Jeet Kothari
Dr. Maloney
4th Block
2/2/15
Smart Animation
In the TED Talk spoken by Andrew McAfee, he talks about our world becoming a more science fiction world than actual human jobs. The reason why machines have now started to take jobs is because unlike the 60s-90s- where machines like computers were run by humans-, now machines can talk, walk, and interact; they are like ¾’s human. Even though our abundance/output is growing and our prices are decreasing, the number of jobs, and therefore wages, are going down. 30 years ago, an uneducated person and an educated person had similar lives. Now, our education decides our destiny. Machines are now giving uneducated people inequality, not opportunity, by taking their jobs. The awareness of this is and will continue to grow, and this may give uneducated people an opportunity, and not inequality.
The 3 camps of manufacturing:
· “Manufacturing doesn’t matter” camp: For these people, which are many, manufacturing is not a critical piece of American economy; it is not a major part because of the economy being based on knowledge and services, rather than manufacturing. Countries like China and Japan manufacture.
· “Manufacturing does matter” camp: For these people, manufacturing is very critical and important for the future. They believe the reason why manufacturing is not considered important by America is because of how expensive it is in this country with tax rates, health care, legal reform, etc.
· “Manufacturing matters” camp: This group of people believes that manufacturing will continue to lead and drive the US Economy, despite the costs. With better and safer factories, and intelligent machines, the economy can grow.
Wall Street Journal
Recently, the Wall Street journal wrote an article about advanced manufacturing. They give an example of an engineer who owned a 170 million dollar factory. Around midnight, he received calls and texts from the factory giving a warning of a power outage due to a heavy storm. Rather than going to the factory like he would have 10 years ago, he fixed the problem using his iPad in real time and without leaving his room. Other than just convenience, this technological innovation creates a “computer-driven manufacturing environment that bears little resemblance to the gritty and grimy shop floors of the past.” The revolution is an example of a renaissance in the American manufacturing industry. 3d printing is another excellent example of a revival in the industry. Engineers can model designs and print them just as easily as one would print a document at a home printer.
Would you fly in an automated plane? Article summary
This article was on the actual smartmanufacturing.com site, so it wasn’t too elaborate or too long, however I was still fascinated by it. The article discusses the several benefits of automated airplanes, including no silly accidents. Automated planes could be more efficient, cost- effective and safer down the road. However, this brings an ethical question just like all automated jobs: shouldn’t there be some things that should left for humans as well?- and this is the biggest controversy that is delaying the new machine era to begin.
The Smart Manufacturing Summit: Automation and information
Keith Nosbusch, CEO of Rockwell Automation, said that the combination of automation and information. Unlike the previous article that I summarized, there was an actual two page article for this one. In the article, Nosbusch explains how Ford has become more efficient with robots, but more importantly, with supply chain, assembly line, and a redesigned plant floor. Unlike most people who either reject or accept the idea of future automation, this particular person was in the middle, which fascinated me. With informed and educated people and advanced technology and machines, our society can advance even more.