ANN ARBOR, Mich. — When U.S. manufacturers were asked to describe their primary business challenge, it wasn’t the increase of raw materials cost, trade uncertainties, or rising health insurance expenses that topped their lists. Close to 70 percent of manufacturers in the National Association of Manufacturers’ 2018 fourth-quarter outlook survey responded that attracting and retaining a…
ABB YuMi cobot helps Dutch manufacturer stay competitive
Collaborative robots can help small and mid-size enterprises stay competitive, providing the benefits of industrial automation but with greater ease of use, affordability, and flexibility. Dutch manufacturer DEONET is an example of how robots that work alongside people can boost quality and productivity. DEONET was founded 25 years ago and is based in the technology…
Build better robots by listening to customer backlash
In the wake of the closure of Apple’s autonomous car division (Project Titan) this week, one questions if Steve Jobs’ axiom still holds true. “Some people say, ‘Give the customers what they want.’ But that’s not my approach. Our job is to figure out what they’re going to want before they do,” declared Jobs, who…