Karthee Madasamy
Research by ARK Invest illustrates that industrial robot costs will drop by 50 to 60 percent over the next few years. This dramatic reduction in cost, combined with the acceleration of sectors embracing automation, has resulted in the skyrocketing of warehouse and manufacturing interest in robotics.
However, too much of that attention and funding has been focused on single-tasked robots explicitly built for one task they are supposed to perform. While these innovations are awe-inspiring in their own right, they can also be incredibly inefficient.
Although contemporary industrial robots are designed for speed and accuracy, we are still in the process of creating advances in chips, sensors, and AI algorithms that can enable industrial robots to go beyond single tasks while still operating safely in large, dynamic logistic environments. With warehouses and logistic centers facing extraordinary pressure to find efficiencies and save costs, it is understandable that they are quick to implement automation into their business strategy.
However, given that the economy’s future is still uncertain with an unpredictable supply chain, these singular-focused robots pose more of a hindrance than a solution. Thankfully, we are starting to see leading-edge companies across the logistical sector focus on creating robotic workers that are generalists rather than specialists.
Below are some of the factors driving that shift.
The Amazon Effect
Earlier this year, Amazon announced a one-billion-dollar innovation fund to spur supply chain, fulfillment, and logistics innovation. The fund will primarily invest in robotics companies, including Agility Robots, designing robots that can perform multiple tasks in a blended workforce.
Amazon already has a large number of robots working alongside human employees in its fulfillment centers, and this increased focus on robotics is likely to set a new standard for other companies across industries. As robots prove beneficial, other organizations will likely follow suit to address manufacturers’ challenges and keep up with the competition.
“Robots will play a massive part in helping organizations rise to the demand challenges they face, but to optimize their hi-tech workers, it would be wise for them to think about them as generalists vs. specialists.”
The use of robotics in manufacturing and logistics has increased significantly in recent years, thanks partly to technological advances that have made robots more capable and versatile. These robots are able to perform repetitive tasks accurately and quickly, allowing companies to increase efficiency and reduce costs. Amazon’s investment in robotics is expected to accelerate the adoption of these technologies further and could potentially lead to the development of even more advanced robots with multiple use cases.
Overall, the increased use of robotics in the manufacturing and logistics industries will likely significantly impact how companies operate and interact with customers. By investing in robotics, Amazon is positioning itself at the forefront of this trend and will likely set the standard for other companies to follow.
Addressing Labor Shortages
Today, there are more than 11 million job openings in America, creating a widespread labor shortage that is stifling business. The warehousing and logistic sectors have been hit particularly hard, with Berkshire Grey Research finding that 64 percent of chief supply chain officers say the generation gap is a leading cause of warehouse labor shortages. That same study also notes that nearly three-quarters of executives see robotics automation in warehouses as a solution for the growing gap in younger job applicants.
As for those currently working in warehouses and logistics, they’ve found themselves facing increased strain as they work to keep up with demand, stocking, packing, moving, and so on – tasks that are responsible for more than 200,000 injuries per year. To solve this complex labor puzzle, industrial robots are needed to lift the burden of complex, manual labor, provide workforce flexibility, and enable people to focus on other priorities that are key to their organization’s success.
Unfortunately, single-purpose robots will not cut it. Their restrictions and infrastructure requirements add up, and it is simply not feasible to add them for the many functions needed in logistic operations today. However, multi-purpose robots maintain the ability to work alongside humans and can be easily programmed with different tasks at different times without adding equipment or workflows are imperative. This allows logistics companies to customize their operations to meet their customers’ specific needs and quickly adapt to changing market conditions.
But what about all the jobs that will be lost with these more human-like machines? In many cases, the jobs that robots have started to replace are the ones no worker wants. Robots should not be thought of as human replacements, but the fact is that the future is more likely a blended workforce – a combination of man, woman, and machine.
Keeping Up with Demand.
While the initial impact of the pandemic on not just the logistics industry but the global economy as a whole was devastating, we have seen an impressive rebound, especially regarding consumer demand.
The problem today is keeping up with that demand amidst the supply chain and persisting workforce challenges. Take the surge in consumer purchases of long-lasting goods like washing machines and cars, for example, hovering 30 to 40 percent above pre-pandemic levels.
Despite positive signs, the fact remains that there is still much uncertainty ahead. While demand has ratcheted up, logistics centers need help to keep up with it in light of the aforementioned labor shortages and other factors like global chip shortages that further complicate matters.
Robots will play a massive part in helping organizations rise to the demand challenges they face, but to optimize their hi-tech workers, it would be wise for them to think about them as generalists vs. specialists. As the Agility team points out in a recent blog post: “While some species are specialized or adapted to their environment, the most successful species – including people – are generalists.”
