Is De-Robotisation The New Manufacturing Philosophy? See Why Mercedes Workers Are Reclaiming Space From Robots

by Industry Week | Technology

* A robot in an auto assem-
bly line. (Credit: Wiki)

It seems that de-Robotisation is the new manufacturing philosophy. And workers are set to reclaim Space From Robots.

“Robots can’t deal with the degree of individualization and the many variants that we have today” says Markus Schaefer, the Mercedes head of production, adding “We’re saving money and safeguarding our future by employing more people.”

The traditional fear appears to be in retreat - that machines will soon take over every available job, rendering workers jobless and making life more difficult. But in one factory, the opposite seems to be happening.

Not that manufacturing techniques and philosophies were designed to remain static. But nothing comes closest to explaining the limits of robotisation, to mass production, hitherto considered the make-or-break answer to spiraling demand.

By the turn of the 19th century, companies were discovering ways to meet growing demand and factories were exploring different ways to churn out products that satisfies those demands. 

Standardization was the forerunner to robotisation. It was discovered that if products can be broken into CKD state, they can be standardized and standardization quickly gave rise to increased output, while also making it easier to machines to produce more of the part than humans could ever manage to.

* A robot in an auto assembly line. (Credit: IW).

But customization made the difference and it was found that the individualistic the preferences, the more complex customization becomes, increasing to the difficulty of robotisation.

Today, a report by Industry Week exposes the limits of the dalliance between customization and robotisation.

For example, as Mercedes-Benz discovered, their S-Class sedan which comes with a growing array of options such as carbon-fiber trim, heated and cooled cup holders and four types of caps for the tire valves mean that the carmaker’s robots can’t keep up.

With customization being key to wooing modern consumers, the flexibility and dexterity of human workers is reclaiming space from robots on Mercedes’s assembly lines.

"That bucks a trend that has given machines the upper hand over manpower since legendary U.S. railroad worker John Henry died trying to best a motorized hammer more than a century ago," Industry Week reports.

“The variety is too much to take on for the machines,” said Schaefer, who’s pushing to reduce the hours needed to produce a car to 30 from 61 in 2005. “They can’t work with all the different options and keep pace with changes.”

* CKD (completely knocked down)