Cost justification at the heart of smart factory success

Advanced robotics and digital technology are steadily making their way to the factory floor, improving production processes and working conditions across the automotive industry. For some, the endgame is a 'lights out' factory—a fully automated production operation that needs no human workers to function. The journey towards this point will require major disruptions in terms of workforce responsibilities, plant layout, equipment, connectivity, artificial intelligence (AI), etc. For today's robotics vendors that can integrate effectively with some of these transformative technologies, the journey will prove a lucrative one.