of our automobiles to customers all over the world.”  [Read more…] about Audi smart factory ushers in new era of manufacturing