3 ms·

I work on the automation for some car lines. The robotics are fine. The problem is, in the off chance that an error happens, the results are absolutely disastr

by fiblye 8y ago

I work on the automation for some car lines. The robotics are fine. The problem is, in the off chance that an error happens, the results are absolutely disastrous. The biggest problem being that there are too many potential things that can go wrong and it's very difficult to program the machine to be ready for every possibility. Some known potential errors are checked for, but a problem is that when the machine detects an error, the line has to shut down so that someone can run over and resolve it. If they have a human doing the job in the first place, the issue can be resolved immediately. For the most part, automation is just used for major error detection every step of the way (errors being things like cracks in the engine), but a human assembles everything and checks for any errors that the machine can't detect.

GlennMercer 8y ago
Exactly. Thus we see ultra-high automation levels in stamping, painting, and welding, where deviations are minimal. But once in final assembly/trim etc. there is a deviation every few cars! The headliner flops around and won't snap in correctly, the line jerks to a halt just as a nut driver engages, etc. COULD you automate for all these case? Yup. But why would you, when you can have ultra-flexible humans. This was always my question about Tesla's automation quest (now apparently dropped): assume maybe 7 hours in final assembly, say $70 an hour labor fully loaded, call it $500. Put in $100 million in extra automation cut the 7 to 3, how long before THAT pays off? Maybe you CAN do it, but it verges on Juicero: did you really need to automate squeezing a bag of veggie pulp?
- rohit2412 8y ago
  I'm not sure of the numbers, but. Cut 7 to 3, cut 500$ to 200$ say by rounding. Save 300$ per car. How many cars do you need to recoup the 100 million$? 100m/300= 300k cars. Just one year of model3 production.

by fiblye 8y ago

GlennMercer 8y ago

Exactly. Thus we see ultra-high automation levels in stamping, painting, and welding, where deviations are minimal. But once in final assembly/trim etc. there is a deviation every few cars! The headliner flops around and won't snap in correctly, the line jerks to a halt just as a nut driver engages, etc. COULD you automate for all these case? Yup. But why would you, when you can have ultra-flexible humans. This was always my question about Tesla's automation quest (now apparently dropped): assume maybe 7 hours in final assembly, say $70 an hour labor fully loaded, call it $500. Put in $100 million in extra automation cut the 7 to 3, how long before THAT pays off? Maybe you CAN do it, but it verges on Juicero: did you really need to automate squeezing a bag of veggie pulp?

rohit2412 8y ago
I'm not sure of the numbers, but. Cut 7 to 3, cut 500$ to 200$ say by rounding. Save 300$ per car. How many cars do you need to recoup the 100 million$? 100m/300= 300k cars. Just one year of model3 production.