{"id":890,"date":"2018-02-21T13:59:29","date_gmt":"2018-02-21T18:59:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/?p=890"},"modified":"2022-06-06T18:08:52","modified_gmt":"2022-06-06T22:08:52","slug":"rise-machines-trends-automated-fabrication","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/rise-machines-trends-automated-fabrication\/","title":{"rendered":"Rise of the Machines: Trends in Automated Fabrication"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"m-entry__feedback\"><div class=\"m-feedback-prompt\">\n\t\t  <h4 class=\"m-feedback-prompt__header\">Was this article helpful?<\/h4>\n\t\t  <a href=\"#\" class=\"m-feedback-prompt__button m-feedback-prompt__social m-feedback-prompt__social_thumbsup yes\" data-analytics-link=\"feedback-prompt:yes\">\n\t\t    <i class=\"fa fa-thumbs-up\">&nbsp;<\/i>\n\t\t  <\/a>\n\t\t  <a href=\"#\" class=\"m-feedback-prompt__button m-feedback-prompt_form no\" data-analytics-link=\"feedback-prompt:no\">\n\t\t    <i class=\"fa fa-thumbs-down\">&nbsp;<\/i>\n\t\t  <\/a><br>\n\t\t  <div class=\"m-feedback-prompt__display m-feedback-prompt__social yes\">\n\t\t    <p class=\"m-feedback-prompt__text\">Awesome, share it:<\/p>\n\t\t    <a class=\"m-feedback-prompt__social--button p-button-social has-icon facebook fa fa-facebook\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/rise-machines-trends-automated-fabrication\/\" onclick=\"javascript:window.open(this.href,\n  '', 'menubar=no,toolbar=no,resizable=yes,scrollbars=yes,height=600,width=600');return false;\">\n\t\t      <span class=\"p-button-social__social-text\">Share<\/span>\n\t\t    <\/a>\n\t\t    <a class=\"m-feedback-prompt__social--button p-button-social has-icon twitter fa fa-twitter\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/rise-machines-trends-automated-fabrication\/&text=Rise of the Machines: Trends in Automated Fabrication\" onclick=\"javascript:window.open(this.href,\n  '', 'menubar=no,toolbar=no,resizable=yes,scrollbars=yes,height=600,width=600');return false;\">\n\t\t      <span class=\"p-button-social__social-text\">Tweet<\/span>\n\t\t    <\/a>\n\t\t    <a class=\"m-feedback-prompt__social--button p-button-social has-icon googleplus fa fa-google-plus\" href=\"https:\/\/plus.google.com\/share?url=http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/rise-machines-trends-automated-fabrication\/\" onclick=\"javascript:window.open(this.href,\n  '', 'menubar=no,toolbar=no,resizable=yes,scrollbars=yes,height=600,width=600');return false;\">\n\t\t      <span class=\"p-button-social__social-text\">Google Plus<\/span>\n\t\t    <\/a>\n\t\t    <a class=\"m-feedback-prompt__social--button p-button-social has-icon linkedin fa fa-linkedin\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/shareArticle?mini=true&url=http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/rise-machines-trends-automated-fabrication\/&title=Rise of the Machines: Trends in Automated Fabrication\" onclick=\"javascript:window.open(this.href,\n  '', 'menubar=no,toolbar=no,resizable=yes,scrollbars=yes,height=600,width=600');return false;\">\n\t\t      <span class=\"p-button-social__social-text\">LinkedIn<\/span>\n\t\t    <\/a>\n\t\t  <\/div>\n\t\t  \t<div class=\"m-feedback-prompt__display m-feedback-prompt__form no\">\n\t\t  \t<div class=\"thanks feedback-nodisplayall\"><h2>Thanks!<h2><div class=\"m-contact\"><p>Thanks for getting in touch with us.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t    <form id=\"contact-form\" class=\"new_support_request\" action=\"\" accept-charset=\"UTF-8\" method=\"post\">\n\t\t    <input type=\"hidden\" id=\"authenticity_token\" name=\"authenticity_token\" value=\"f876248fa4\" \/><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"_wp_http_referer\" value=\"\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/890\" \/>\n\t\t      <input value=\"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/rise-machines-trends-automated-fabrication\/\" type=\"hidden\" name=\"currenturl\" id=\"currenturl\">\n\t\t      <input value=\"Rise of the Machines: Trends in Automated Fabrication\" type=\"hidden\" name=\"currenttitle\" id=\"currenttitle\">\n\t\t      <label class=\"is-required\">Help us improve. Give us your feedback:<\/label>\n\t\t      <textarea class=\"p-input__textarea\" name=\"feedbackmessage\" id=\"feedbackmessage\"><\/textarea>\n\t\t      <label class=\"is-required\">Your Full Name:<\/label>\n\t\t      <input class=\"p-input__text\" type=\"text\" name=\"feedbackfullname\" id=\"feedbackfullname\">\n\t\t      <label class=\"is-required\">Your email address:<\/label>\n\t\t      <input class=\"p-input__text\" type=\"text\" name=\"mailinglistemail\" id=\"mailinglistemail\">\n\t\t      <div class=\"feedback-message\" id=\"feedback-message\"><\/div>\n\t\t      <div class=\"__submit\">\n\t\t        <input type=\"submit\" name=\"commit\" value=\"Submit\" class=\"p-button\" id=\"submit-contact-form\" data-analytics-link=\"feedback-prompt:submit\">\n\t\t      <\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/form>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Jetpacks, hovercars and, most of all, robots.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">From Phillip K. Dick to Isaac Asimov, creative minds of the 20<\/span><span class=\"s2\"><sup>th<\/sup><\/span><span class=\"s1\"> century envisioned a future of awe-inspiring technological advancements. And in many ways, they were right on the money; the world is being shaped by some pretty radical stuff. But until recently, the future didn\u2019t quite come into fruition for the manufacturing and metal fabrication industry. What did they get?<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Wonky, bug-prone robots.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Pray we don\u2019t get fooled again <\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Only a few years ago, robotics was considered a risky investment, particularly for small-to-midsize fabrication shops. The potential efficiencies were tantalizing, but between glitchy software and clunky offline programming, many early automation adopters got burned. Among the steadfast skeptics was Bill Pharmer, National Sales Leader of Advanced Fabrication at Airgas.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">\u201cPeople bought into it so they could be more productive.\u201d Pharmer recalls. But as some companies rushed to implement automation without first ironing out the kinks in their manual process, existing procedural flaws just got uglier. \u201cIn the end, they just made bad parts faster.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Now, as robotics sees constant, unyielding improvement, fabrication experts like Pharmer\u2014and the companies that felt the sting of failed robotics programs\u2014are forced to reconsider their outlooks to keep up with an evolving industry.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">\u201cIf you told me five years ago that I\u2019d be preaching the benefits of robotics, I\u2019d have said you were crazy,\u201d Pharmer admits. \u201cBut here I am.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<h4 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Getting better all the time<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Less expensive and easier to use, today\u2019s robots present a very real opportunity to cultivate a more productive workforce. For the better half of the last decade, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thefabricator.com\/article\/automationrobotics\/small-batches-big-time-automation\"><span class=\"s3\">larger forward-thinking shops<\/span><\/a> have been adopting automation to take on repetitive tasks\u2014helping free up skilled welders for more rewarding work. Now, smaller operations who couldn\u2019t afford the risky investment before are poised to follow their lead.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>I like the way you move<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">One of the advancements changing the minds of some skeptics is the rise of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.robots.com\/articles\/viewing\/motoman-s-kinetiq-teaching-program\"><span class=\"s3\">Kinetiq Teaching<\/span><\/a>. For those who are unfamiliar, the process sounds too good to be true: You physically move the mechanical arm where you want it to go to program a new welding motion. It\u2019s not a brand new technology, but it\u2019s becoming more refined, more affordable and more widely adopted in turn. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">That kind of user-friendly methodology, plus more accurate <a href=\"https:\/\/www.millerwelds.com\/resources\/article-library\/offline-programming-and-simulation-in-robotic-welding-applications-speeds-up-programming-time-reduces-robot-downtime\"><span class=\"s3\">offline programming<\/span><\/a>, means a shorter learning curve for companies trying to implement new technology. And with more applications for collaborative robots\u2014which had a significant presence at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thefabricator.com\/article\/shopmanagement\/fabtech-previews-the-future-of-metal-fabrication\"><span class=\"s3\">FABTECH 2017<\/span><\/a>\u2014human and mechanized workers aren\u2019t just existing on the same shop floor. They\u2019re working together and making each other better at what they do.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>Paranoid of androids<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">One of the obvious drawbacks to robotic growth is the fear that they\u2019ll take good work away from hardworking human hands. And it\u2019s a valid concern for more than just welders. From transportation (self-driving automobiles) to hospitality (well, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wired.com\/story\/job-alert-how-would-you-like-to-babysit-robots\/\"><span class=\"s3\">this thing<\/span><\/a>), various industries are finding ways to incorporate artificially intelligent machines into their respective workforces.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">So are jobs at risk? Some think so, including some of the world\u2019s top minds. Elon <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2017\/07\/17\/elon-musk-robots-will-be-able-to-do-everything-better-than-us.html\"><span class=\"s3\">asserts<\/span><\/a> that \u201crobots will be able to do everything better than us.\u201d Very encouraging.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">But for the time being, the Metfab industry is rolling the dice on robotics\u2014and for good reason. With the age of the average welder hovering around 56, and most shops seeing more retirees than rookies, automation is a good plug for the growing skill gap. In fact, some see it also bringing manufacturing back to the U.S. and generating better jobs moving forward.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">\u201c[Advanced manufacturing] requires integration of software and hardware to make [it] work,\u201d Michael Lamach, CEO of Ingersoll Rand, noted in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.postbulletin.com\/business\/skilled-jobs-go-begging-in-manufacturing\/article_fb7ece33-a9b4-5218-803f-ea235098df69.html\"><span class=\"s3\">a recent interview<\/span><\/a>. \u201cWhen you do that, you&#8217;re creating jobs that are going to last for a long time.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<h4 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b>What\u2019s cooler than being cool?<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">More than just longer-lasting, these tech-friendly jobs are starting to make welding a more appealing trade to younger generations. Suddenly the clich\u00e9d perception of the weathered blue-collar worker is being turned on its head.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Rob Tessier, Airgas\u2019 National Director of Advanced Fabrication, <a href=\"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/why-gamers-should-weld\/\">urges young professionals<\/a> to embrace this changing perception. \u201cAs a young man or a young woman,\u201d Tessier says, \u201cthis would be a great time to enter into a piece of business that\u2014truthfully\u2014allows you to be fairly comfortable, understand how to build things and, yet, not get completely filthy, dirty or miserable.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Pharmer is excited to see welding\u2019s new reputation help employers. \u201cYou\u2019ve got to have a Gen-Xer or Millennial in there who\u2019s really good at Nintendo,\u201d he says of today\u2019s welding shops. After a childhood of video games, he poses, twenty- and thirty-somethings tend to be naturally better at\u2014and more interested in\u2014handling controllers in a room full of robots. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">While automation is just starting to become the productivity machine it\u2019s always promised to be, the biggest triumph right now is that it\u2019s making welding cool again. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">\u201cIt\u2019s always been cool,\u201d Pharmer reflects. \u201cSeems like folks are just starting to get the memo.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Was this article helpful? &nbsp; &nbsp; Awesome, share it: Share Tweet Google Plus LinkedIn Thanks!Thanks for getting in touch with &hellip; <a href=\"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/rise-machines-trends-automated-fabrication\/\" class=\"more-link\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":891,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false},"categories":[24],"tags":[],"yst_prominent_words":[619,624,424,629,294,159,163,626,631,632,620,623,621,625,622,633,630,221,134,139],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/890"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=890"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/890\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":975,"href":"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/890\/revisions\/975"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/891"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=890"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=890"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=890"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/jschaeffer.us\/sandbox\/airgasthinks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=890"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}