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Uses of Robots in car manufacturing 

by Team Techvilly

There is no doubt that the application of robots has completely overhauled and redefined today’s car manufacturing process, ever since they were introduced in the 1960s. Despite the fear of job losses, the first industrial robot systems were put in place on General Motors’ assembly line. This paved the way for the automotive industry to accept and adapt to these robots, with other larger automotive companies gradually following suit. Presently, the automotive industry is one of the US’s largest manufacturing industries and employs around 9 million people. With such a large workforce, robots are used to ensure peak productivity is kept, and are essential to keeping automotive manufacturing competitive. Most automobiles are nowadays made using these robots.  

What do robots do? 

Car manufacturing factories use robots for many different applications. These can include painting, assembly, welding, inspection and more. Ever since General Motors started using robots in its production line, many other factories have also adopted using robot technology. This has further expanded outside of the automobile industry, with robots now being used to produce and package pharmaceuticals, food and beverages, agriculture, and more. As they are pre-programmed with instructions, robots are mainly designed to perform repetitive tasks, making them cost-efficient, while at the same time speeding up the production line. Using robots also frees up employees from doing dangerous, strenuous labour, and allows them to better use their skills to look at the bigger picture, rather than focusing on minutiae.  

Applications of robots 

As automotive production has many complex moving parts, robots are designed to take care of a variety of processes. To ensure a high-quality product, here are a few ways robots can be applied to make the production line flow seamlessly. 

Assembly 

This is one of the most common uses of robots when it comes to car manufacturing. Robots are specifically designed to handle repetitive tasks, which can include screw driving, installing windshield wipers, and wheel mounting. While human workers might find the task boring and tedious, which can lead to mistakes or health hazards, robots have no such limitations. Without needing rest, robots can fully assemble a car at high speeds, making the production plant more productive. Especially since assembly lines can work up to 24 hours with no breaks in between. Nowadays, a vast majority of these tasks are being done by robots instead of humans, making them faster and more efficient. 

Painting 

Although the word painting usually evokes imagery of creativity and fun, this could not be further from the truth when referring to automobiles. The task is usually monotonous, which makes it easy for human workers to make errors when painting. Now, painting jobs are mainly done by robots, because of their consistency in performance and 24/7 availability. This ensures production costs are lowered due to less paint being wasted, thus increasing efficiency. Additionally, automotive paint can be toxic, making them a safety hazard to human workers. With robots, companies no longer need to worry about this element. Aside from painting, robots can also be used to spray adhesives, sealants, and primers.  

Welding 

A major element when it comes to producing cars, welding used to be done using human workers. But as a result of technological advancement, more robots are taking on this job. What kind of job a robot does depends on its capabilities. For example, larger robots with longer arms can perform spot welding (using electrical currents to fuse two pieces of metal together) on heavier body parts. Whereas smaller robots are usually focused on welding mounts, brackets and other smaller parts. Because welding can involve sudden bursts of heat, robots are better suited to working on these tasks in assembly lines. Moreover, the robot’s precise movement and aim ensure that every welded part is held to the same standard and quality a manufacturer requires. 

Polishing 

Aside from creating the product, a company also has to make sure the product is well presented before finally being packaged and shipped. This is where polishing comes in – it is usually the last task, where manufacturers make sure the automobile has a smooth exterior without any defects and blemishes. After all, most consumers want an automobile in pristine condition, not one that looks scratched. This task is often automated because it is repetitive and needs to be standardized for all automobiles, which makes it easy for robots to be programmed. Sometimes, a robot might need to be fitted with additional equipment so it can do its job – for example when it comes to removing scuffs or scratches. Optical sensing equipment can help identify these blemishes so robots are notified which parts need to be fixed immediately.  

Quality Inspection 

When it comes to output, it is important to make sure each product is quality controlled and checked. Otherwise, the production run can end up being riddled with substandard products and errors, which waste material and can end up costing manufacturers more in the long run. On the other hand, hiring many employees means more labour costs, as well as slower production, which could still end up with human errors. However, quality inspection and testing robots can help with reducing costs and increasing accuracy. Some errors might also be hard to see with the human eye, but can be caught using vision cameras mounted onto robots. Letting robots do the hard inspection work gives manufacturers less pressure when delivering products to customers, as they are sure each item is of high quality and standardised, thus leading to lower chances of a customer rejecting it.  

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