Robots carry out work that would not be economically viable in a high wage economy. Robots increase productivity. They speed up production time and improve quality. Please find examples below:
Blue Ocean Robotics - IFR Robot Supplier
In The Region of Southern Denmark jobs aren't disappearing because of robotics
One of the manufacturing companies in the Region of Southern Denmark, who already are benefiting from the robots, is Bogense Plast, which manufactures high-quality items, specializing in injection moulding. The company installed the first robot in 1994, and since then, including automation has been an important tool to keep prices low and competitiveness high. However, increasing production efficiency does not necessarily equal a cut back on staff.
Recent research has shown that manufacturing companies has a growth potential of 15 bn. DKK (approx.: 2.01 bn EUR) if they apply robotic automation solutions. Furthermore has research indicated that the Region of Southern Denmark can create around 4000 new jobs through usage of robotic automation.
Despite common belief, the use of robotic automation is not as big a threat to manufacturing jobs as my might think. Yes, automation with robotics does imply replacing hard monotonically human labour with robotics but what many forgets to realize is that humans are needed to control the robots.
Investing in robotic automation solutions has quickly become a necessity for Danish manufacturing companies to remain competitive with countries abroad, but as many might would ask; how did Bogense Plast choose the right investment? and why aren't jobs disappearing because of robotic automation?
When Bogense Plast considered expanding their production line with robotic automation they consulted Blue Ocean Robotics for participating in the SAFIR industrial automation strategy project which seeks to advance strategic automation in manufacturing companies.
The main concept of SAFIR is letting market knowledge and strategic thinking direct how to streamline the production process. By establishing a network of automation experts, SAFIR has created a highly efficient platform, where skilled suppliers, technology companies and business institutes throughout the automation industry work closely together.
Based on Bogense Plast business strategy and market opportunities, the SAFIR - Industrial Automation strategy carries out a procedure, which carefully maps useful robotic automation solutions that streamline the production process and can increase efficiency.
After pinpointing which part of Bogense Plast production processes that could benefit from robotic automation, the gathered information is forwarded to an expert network consisting of international experts specialised in supplying automation solutions. The information will contain detailed descriptions, pictures and videos of the present production processes.
Based on the uniformly and structured collected information, the experts will evaluate and find references for solutions/products available on the market (not necessarily locally) to automate the specific process, and if so suppliers are asked to make concept and quote for the Bogense Plast production process. In this way it is ensured, that the production company got in touch with the right suppliers and that they actually can supply the requested.
"We have a clear expectation that the company will become better equipped to choose future investments." Per Grunddal Jørgensen, Technical Director, Bogense Plast,
In the aftermath of the global financial crisis were many manufacturing jobs were relocated to countries with low labour costs, why aren't jobs disappearing because of robotic automation in Bogense Plastics?
Jan Nielsen, Team Leader, Bogense Plast, explains: "Staff will always be in demand for operating the machines, so we are not going anywhere."
It is certainly great news that recent studies has shown that if automation is implemented correctly, companies can reduce labour cost to under 5 % of the end-price of a given product and as the degree of automation increases, the manufacturing companies gets the opportunity for develop and produce different types of products which all parts can benefit from. For this to happen it is necessary to use tools like SAFIR to match non-local expertise and suppliers with the specific needs in the production companies.