Robotic Deburring Takes the Pain Out of Parts Finishing

04.05.2017

Don't fear the future: new report shows both manufacturers & workers have a lot to gain from the robot revolution.

Is the workforce ready to embrace robots? The introduction of robots may cause some anxiety for plant employees, but recent reports indicate both manufacturers and employees are benefiting from the growth of robotics.

"There is clear evidence that points towards robotic automation in many cases being a complement for human labor, rather than a direct substitute," says David Whitaker, managing economist at the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr).  "As more mundane tasks are automated, human effort becomes more valuable as it is focused on higher-level tasks, creativity, know-how and thinking."

Cebr, a UK-based economic forecasting and analysis firm, released a robotics report on March 15 that showed robotics investment has contributed to about 10% of GDP per capita growth in OECD countries from 1993 to 2016. The productivity benefits of robotics have been well documented. But as plants become more automated, worker health and safety may increase, as well. That's because robotics can perform repetitive motions that often lead to injuries, fatigue and quality issues.