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.”
Responses