Robots are losing ground in the plants of Mercedes

For years we have been hearing that the production lines of car factories are full of efficient robots capable of replacing human labour without any loss in the quality of the final product. At the height of the 21st century, the trend seems to be reversing, and the presence of workers on these lines is now valued more highly. At least, that is what is taking hold in car factories such as those of Mercedes.

This is not a widespread trend, at least for now. It applies to the assembly lines building models of the Clase S, because these are cars of a very high quality level, and robots are not able to carry out the most detailed work with the same precision as a human being.

The fact is that the Mercedes Clase S receives numerous changes in terms of customisation, so operators need to act quickly to change the assembly method. If a robot were to do this work, the unit would have to be reprogrammed to change its operating parameters. This takes a very long time, because of the uniqueness of the movement it must perform.

A human operator can receive the instructions needed to assemble a particular car configuration and do so without problems, because they adapt to the needs of each moment. Most tasks can be handled by robots, but these customisation tasks are more complex and require operators who adapt to the specific needs of each moment.

This explains why most companies dedicated to manufacturing high-end cars do not use robots, relying instead on people who specialise in this type of product and craftsmanship. Their work makes it possible to create an efficient system capable of delivering the highest quality. After so many years of hearing that robots are the future, it is curious to see how technology is once again being replaced by human skill.

Source | Mercedes