Robotics And Automation For The People

irreverant take on robotics and automation

December 29, 2022

📣 What's Being Served 📣

  • There's an OPEX Perfect Pick In Nebraska

  • Rise N Shine

  • Builders Of Robots

  • Tech of the Day: Lathes, Not Loathe..

Automation... is not a destination but instead a process, a really...really long process that sounds fun but usually sucks until you see it work!

"Siesta"

The Robots Are Coming!

There's An OPEX Perfect Pick In Nebraska

So you don't think your facility can afford an asrs or it's not a good solution for your company. Think again. $1M plus automated storage and retrieval systems are now the norm and they are everywhere! All the major brands have an Autostore, Kardex, or OPEX unit. Hell even in Lincoln, Nebraska some sales guy was able to close a deal on an OPEX Perfect Pick system. I'm quite puzzled as to why Kawasaki would want anyone to know about the technology they're using in their plants. At this plant Kawasaki makes atvs, jet skis, and umm trains. Kind of odd but you can check it out yourself! I went to their website which looks like it's straight out of 1999 and they show the products manufactured at that plant. These guys spent more on their OPEX system than their website! Please for all that is holy please Kawasaki give your marketing guys a little cash to update this site.

Why did this plant need an OPEX? Easy, not enough workers in the workforce. Dropping in an asrs reduced the headcount required for growth. The big news in July of 2021 in Lincoln was a $200M expansion at this plant. It used to be that you would expect a lot of new jobs from an expansion of this size but not anymore. The lion's share of the cash is on automation and equipment..not people. I don't understand the point of announcing the costs of these expansions. If anything it should annoy us tax paying citizens as these expansions are usually subsidized by tax dollars. Next time your company announces an expansion spare us how much it's going to cost and instead tell us how many jobs it'll add and why the local community should care!

Check out the automated inventory system at Lincoln Kawasaki plant

One of the big contributors to Nebraska's latest economic award was Lincoln's Kawasaki plant which announced in July 2021 plans to invest $200 million in its plant and hire 500

https://www.mdjonline.com/neighbor_newspapers/extra/news/check-out-the-automated-inventory-system-at-lincoln-kawasaki-plant/video_c4b7e5e9-c2e4-5c1e-bb56-be3fc855fcff.html

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Buchanan Automation

Are you on the west coast and don't know who to call for that cobot you need? Fret not friend, Buchanan Automation is here! Since 1963 they've been creating robotic systems and delivering pneumatic solutions in from California up throughout the Pacific Northwest. Check them out and give them a call! Tell them Tommy sent ya!

In this video they're schooling a client on a safety valve..

Hey we have a job board now! Post a job for your company or find a new one for yourself.

Rise N Shine

Check out this little gem of a web find. This company called Rise Robotics claims to have invented the replacement to hydraulic cylinders! Hot Damn! No more appendage splitting fluid pressures to worry about. No more puddles of hydraulic fluid to slip on either. I love their marketing video too, I mean who doesn't like to watch hydraulic systems fail resulting in explosions?

What did they invent? It's basically a cylinder with a multi-strand pulley system powered by electric motors. This is some sweet tech that I'm sure will make it's way into the automation and robotics field. This addresses the long lived challenge of hydraulic power loss due to heat and inefficient power transfer. It looks like their first target market is the forklift and heavy equipment business. Which makes a ton of sense! Getting rid of hydraulics and implementing their system will make electric forklifts more efficient for sure.

Tech of the Day: Lathe...Not Loathe

One of the most ancient machines used for manufacturing dates back to over 1300BC! The lathe! These marvels of turning magic have been instrumental in the creation of so many objects throughout history. That sounds pretty grandiose doesn't it? Well the axles of chariots are claimed to have been made on lathes. The earliest lathes were made for wood working but they have evolved into extremely complex metalworking equipment.

A lathe is a pretty simple machine. You take a piece of material place it in the lathe, the lathe spins the material, and then you take a cutting tool and press it against the spinning material, creating the shape you're looking for.

There are so many types of lathes too. You can buy a small tabletop lathe all the way up to large self feeding heavy manufacturing lathes. If you're interested in learning more about lathes or other machining equipment reach out to your local machine shop. Just search the internet for machine shop and you'll quickly make a new friend!

Looking for an automation vendor or want your company to be featured?

Builders Of Robots

There's a wave coming and our worldwide workforce isn't ready for it. Automation and robotics is coming like a freight train and we need a skilled labor force that's ready to work. I found a short and sweet write up on steps to becoming a robotics engineer. This got me thinking and I wanted to add my own spin on this topic.

You want to get into robotics and automation? Great, go shadow someone, I don't care how young or old you are! Like any career it's valuable to go sit in the seat of someone that is in the job you're looking to do.

Now to becoming a robotics engineer, it's not easy but you can do it. After making sure this is really something you want to do then you need to decide which path are you going to take. You can find some jobs in the space that are for people that have not gone to college and that may be a great way to get involved without spending the time and money to go to college. If you're a little more fortunate you can go the college route. Here pedigree does matter. Going to MIT or Stanford will throw some weight behind your robotics ambitions but there are many programs throughout the US that can empower you with the knowledge to successfully pursue a career in robotics. Check out the article below and go get started!

5 Steps to become a Robotics Engineer

Advancements in technology have caused a rise in robotics and its degrees. People, especially youngsters are taking more interest in robotics engineering.

https://roboticsandautomationnews.com/2022/12/28/5-steps-to-become-a-robotics-engineer/58886/

If you want to help us pay the bills join our directory of robotics and automation companies.

Have feedback or want to contribute a video, article or tacos? Maybe I'm interested maybe I'm not sure that I'm looking for it. If you have something constructive you can catch me on Twitter. @robotsrcoming or email us at [email protected]

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