Robots, heh. Giving up on American labor is a no win situation for this country. This country got where it is today through manufacturing.

 

Somebody has to build, program, maintain, replace, etc all those robots.... Do you think 50 years from now that factories will be anything like they were 50 years ago?

- NCSU

 

Who knows. Nobody knows.

They're not like they were 50 years ago now.

 

Lame answer. You should be able to understand the intent of my statement.

One thing I can almost guarantee... There will be fewer people producing more product.

- NCSU

 

Thanks. No need to be so crude.

They tried to lean out our assembly line at my job, saying it will take less employees to make the plane with the new technology and such. They are still recalling laid off employees, not laying off employees.

Moral of the story, sometimes even the best laid out engineering plans fail.

 

Let's not start generalizing. We are talking about one specific industry, not replacing every manufacturing job in the US with a robot. Who says you need to give up on American labor? I'm saying if the Big 3 had the option to replace more laborers with robots and reduce their overhead, they might not in the situation they are in now. Doesn't matter though, that is not an option, just ask your local UAW rep.

 

What? You did give a lame answer!

Well the question begs to be asked, why did the "new technology and such" fail? It probably doesn't help that you are involved with one of the most complex assemblies on the planet.

There's always a point of diminishing returns. You won't get the best production by having 100% robotic production, nor will you with a 100% human workforce.

However, it doesn't take much imagination to take a look at current robotic technology and see how in 50 years the need for factory floor workers could greatly decrease. Any job that requires constant, repetitive tasks are ideal for mechanized worker to take over for that matter.

- NCSU

 

Possibly, but at what expense? The unemployment and welfare systems are already overtaxed.

 

Point taken, but let's not get into a discussion about unemployment, or worse, welfare.

- NCSU

 

There would be a whole new line of jobs created in developing and maintaining the robots. Time for assembly line workers to learn some new skills. . .

 

The robotic workforce would be great for a country that wasn't reliant on labor manufacturing, ie Brazil.

 

I think you guys are missing an important issue with the Brazilian plant, the ability to make 5 different cars on the same line at the same time. You'll never accomplish that with a non-robotic line. Another plus for the Brazilian plant is that the line workers can confer with the manufacturers of the parts that are made at the plant and iron out any issues. It's called something that the UAW has no clue about- teamwork. Remember, the UAW had the opportunity to have this plant built here- they said no. Repeat- they said no. Not Ford, not GM, the UAW said no they didn't want the plant to be built here as they would not supply the work force for a plant with that much robotics. The UAW is again out of todays loop. Robotics is where it is going, UAW or not it's going to happen because John Q Public is demanding better built autos. The UAW is keeping all of the US auto makers in the past. They need to get on the program and help instead of hinder the auto makers.

 

I remember once, a reporter asked Ronald "Raygun" "what will humans do when robots are doing their{the human's} job?"
Without missing a beat he said "They'll be building robots"

 

The UAW doesn't sign the employee's paychecks. They aren't the ones who design the cars, or the plants, the automakers do. The automakers are stuck in the past also, and more burden should be laid on them. The grunts that put the cars together make up 10% of the dollars the automakers spend. You tell me where the real problem lies. The union is an all too easy target when the real blame should be sent straight to the top.