The rise of robots has not taken our jobs, it has made them better. For people who work in manufacturing, there are plenty of tasks that can create long-term injuries or just take all the fun out of work. Whether they’re repetitive, hazardous, or just plain difficult, robots are here to make things easier.
In the field of manufacturing, there are plenty of jobs that fall into categories people aren’t a fan of doing. Let’s take a look at three examples of work that robots don’t mind doing, but people can’t stand.
It’s difficult to imagine working on an assembly line, but at the very least, it’s a repetitive process. You do the same thing, over and over, relentlessly for hours each day. Furthermore, if you get tired and you mess something up, it stop the entire process from working properly.
As time goes on, people who do this kind of work find themselves with debilitating conditions like carpal tunnel, or worse. It’s simply not the kind of work anyone wants to do. Companies like Foxconn have been dealing with employees becoming depressed and the issue is getting worse by the day.
That’s why companies like them have begun automating repetitive tasks in their manufacturing plants. These free up humans do more important and interesting things. Inspecting final products, handling precise assembly, things like this are more in line with human capabilities than robot ones.
Hazardous work is something humans don’t want to do, not because it’s boring, but because it’s downright dangerous! Robots don’t have to worry about situations like this, which is why it’s preferable that they handle these things.
Consider things like welding and sanding in manufacturing plants. The welding is self-explanatory, but the sanding could release particles into the air that aren’t good for people to be breathing.
Other tasks, like cleaning air ducts, can be done by smaller robots that fit into the tight spaces needed to complete such tasks. All of these represent potential dangers for humans, but rarely threaten robots.
Robots began their lives in manufacturing as fenced cells that handled assembly of things like cars and other major industrial assembly lines. We’ve since been able to create collaborative robots that can work alongside humans. Whether it’s fenced robots assembling several-ton automobiles, or industrial tools, robots can handle it.
With the ability to assemble and move heavy objects, humans can avoid physical injuries or accidents. Amazon has been embracing this, with robots in their warehouses that move product around quickly, saving humans a huge amount of time and negating miles of walking each day.
Humans have jobs they don’t want to perform, it’s just a simple fact of life. Why not give these jobs to robots and free ourselves up for more rewarding work? As this continues to happen, people are seeing the benefits of our automated coworkers. Which jobs are you glad robots are willing to do? Let us know in the comments!