Robots Keep a Dallas Factory Running (No Quarantine Needed)
In a Texas town where COVID has rattled most businesses, All Axis Machining has turned to eight small, agile robots to keep the metal‑working shop humming.
What These Tiny Tinkerers Do
- Machine‑tending
- Sanding & deburring
- Part inspection
- Laser marking
With these bots doing the heavy lifting, owner Gary Kuzmin can rely less on hand‑on labor. When every worker on a shift had to quarantine the other day, the shop simply shifted a few supervisors to monitor the robots. “No spindle downtime whatsoever during the pandemic,” Kuzmin says.
Industry Trend: Robots to the Rescue
From small workshops to large plants, automation is becoming the go‑to solution for maintaining output while keeping staff safe. A survey by PriceWaterhouseCoopers found half of CFOs planning to accelerate automation.
What This Means for Low‑Paid Workers
But the shift toward robotics raises concerns as the U.S. grapples with high unemployment. Routine, low‑skill jobs are among the first to go automated, sparking worries over job displacement.
“It’s simply the most productive thing on our hands,” Kuzmin says. “I can’t walk past a machine without thinking how I’d automate it.”
Doubling Productivity Since 2018
Since July 2018, All Axis has doubled its output with the same team. Without the robots, the company would have had to grow its 30‑person crew by 50% to keep up.
Expert Opinions
Jeremie Capron, research chief at ROBO Global, notes that the cost of running a factory without a robot now exceeds pre‑COVID levels.
Mark Muro of the Brookings Institution warns the automation wave will shrink jobs. “Technology’s cheaper and finance pressure intense, so we’ll cut staff to stay profitable.” Yet he stresses that boosting productivity must translate to more jobs, or economic activity could suffer.
Lower cost, faster payback
The Affordable AI Sidekicks That’re Turning Small-Scale Factories Into Futuristic Powerhouses
Why the “cobot” hype is no bluff
Picture this: a tiny, friendly robot that can get the job done, wiggle happily beside a human, and still pay for itself in mere months. That’s the promise of collaborative robots – or cobots – and it’s not just talk. Small- and medium‑sized businesses are jumping on the bandwagon because the cost is low, the payback is quick, and the learning curve is short.
Case in Point: All Axis Machining
All Axis Machining splashed the sky on an $85,000 (≈S$120,000) cobot – a hefty outlay if you’re a small shop, right? Wrong. Within five brutal months they sliced through that cost, and the robot kept the shop humming.
How they pulled it off? By letting the robot take on the night shift alone, leaving human staff to keep a safe distance, and avoiding pricey overtime or temporary hires.
Other Smart Choices on the Market
- Universal Robots (a Denmark-born titan now owned by Teradyne Inc.) offers a popular model for about $35,000. The typical payback? Three to four months.
- Both models are plug-and-play – no heavy engineering required.
- Training costs? Forget it. Your crew can learn how to rodeo a cobot in just a few hours, saving firms the hassle of hiring a full training squad.
Workmanship vs. Weight
It’s worth noting these little robots aren’t built to lift the earth’s biggest weights. Instead, they’re brawn‑free, human‑friendly partners designed for tasks you can imagine in a two‑person 3‑dim studio. They’re the go‑to lab tech when the world goes into social distancing mode.
Scaling Surge: DCL Logistics’ Rapid Response
DCL Logistics, a California‑based third‑party logistics company, heard the drumbeat of rising demand and decided to plug in robos. Instead of scrambling to bring in extra workers (featuring high safety risks), they set up cobots to handle a 30% spike in orders.
The payoff? 300% increase in productivity and a 60% boost in labor savings. A bold statement by Chief Revenue Officer Brian Tu that underlines the tech’s solid ROI.
Plan for expansion? The company is rolling out more units across its California and Kentucky facilities this year.
When the Shift Becomes a Dance Floor
At All Axis Machining, the new cobot has pretty much taken over the midnight marathon. The production line now runs three shifts, seven days a week, with the robot out there alone after hours—no inspector needed and no risk of a sneeze storm.
The result? Workers can keep a safe 30‑foot bubble between each other, reducing physical contact and boosting morale. Seeing this success, the owners are looking to automate their redundant gear as a next step.
Buzz Worth Your Attention
Owner Kuzmin runs a subsidiary that services robotics installations and has found that Dallas‑area manufacturers are buzzing to bring cobots into their factories. It’s a clean and cheerful solution to easier, safer, and faster production.
Economic uncertainty
Robots on the Rise: Companies Gear Up for the New Normal
Speak to any bustling manufacturing floor today, and you’ll hear the same two buzzwords echoing through the halls – social distancing and flexibility. Companies—big and small—are looking to Robots for a help‑out. And Universal Robots is in the thick of it, fielding questions from organizations eager to replace human touchpoints with robotic arms.
“It’s a Robot Frenzy”
“Some companies… are talking about dozens and dozens of robots,” says Joe Campbell, the senior manager of applications development at Universal Robots. It’s a true Robot boom, with businesses dreaming of entire production lines humming like a well‑tuned orchestra.
The Gloom of the Pandemic Shakes Investment Plans
But the zombie‑virus recession has kept many firms on the waitlist, sceptical about sinking fresh capital into shiny new machines when the future feels uncertain.
Case in Point: Tool Gauge’s Robot Story
In Tacoma, Washington, Tool Gauge is a pro aboard the metal and plastic parts space, crafting key components for the aerospace giant Boeing. The company had a grand playbook: add two mobile industrial robots to its existing fleet of two collaborative units (cobots) and ten traditional industrial robots. It felt like the perfect time for a tech‑upgrade.
Then the pandemic struck, knocking out Boeing’s Washington factories and slashing orders across the continent.
General Manager Jim Lee shared a quick update: “We put the robots on hold after the production shutdown at Boeing’s Washington state factories and an overall drop in orders.” It’s a reality check for many, but it’s also a reminder that the future of manufacturing remains open to innovation.
Takeaway
Whether you are running a small startup or a massive industrial titan, the spotlight’s on robots—screaming about adaptability, safety, and uptime. The pandemic may have slowed some steps, but it has not stopped the march of a robot‑rainy day. And if you’re ready to jump in, Universal Robots is ready to help you make the leap.
