The first thing I began to realize was that KUKA has a larger human presence within its factory. In comparison, BMW, which we visited on Tuesday, has around 90% automation in its body shop, all using KUKA robots ironically. Automation within the industry is only becoming more advanced, and customers expect processes to be as efficient and seamless as possible. The use of AI is truly emerging in this industry, although still within a controlled environment. The KUKA robots are not independently run yet, but instead operate within systems or cells.
Another thing that was interesting was how the robots at BMW always seemed to be moving. In comparison, the robots at the KUKA factory appeared to have much more downtime. This makes sense because it takes much longer to complete one individual robot than it does to produce a car on BMW’s assembly line. BMW, as we learned, produces one car every 59 seconds.
Before entering the factory, I assumed KUKA robots were only used for car production. I did not realize they had expanded into other industries such as healthcare, housing production, prefabrication, the food industry, and many more. They explained that a robot can essentially be designed for anything that operates in a repetitive, system-like structure. The variation in their robot models is also partly due to the slowing and declining automotive manufacturing industry. One of KUKA’s main goals is to reach a level where China cannot compete through economies of scale. At this point, KUKA has the most energy-efficient robot on the market. This helps distinguish them from competitors because of the cost savings and sustainability benefits their robots provide.
KUKA, as mentioned above, still has a large human presence within the factory. For example, humans were manually pairing and adding logos onto the robots. The production process is still heavily supported by people because there are so many different robot variants and models, such as varying load capacities. I assume it is more efficient for humans to distinguish and complete the finishing process after the framework is assembled by other robots.
Another unique difference from the other factories we have visited so far is that KUKA does not keep pre-made robots in inventory. Instead, they work entirely on an order-based system that is customized to the needs of each company placing an order. Production only begins once the specifications are finalized. Another challenge they discussed was current tariffs. We were informed that KUKA has been splitting some of these added costs with customers in order to maintain profitability.
After the visit, I was able to explore a little more and tried a restaurant called “Picnic.” Pictured below is what I ordered.
