2. • After Henry Ford invented the assembly line,
the construction of automobiles, cars and
trucks remained unchanged throughout most
of the 20th century. In the 1980s, however,
the process underwent another dramatic
change: the introduction of robots to perform
jobs once reserved for humans.
3.
4.
5. Significance
• Robots were initially retained to perform
precise welding chores and other repetitive
tasks that humans had long found boring,
monotonous and injurious. By using robots to
weld, handle dangerous objects and place
items, auto manufacturers were able to
ensure a consistent product with a minimum
of worker injury. Currently, 50 percent of all
robots in use today are used in automobile
manufacture.
8. • To make a robot work, a computer program is
installed on its controller computer. This
provides a set of precise instructions--based
on geometry and carefully timed--that tells
the robot where to place things, how to rotate
them, where to weld and how to perform all
of its other functions.
9.
10.
11. Robots do not think for themselves, and must
rely on humans to provide instructions.
Robots also can work in more extreme
environments on their own, or they can work
alongside humans, assisting them in their day-
to-day jobs--such as moving or rotating a car
so humans can work on parts of it that would
normally be difficult to reach.
13. • Robots have been a boon to the auto-
manufacturing industry. They have
significantly reduced worker injuries, including
repetitive stress injuries and more significant
mishaps that can do major harm. Additionally,
the robots turn out a more consistent product
at a significantly cheaper cost than can
humans.
