| The relationship that employees have with | | | | from its employees. The story gets even better. The |
| manufacturing automation is not all bad. It is true that | | | | robotic automation implemented by this company gave |
| some employees will be displaced due to the work | | | | it the ability to ship products faster than it had ever |
| that robotics perform in place of their own work. | | | | done before. The quality of the products produced |
| However, those displaced employees can change the | | | | was improved up into the excellent range, which |
| demand for their skills. This can be done if they | | | | pleased the customers very much. Consistency was |
| engage in technology and learn what skill sets are | | | | established as the norm for products being shipped. As |
| required for an employee to work with robotics and | | | | a result the reputation of the company was improved |
| not be unemployed by robotics. Meanwhile those | | | | in the marketplace. The factory floor was much safer |
| employees that are not displaced by automation can | | | | for the employees because the automation was doing |
| be in a much better work environment. | | | | all the mundane, repetitive work. Automation reduced |
| We can look at a scenario of how robotics might | | | | the number of accidents because it was doing all the |
| effect employees of a manufacturing company that is | | | | dangerous jobs too. The displacement gave |
| about to go through the process of automating its | | | | employees the time to spend doing more intelligent |
| manufacturing operation. Before the automation is put | | | | work, like designing new products and improving old |
| into place the employees are all doing manual tasks to | | | | ones. |
| create products. The number of units produced is an | | | | This story does not end there. The customers were |
| average of 300 units per hour. The average wage per | | | | delighted with the speed at which products reached |
| hour in the manufacturing facility is $6.00 which put the | | | | their doors. This increase allowed them to reduce |
| average annual wage at almost $13,000 per year. With | | | | on-hand inventory due to the consistency of received |
| the implementation of the first robot on the production | | | | shipments. Customers had more cash available, rather |
| line, the number of units produced jumps up to 1200. | | | | than having it tied up in inventory. The demand that |
| Because of the increase in production, the employees | | | | customers made for quality in products received was |
| are more productive along side their automated help. | | | | met and surpassed with the consistency of production |
| The average wage per hour is now almost $12.50 per | | | | coming from the supplier. |
| hour. This puts the annual average income at almost | | | | This is the way a company was able to compete with |
| $26,000. Finally the company installs 2 other robots to | | | | foreign companies. Some companies paid their |
| boost the production per hour to 5400 units. | | | | employees only a small fraction of the amount that the |
| Management now pays the factory works $24.00 per | | | | indicated company did. But because of the increase in |
| hour, an average annual income of more than $50,000. | | | | production due to the implementation of robotics, the |
| You might think that this is just fiction, but it is not. It is | | | | quality, quantity and price of products shipped to |
| the real story of how a manufacturing operation was | | | | market was very competitive in both domestic and |
| able to compete globally and get service and loyalty | | | | foreign markets. |