Japanese auto parts maker drives change with AI

Tier-1 auto parts manufacturer Musashi Seimitsu is innovating with highly intelligent autonomous mobile robots across 35 global manufacturing facilities, starting with plants in Battle Creek, Michigan, Arthur, Ontario, and San Luis Potosi, Mexico.

 

The robots will feature an AI-led solution called MAESTRO from Japanese developer 634AI, part of the SIXAI group. The MAESTRO-orchestrated robots will help automate Musashi’s operations, which supply parts to the world’s top auto and motorcycle manufacturers. The solution features a control tower that provides a bird’s eye view of the manufacturing floor and a central AI-powered processing unit that enables a fully coordinated operation–from tracking and tracing the movement of goods and equipment to identifying hazards and obstacles.

 

This new technology, said Musashi, creates a safer workforce, where robots carry out rigorous and repetitive tasks, while humans handle specialized jobs. The goal is to realize the vision of Industry 4.0, where robots and humans complement one another, freeing up employees to take on jobs that are more fulfilling. This marriage of man and machine will, it said, help solve the challenge of staffing shortages.

 

“The future is a hybrid job market with robots and AI working in harmony with humans,” said SIXAI Founder and CEO Ran Poliakine. “COVID-19 has exposed workforce and supply chain vulnerabilities and has revealed the need for better ways to serve humanity. However, well before the pandemic, we understood the importance of incorporating robots to address workforce shortages and advance manufacturing. What SIXAI and Musashi are doing today will increase productivity and safety in industries worldwide.”

 

The deployment of the new robots comes after two years of developing and testing MAESTRO in Musashi Seimitsu’s manufacturing facilities in Japan. The robots will be deployed in phases, first as a pilot, followed by ramped-up integration over the course of the next several years. They require low maintenance and cost less than competing models, making them an attractive choice for companies facing labor shortages and looking for cost-effective solutions.

 

“We have been heavily investing in automation and AI capabilities over the past few years, with a vision to create a more humane workplace where people no longer carry out tedious, repetitive, unrewarding tasks,” said Isaku Takeshi, CIO of Musashi Seimitsu. “634AI’s distinct approach for industrial floor management and control allows people and machines to effectively work side-by-side in a much safer environment. We look forward to a fruitful deployment of this next-generation technology across our global manufacturing sites.”

Share on facebook
Share on twitter
Share on linkedin
Share on pinterest
Share on whatsapp
Share on email

Discussion

Responses

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Founding Corporate Sponsor:

Media & Analyst Partnerships:

Contact

Membership & administration

forum co-founder

International Events Manager

© Copyright 2021. Business Innovation Leaders Forum. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy

SIGN UP TO ACCESS

Please enter your details below to access this content.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN THE BUSINESS INNOVATION LEADERS FORUM

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR FREE TRIAL MEMBERSHIP THROUGH TO 30th september 2023

We would like to send you more information about membership so please fill in your details below, and we will get in touch shortly. Meanwhile you can click the link below to explore the forum further.

BE INSPIRED TO INNOVATE!

RECEIVE OUR

Book of the Month*

The Serendipity Mindset: The Art and Science of Creating Good Luck

By Dr Christian Busch
Serendipity is an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident. To other people it looks like “good luck”, but it is more the ability to recognise and seize an opportunity, rather than have good fortune thrust upon one. Finding a wallet stuffed with money on the conference room floor is good luck, whereas holding it up and asking if anyone has lost their wallet might be the beginning of a valuable friendship – that would be serendipity.

Chance encounters, or strokes of fortune, feature in countless stories of business success. This book looks beneath the surface, reveals and teaches the mindset that can transform pure chance into opportunity. The author is director of the Global Economy Program at New York University’s Center for Global Affairs, and a lecturer at the London School of Economics.

Serendipity is an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident. To other people it looks like “good luck”, but it is more the ability to recognise and seize an opportunity, rather than have good fortune thrust upon one. Finding a wallet stuffed with money on the conference room floor is good luck, whereas holding it up and asking if anyone has lost their wallet might be the beginning of a valuable friendship – that would be serendipity.

The author says “This is a book about the interactions of coincidence, human ambition and imagination”. In the above example: finding the wallet is the coincidence; ambition is the desire to make something of the discovery; add imagination and you open up a whole menu of possibilities: from spending spree to earning a reputation for honesty – or even making a wealthy friend.

Business is typically forged on human ambition and imagination, but early success often feeds an appetite for control – and “control freaks” can be blind to the opportunities thrown up by the unexpected. They only see chance events as distractions. If plans go awry, they may blame the failure on “bad luck” rather than admit their own inflexible attitude.

The author himself admits to being “a German who is used to planning” and prone to feel anxious when something unexpected happens. That makes him an ideal teacher, because he has worked hard to discover and analyse the mindset that enables one to “connect the dots” and cultivate serendipity. He presents a goldmine of examples from science, business and life where an apparent mishap or failure lead to a breakthrough.

Indeed, studies suggest that around 50% of major scientific breakthroughs emerge as the result of accidents or coincidences. A well-known example is Alexander Fleming’s discovery of penicillin, launching the whole field of antibiotics. Other examples include X-rays, nylon, microwave ovens, rubber, Velcro, Viagra and Post-it Notes – where would we be without these!

The book goes beyond the ability to recognise and respond to opportunities in chaos, but the subtitle – The Art and Science of Creating Good Luck – is actually a bit misleading. True, he does show ways to develop better fortune, but it would be better to call it “inviting” or “encouraging” good luck. For example, he suggests better ways to start a conversation with a stranger – ways that will make it more likely to lead to chance connections or shared interests.

The publishers may have chosen the word “creating” to make the book appeal to the human desire to control – for control freaks are exactly the readership that would benefit the most from this book’s wisdom and practical advice.

For the rest of us, it offers a great way to rediscover the sense of play that is so important in life – and too often lost in business.

 

“Following the success of The Serendipity Mindset hardback, a paperback edition has also now been launched under the title “Connect the Dots”.

How to upload a file

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website More info.