The Business of Robotics recently featured “Post-recession, Manufacturers Utilize Robotics to Stay Lean,” authored by Mike Davin. The article explained how manufacturers are recovering from the recent recession by becoming more lean thanks to robotics. Seegrid, robotic vision-guided trucks for material handling was cited as an example.
John Hayes, vice president of U.S. sales and marketing for Seegrid, witnessed the transformation firsthand. Hayes said that combined with Lean Manufacturing principles, their robots have helped make manufacturing more productive. Like other AGVs, the two big draws of Seegrid’s technology are return on investment and increased safety. Unlike traditional forklifts, AGVs are never subject to driver fatigue. Instead, their actions are highly repeatable and they are equipped with safety systems that prevent accidents. That’s good both from a human perspective (no one wants to see people injured) as well as for the business in general, since fewer accidents translates to fewer injury-related costs.
Hayes commented, “A person’s not sitting on a forklift doing an unrewarding job. They actually get to be part of the success of their company. They’re building something, they’re putting things together, and by doing that they have, I think, a much more fulfilling job.”
To read the article in its entirety, click the link:
http://thebusinessofrobotics.com/manufacturing/post-reces...
About Seegrid
Founded in 2003, based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Seegrid Corporation (www.seegrid.com) brings robotic vision-guided technology to the material handling industry. With more than thirty years of innovation and research by leading robotic scientists, engineers, programmers and logistics practitioners worldwide, Seegrid’s exclusive Robotic Industrial Trucks are revolutionizing the movement of materials in manufacturing and distribution environments. Seegrid’s technology transforms industrial vehicles into unmanned, automated pallet trucks and tow tractors that operate without the need for wire, tape, laser, magnet or other costly automated guided vehicle (AGV) guidance systems. Seegrid offers solutions that optimize workflow processes by increasing productivity and reducing costs, creating economic and operational advantages. Fast Company magazine named Seegrid as one of the Top 50 World’s Most Innovative Company in 2013 and among the Top 10 World’s Most Innovative Robotics Company in 2013. Follow Seegrid Corporation on Twitter at @Seegrid.
Seegrid Corporation
www.seegrid.com
Amanda Merrell, Marketing Director
amerrell@seegrid.com
412-379-4500
