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The Robotic Edge

Redefining Productivity and Safety in Steel Construction Manufacturing 

Introduction

⠀The new era of automation in metal structure production has finally extended its reach to non-repetitive and non-mass production activities. Modern robotic systems are now capable of making numerous decisions autonomously, replacing not only physical labor but also many intellectual tasks traditionally performed by humans. These robots can read drawings, create their own work plans, scan and recognize raw materials, check their quality, produce the final product, and even generate reports on the completed work. Therefore, they are creating a new data processing ecosystem within steel construction plants. 

⠀It's widely recognized that robots represent the future. It's hard to imagine a futuristic scenario, where welding isn't done by robots. The transition to such production methods has already begun. Moreover, the cost of modern robotic systems is steadily decreasing, not just due to increased competition but also because of advancements in the hardware itself. After many years of experience in developing and implementing robotic systems in metal structure plants, several key points stand out that attract the most interest when deciding to invest in robots.    

1. Money

Investing in robotics inevitably leads to additional costs, such as monthly payments to the bank (or leasing company), including interest, as well as depreciation of the robotic line. All these additional expenses must be factored into the price of the manufactured steel constructions, whether you're calculating by "plant-wide man-hours" or "machine-hours" if tracked separately. However, it’s clear that the time required to produce one ton of steel constructions will decrease significantly. The productivity of robots is often several times, if not tens of times, greater than that of human workers. Therefore, the advantages during robotic production outweigh the additional machine hours cost. 

⠀For a more detailed comparative analysis of production costs with and without robots, see the section titled "Cost Calculations." 

2. The Human Factor

⠀The alternative to robots is human labor, specifically that of skilled craftsmen who can read blueprints and certified welders trained for this work. However, the availability of such specialists today is a major concern. The average age of workers in this field has long surpassed 50, and many are nearing retirement. The younger generation is increasingly reluctant to pursue these jobs, preferring instead to work with computers in more comfortable environments. Additionally, the vocational education system in this branch has significantly declined, making it increasingly difficult to find such specialists in the near future.


⠀Increasing the workforce as an alternative to automation brings its own set of additional costs:

⠀⠀• Growth in wage expenses, including allowances for vacations, sick leave, and bonuses.

⠀⠀• Costs associated with recruiting and training new personnel, which may not always be successful. 

⠀⠀• The disproportionate increase in the size of production workshops and the number of cranes, along with the need for more production equipment and protective gear (masks, suits, etc.). There are also additional costs related to occupational safety and insurance. 

⠀⠀• Increased administrative costs, including the need for more non-production and support staff (logistics, management, labor protection inspectors). 

⠀⠀• The risk of workplace injuries.


⠀No half-measures, such as having robots work alongside humans in the same area, are acceptable from a safety standpoint. A robot is a powerful and intelligent machine whose behavior is predictable based on its programming. However, human behavior around robots is unpredictable, and such collaboration is prohibited in all countries.