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Fictron Industrial Supplies Sdn Bhd
No. 7 & 7A,
Jalan Tiara, Tiara Square,
Taman Perindustrian Sime UEP,
47600 Subang Jaya,
Selangor, Malaysia.
+603-8023 9829
+603-8023 7089
Fictron Industrial
Automation Pte Ltd

140 Paya Lebar Road, #03-01,
AZ @ Paya Lebar 409015,
Singapore.
+65 31388976
sg.sales@fictron.com

How Humans & Tech Harmonize in Manufacturing Industry

04 Nov 2019
How Humans & Tech Harmonize in Manufacturing Industry
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How is Whirlpool Corporation balancing the use of human and robotic talent on the plant floors?
 
Collaborative robots enable us to be much more flexible. Because they are pretty small and lightweight and don’t need traditional cages and guarding, they can simply be moved if needed. These robots are easier to program than traditional models, saving time, and are relatively inexpensive when compared with other technologies. We are targeting applications where there is also some ergonomic, quality, or materials savings benefit. Our strategy is not to replace people, instead to identify win-win opportunities to improve the type of work our employees are doing, while creating a tangible efficiency improvement or quality benefit. 
 
What is the benefit of having human employees and machines work side-by-side?
 
The addition of robots allows employees to concentrate on tasks that require greater cognitive skills. Collaborative robots can be used for repetitive jobs as well as those that require detailed precision, such as applying a consistent amount of adhesive in an exact, repeatable location.
 
How do you handle the safety issues of humans and machines working together?
 
Safety is our major priority. We have strict guidelines in place in all plants to ensure our employees are able to work in an environment that allows them to return home each day free of injury. On our assembly lines, we are targeting the use of robotic applications to improve high risk ergonomics issues. In the case of automated material handling devices, we believe the controlled speed and advanced sensors/cameras allow those devices to operate in a safer manner than human operated forklifts. Data has shown that in high velocity/high congestion areas, the automated material delivery carts are far superior from a safety standpoint. 
 
How long has Whirlpool been expanding their robotic workforce and is the pace accelerating?
 
Industrial robotics are not new to Whirlpool Corporation. We have been using robotics in our stamping, paint, and finishing operations for many years. What has evolved over the past 5 years is the availability and cost effectiveness of collaborative robots that can work side by side with our employees and the technology and cost effectiveness of automated material dealing with solutions.
 
Yes, the pace has expanded and will continue to do so as feasibility and costs continue to evolve. We have an advanced manufacturing team that is continually evaluating new technologies and determining whether there is a potential application in our operations.  
 
How is robotics helping advance the home appliance manufacturing industry?
 
The addition of many forms of automation at our plants across the United States has allowed us to increase our level of consistency and efficiency across the board. With the evolution of the smart home and the growing demand for connected appliances, our plants need more advanced test systems to ensure our appliances meet consumers needs and expectations. It’s an ideal marriage of advanced manufacturing solutions to support a more advanced product offering.
 
Do you think the growing use of robotics in manufacturing can help bring the industry in the USA compete with foreign manufacturers using cheap labor?
 
Robotics are part of the industrial digital transformation that Whirlpool Corporation has deployed to ensure our products are produced with the best possible cost and quality.  This allows us to execute a local-for-local strategy of producing where we sell. While the re-shoring of U.S. manufacturing has been in the news in recent years, Whirlpool Corporation has a different story to tell:  we never left the United States in the first place. Whirlpool Corporation is making strategic investments in both people development and technology to support the continued success of our U.S. manufacturing operations. These investments are allowing us to turn data into operational knowledge, and technologies such as collaborative robots and augmented reality support a safe and ergonomic work environment for our team members, eliminate errors in our production processes, and drive product quality through advanced testing.
 
Whirlpool’s Marion, Ohio facility engages with high school students to give them direct, on-the-job experience with robotics. What’s the benefit of this type of training versus a traditional university education?
 
We know that partnerships and co-ops with vocational schools, high schools, and community colleges can provide an opportunity for on-the-job learning in a controlled environment, shepherded by people who have spent decades in these positions. It also provides a valuable pipeline of skilled labor to operate our world class processes. By providing a new lens to view manufacturing, given plant floors are not as dark and dreary as they were decades ago, alongside educational institutions, we can reposition manufacturing and the Whirlpool name with future talent.
 
What trends do you see impacting the manufacturing industry in the years to come?
 
Smart use of automation, machine learning/AI, augmented reality, big data analytics, and additive manufacturing are all areas we are actively investigating at Whirlpool and are part of our industrial digital transformation roadmap. The use of renewable energy to power our factories is also critically important to Whirlpool and is an area where we will continue to invest.
 

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