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But with robots, you can probably get them to be cheaper even when taking into account seasonality. The real problem is that lots of manufacturers/wareshouses o

But with robots, you can probably get them to be cheaper even when taking into account seasonality. The real problem is that lots of manufacturers/wareshouses only keep a 3 year investment horizon. If they invested with a 10 year payoff, a lot more automation is possible. (It mirrors the problem in the economy as a whole - short termism)

potatolicious 15y ago
> "But with robots, you can probably get them to be cheaper even when taking into account seasonality." I can't say much without violating some NDA or another, but I'd check that assumption. Industrial robotics are anything but cheap, and remember, you're stacking them up against near-minimum wage laborers who have little to no benefits and you only pay for them when they're utilized.
- dkersten 15y ago
  Why not combine the two? Robots all year round and then hire short term laborers for the seasonal peak times.
  - potatolicious 15y ago
    Quite possible, and the hybrid approach is practiced quite widely - e.g., robot packing machines, robot sorting machines, etc. One big issue with hybrid approaches that require robots to run around warehouses is that humans are squishy and present a significant safety hazard that will also reduce efficiency. Much of a totally automated solution's appeal is the dramatic efficiency increase that comes from not having squishy humans on the playing field.
    - vellum 15y ago
      You could make separate areas. One for the robots, one for the humans.
  - moheeb 15y ago
    You mean have Robocop and Darth Vader stacking boxes?