Today we visited Kuka. Kuka is an automotive company that focuses on robots that can build cars and various other products. They have machines that can range from 25,000 to 1 million dollars. The machines are mostly put together by humans, with some of the process being done by other machines. Kuka produces robotic arms that can complete a multitude of tasks, ranging from carrying parts, welding parts, and more. When touring the factory, there was a mix between humans and robots. The human workers interact with the robots through assistance. They load the parts and the robots complete the work. There is a door that opens and flashes a green light which lets the human know which parts to load, they then walk out and the door closes and the robot starts its work. 

I believe KUKA did a great job of understanding that their robots could be the end of human workers in factories. At the same time they understand how to incorporate their workers into the process. When walking the facility you see a lot of people putting the robots together. But the main thing is that they develop certain robots that are supposed to assist the users. It makes their job easier by lifting things or helping with surgical precision. Overall I believe their robots have a stronger use in autonomy and that’s something they’re pushing towards, but they’re trying to balance it with human/robot assisted. 

Previous to walking the floor we heard from someone who works on robot development. When presenting to us he mentioned the effect Chinese ownership was having on the market. China is developing robots that outperform KUKA’s robots in certain dimensions, and also some being cheaper. This is seen as a threat to KUKA, as the Chinese market is starting to take over European production. There are companies who would rather purchase a Chinese robot. 

KUKA is seen as a Tier 1 supplier. This means they work directly with automakers like Ford Motor Company or Volkswagen. Instead of selling parts, KUKA may design and install an entire robotic assembly system for a factory. Because of the downturn in the automotive industry KUKA is affected internally. Since the production of cars has slowed down, the need for KUKA’s services has also slowed down. This has resulted in them getting less contracts and slower production.