ROBOTIC SOLUTIONS

To the Editor: Plastics products are associated primarily with high-volume production and increasingly, at least in developed nations, associated with high levels of automation. But much of the automation in the plastics manufacturing sector is inflexible and designed for products for which an apparently endless lifetime was predicted. Further, traditional automation is not aimed at handling the new kinds of materials pushed by cost and environmental drivers.

The speed with which new products and designs are now brought to market, however, has caused many to shudder at both the costs and the technical challenge of maintaining competitiveness. Changing high-volume production lines often means much more than simply investing in new, albeit expensive, tooling. Often, entire manufacturing functions have to be altered.

The trends are new materials to replace metal and glass, for more advanced and appealing design and to reach weight reduction and cost reduction, which yields environmental effects. New processes involve long fiber injection (LFI) for production of fiber-reinforced glass to improve impact strength to replace car side windows. To keep up with the new production trends more-flexible automation is needed for handling and processing the advanced products.

Fixed automation systems can leave a manufacturer floundering and at risk of being overcome by aggressive competitors. Investment in proven 21st-century manufacturing technology is a must, but the most cost-effective way to do this is to increase throughput, quality, flexibility, and reliability—a daunting prospect. That is, until the potential of high-speed, high-accuracy, high-reliability modern robots is considered.

Unquestionably, the most versatile constituent in manufacturing remains the human being, but today's robots are capable of doing pretty much anything a human can do. But, it requires humans to make the decision to deploy the robots to stay ahead of the rest.

Tore Lindstrom
Vasteras, Sweden

Editor's Note: The author is segment manager in ABB's Robotic Plastics Division.

ENTHUSIASM FOR OPPORTUNITY

To the Editor: I'm a mechanical engineering student at Cairo University in Egypt. I see that the C students are more active and participate in student activities such as the ASME Section or other student organizations ("Creative Impulse," September).

I noticed that the reason is to gain more experience and to find some points to be added in their C.V.'s in order to find good job opportunities. The A students depend on their high grades to find a good job, so they participate less in such activities.

I think a combination of both will be good for any company—the enthusiasm of the C students and the creativity of the A students.

Mohamed Samir
Cairo, Egypt