AI is reshaping nearly every sector and industry. So, it was fitting that NFL Hall of Fame running back Emmitt Smith appeared at the annual FABTECH show in Chicago this week to emphasize the importance of coming to terms with change.
“It’s our attitude towards change that really limits our possibilities,” said Smith during his keynote presentation.
FABTECH draws as many as 45,000 professionals in manufacturing, metal fabrication, and welding. They come to see the latest offerings from more than 1,700 vendors and attend four days of technology sessions. The prevailing theme of this year’s event is AI-driven automation. Whether attendees like it or not, change is a-coming, and AI is driving it.
Smith recounted stories from his storied career about how a former coach moved him from quarterback to running back when he was young, how he temporarily failed to make the first team in college, and how he adjusted after retiring from the NFL to start a new career.
“Change happens to all of us; you don’t know what’s on the other side,” he said. “When facing change, you need to broaden your game and prepare for opportunities.”
Traditional skills are not enough
The FABTECH audience welcomed Smith’s message; they are facing a transformation snowstorm involving collaborative robots (cobots), automation, and AI. Traditional skills still matter, but they are no longer enough.
Scott Sawyer, co-founder and chief scientist at Paperless Parts, has spent years developing software to help fabricators and manufacturers digitize and optimize time-intensive processes such as quoting and estimating. Now, he must upgrade everything to incorporate AI into his product line.
“AI may be overhyped, but it is the most important innovation in decades,” Sawyer said. “Manufacturers need to understand that AI is a technology, not a solution. It takes industry expertise to transform it into an effective solution.”
Sawyer outlined AI use cases in manufacturing, including computer aided design/manufacturing (CAD/CAM), design iteration, augmented reality headsets, and process control/optimization. His company also uses AI to identify requests for quotes (RFQ) and their many attachments and specifications to organize them more efficiently.
“AI can help your front office surface objective information faster so you can make informed decisions,” Sawyer said.
Find ways for AI to help workers – not replace them
Why cobots failed at this factory
Denise Stafford, business development manager at industrial robot manufacturer KUKA, shared her insights on cobots in the workplace. She recounted how Stanley Black & Decker invested $90 million in an all robot/cobot/automated factory for tool production with no human workers.
The factory ultimately failed because robots could not replicate the nuances of manual human actions required in tool manufacturing. She used this case to highlight the importance of balancing grand visions from leaders, managers, and innovators with input and involvement from the shop floor.
“Respect and value your shop floor people and make them co-owners of new technology like AI and cobots,” said Stafford. “Instead of being slaves to the robots, find ways how they can help existing workers to learn and to make their jobs easier and more enjoyable, such as taking over tedious, repetitive, or dangerous tasks.”
Humans are critical for decision-making, troubleshooting, problem-solving
Craig Ulrich, chief executive officer of industrial automation firm Acieta, argued that the role of AI is to enhance human workers, not replace them.
“The human plus automation and AI is the perfect combination,” he said. “People are still needed to handle complex decisions, troubleshooting, and problem solving.”
Ulrich recommended directing AI at high-turnover roles to reduce hiring burdens and advised companies to distinguish carefully between tasks that can and cannot be automated. He added that because automation is not one-size-fits-all, working with an experienced integrator is preferable to off-the-shelf implementations due to the specialist expertise required.
“Know your product and process deeply if you want to effectively implement automation and incorporate AI,” said Ulrich. “Not all manual tasks have the ability to be automated so you need to set realistic expectations.”
AI successes in manufacturing
Kate Brown, partner for manufacturing data and analytics at Wipfli, also covered some of the ways to avoid AI and automation failures. But she emphasized the many successes that are already manifesting.
According to her data, those investing more than 20% of revenue in technologies like AI and automation are 23 times more likely to acquire other companies, 18 times more likely to remain profitable, and generate $40,000 more per employee.
Brown cited one client that had continual trouble with machinery breakdowns. Predictive maintenance and the addition of sensors inside the equipment lowered unplanned downtime by 30% and reduced maintenance costs by 20%, boosting output and customer satisfaction. AI agents powered by Microsoft Copilot technology were used as part of this solution.
“This area is one of the fastest and easiest on the shop floor to gain ROI from AI,” Brown said. “Think big, start small, and then scale fast.”
Brown gave another example of a company worried about its future due to a key employee planning to retire. AI agents transcribed videos of the employee going through his duties and explaining his areas of expertise in detail. AI changed the videos into documents and summarized them. The company’s database of procedural documents and policy were scanned and included in the AI database. This made it easier to transfer knowledge from a retiring person’s mind into the hands of several replacements who could then more easily assume those duties.
Brown’s final example involved a complex billing process that tied up personnel time. AI handled most of the data collection, saving each biller 200 to 300 hours a month.
“Agentic AI can alleviate a lot of manual effort, but a person still has to review its findings and recommended actions,” said Brown.
Read eWeek’s coverage about the top 10 jobs at risk of being replaced by AI. Kezia Jungco writes, “Jobs at higher risk of automation are concentrated in industries like manufacturing, healthcare, and customer service.”
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