Robots as New Team Members: How Industry 4.0 has changed the workforce

By Jonathan Wilkins, Marketing Director, EU Automation
Paradigm Electronics, a loud speaker and subwoofer manufacturer, has implemented robots to assist with product polishing. Humans collaborate with the robots but no longer perform the entire time consuming and laborious task themselves. In fact, most jobs have been altered in some way by the introduction of Industry 4.0. This article willdiscuss how job roles are changing with Industry 4.0.
There have been a lot of concerns and misconceptions about robots stealing people’s jobs. The truth is, while some jobs are being replaced by automated equipment, new jobs are also arising as a result of Industry 4.0. Therefore, a more relevant concern is how Industry 4.0 will change the nature of people’s jobs.
Keeping the Doctor Away
Many companies are using automated equipment to take over physical, strenuous tasks, improving the health and safety of their staff. For example, when the demand for a supplier of bulk bottles of windscreen washer fluid increased, the staff began to get tired and obtain injuries. The company introduced robots to manoeuvre the bottles, reducing excessive manual handling for staff.
This can be of even greater benefit for older workers, especially with the increasing retirement age causing the average age of the workforce to rise.
Predictive Maintenance
Recent advancements in sensor technology have enabled Industry 4.0 to thrive. Sensors can be attached to industrial plant equipment to detect anomalous activity. This means that problems with the equipment can be identified and resolved before they result in machine downtime. As a result, plant operators and managers are spared the stress and financial burden associated with outages.
Predictive maintenance has also changed the role of equipment maintenance engineers as they no longer have to visit a site before buying the parts required. From any location, they can receive data from the sensors and use it to identify the problem and the parts needed, making their work more productive and efficient.
Where Robots Don’t Make the Cut
Automated equipment is capable of extremely complex and challenging tasks that humans cannot possibly achieve. However, there are still things that we can do far better than robots can.
One way that humans triumph over robots is in their capability to make decisions. Additionally, because humans can think and act more flexibly, they are often better problem solvers. Moreover, many industries rely on creativity, innovation and individual personalities, something that would be missed in a company run entirely by robots. Therefore, even once Industry 4.0 is fully established, human input will still be required.
Like Paradigm Electronics, many companies have already embraced robots as part of their workforce. As robotics become more familiar in the industrial environment, how will careers change in years to come?

Check out our free e-newsletters
to read more great articles.
- Posted in:
- Article
- Related Portals:
- Advancing Automation using IIoT and Industry 4.0 Concepts, Systems Integration, Robots & Robot Controllers, Factory Automation
MORE ARTICLES
-
The Death of the Family Album: Specifying the right cleanroom environment
By Mark Howard, EU Automation
It is vital to understand how cleanrooms truly operate if you are to get the best out of yours. This article... -
Inside the Rise of 5G Industrial Automation Networking
By Bill Lydon, Automation.com
5G is starting to make the goal of wireless industrial automation a reality. Companies are already starting to... -
The Push and Pull of Composite Manufacturing
By Robert Glass, Exel Composites
From window and door manufacturers to the professional tree surgeon, weighing up material options usually comes... -
Augmented Intelligence
By Mark Howard, EU Automation
Augmented intelligence is one of the few technologies named on the Gartner Hype Cycle for Emerging Technologies,... -
PLC Programming Preference Survey: Insights & User Comments
By Bill Lydon, Automation.com
The PLCopen organization and Automation.com conducted a joint survey of PLC programming preferences. Here are some...
RELATED
-
Litum IoT helps Ferrero Group enhance worker tracking
Ferrero needed a way to confirm that all its employees could be safely accounted when an emergency evacuation was underway.
-
Association for Advancing Automation Report: North American machine vision market down in 2019
Machine vision systems saw a decrease of 2% year over year, at $599.9 million. This category includes smart cameras and application specific...
-
Zigbee Alliance announces IKEA as member of Board of Directors
This decision validates the IKEA’s commitment to universal open IoT standards for its smart home product offerings and complements IKEA’s...
-
NUM announces opening of Indian office
NUM AG has opened a branch in Bangalore in November 2019. With this expansion in Asia, the international company with headquarters in Teufen,...
-
Valcor Engineering announces solar energy effort to enhance environmental protection
Their most recent endeavor involves the installation of 2,194 solar panels on the building’s recently replaced roof.