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"So now China and a few others are at the bottom of the supply chain...who do they pass the buck to to lift themselves out of these conditions?" Probably Vietn

"So now China and a few others are at the bottom of the supply chain...who do they pass the buck to to lift themselves out of these conditions?" Probably Vietnam, and then robots.

jhancock 17y ago
I include Vietnam in the current status of China. Robots would be cool. Although I have a high degree of respect for people that can make things in factories...it would be a shame to lose this skill set to robots. Keep in mind that China is already in competition with places like Vietnam. China puts its own provinces in competition with each other in much the same way that states and municipalities in the U.S. compete for a new car factory, data, or distribution center. If China seriously ratchets up its labor protections, buyers will move elsewhere...to an extent...China still outguns everyone on population.
- jerf 17y ago
  "Although I have a high degree of respect for people that can make things in factories...it would be a shame to lose this skill set to robots." Broadly speaking, "making things in factories" is not a skill. "Being able to set up efficient factory lines" is, but having robots instead of humans is just another variable in a long list of variables. I say "broadly speaking" because I'm sure there are exceptions, but I am also sure they are exceptions.
  - jhancock 17y ago
    Broadly speaking, your probably correct. I was referring to the ingenuity and skills that seem to come from much practice of using your hands.
DrJokepu 17y ago
Industrial robots are extensively used in the Western world in industrial production. However they are rather expensive and are only worth installing for tasks that don't require any human brain activity, can be done 24/7 (as robots don't require sleep it's more economical to run them 24/7) and not change too often so regular reprogramming is not required. Also, they're not exactly popular amongst manual labourers as a robot takes away the job of at least 2-3 people and never goes on strike.
- jdminhbg 17y ago
  Right - the point being that in the West (and even more so, Japan), eventually the population gets rich enough that it's cheaper to run robots than to just hire bottom-level wage earners.
- jxcole 17y ago
  1) "they are rather expensive" - They are getting cheaper 2) "for tasks that don't require any human brain activity" - Does taking a rubber gel cap from one place and sticking into the bottom of a mouse assembly really require brain activity? That is what the star factory worker in this article was doing. 3) "they're not exactly popular amongst manual labourers" - If the point of robots is to get rid of manual laborers, then does it really matter when they are upset? Also, remember, there are no unions in China (so this article claims), so the likelihood of a strike is very minor.
  - krschultz 17y ago
    They are getting cheaper relative to American workers, not 3rd world workers. I did an automation project last fall, the reason was the risk of the current workers sueing over carpal tunnel syndrome. That was more of a driving factor than the cost of salaries (the robot will be paid off in about 5 years, but still, defending 1 suit is more expensive than a robot). The workers in the US cost about 40k, the workers in the article cost 1.5k. The workers in the article have no hope to sue for anything related to repetitive strain injuries. I doubt robots will be taking over chinese factories for a LONG time except where precision beyond human skill is required.
  - DrJokepu 17y ago
    Does taking a rubber gel cap from one place and sticking into the bottom of a mouse assembly really require brain activity? No it's more like things such as disassembling a batch of defective hairdriers, typically low volume things.
  - foldr 17y ago
    >Does taking a rubber gel cap from one place and sticking into the bottom of a mouse assembly really require brain activity? Yes, a ton. Picking something up and putting it in the right location is actually a pretty tough AI problem, in the more difficult cases.

"So now China and a few others are at the bottom of the supply chain...who do they pass the buck to to lift themselves out of these conditions?" Probably Vietnam, and then robots.

jhancock 17y ago

I include Vietnam in the current status of China. Robots would be cool. Although I have a high degree of respect for people that can make things in factories...it would be a shame to lose this skill set to robots. Keep in mind that China is already in competition with places like Vietnam. China puts its own provinces in competition with each other in much the same way that states and municipalities in the U.S. compete for a new car factory, data, or distribution center. If China seriously ratchets up its labor protections, buyers will move elsewhere...to an extent...China still outguns everyone on population.

jerf 17y ago
"Although I have a high degree of respect for people that can make things in factories...it would be a shame to lose this skill set to robots." Broadly speaking, "making things in factories" is not a skill. "Being able to set up efficient factory lines" is, but having robots instead of humans is just another variable in a long list of variables. I say "broadly speaking" because I'm sure there are exceptions, but I am also sure they are exceptions.
- jhancock 17y ago
  Broadly speaking, your probably correct. I was referring to the ingenuity and skills that seem to come from much practice of using your hands.

DrJokepu 17y ago

Industrial robots are extensively used in the Western world in industrial production. However they are rather expensive and are only worth installing for tasks that don't require any human brain activity, can be done 24/7 (as robots don't require sleep it's more economical to run them 24/7) and not change too often so regular reprogramming is not required. Also, they're not exactly popular amongst manual labourers as a robot takes away the job of at least 2-3 people and never goes on strike.

jdminhbg 17y ago
Right - the point being that in the West (and even more so, Japan), eventually the population gets rich enough that it's cheaper to run robots than to just hire bottom-level wage earners.
jxcole 17y ago
1) "they are rather expensive" - They are getting cheaper 2) "for tasks that don't require any human brain activity" - Does taking a rubber gel cap from one place and sticking into the bottom of a mouse assembly really require brain activity? That is what the star factory worker in this article was doing. 3) "they're not exactly popular amongst manual labourers" - If the point of robots is to get rid of manual laborers, then does it really matter when they are upset? Also, remember, there are no unions in China (so this article claims), so the likelihood of a strike is very minor.
- krschultz 17y ago
  They are getting cheaper relative to American workers, not 3rd world workers. I did an automation project last fall, the reason was the risk of the current workers sueing over carpal tunnel syndrome. That was more of a driving factor than the cost of salaries (the robot will be paid off in about 5 years, but still, defending 1 suit is more expensive than a robot). The workers in the US cost about 40k, the workers in the article cost 1.5k. The workers in the article have no hope to sue for anything related to repetitive strain injuries. I doubt robots will be taking over chinese factories for a LONG time except where precision beyond human skill is required.
- DrJokepu 17y ago
  Does taking a rubber gel cap from one place and sticking into the bottom of a mouse assembly really require brain activity? No it's more like things such as disassembling a batch of defective hairdriers, typically low volume things.
- foldr 17y ago
  >Does taking a rubber gel cap from one place and sticking into the bottom of a mouse assembly really require brain activity? Yes, a ton. Picking something up and putting it in the right location is actually a pretty tough AI problem, in the more difficult cases.