Jim Rock, Seegrid’s CEO, recently discussed the banner year in automotive manufacturing with over 17.5 million vehicles sold in the U.S. That doesn’t mean the industry is without challenges, though. Automakers are beginning to feel the effects of an increasingly competitive market as an influx of tech companies enter the automotive game, embracing big data to identify and solve problems, and touting a “fail fast” mentality that enables the quick production of innovative new products.
According to Rock, automotive manufacturers ahead of the Industry 4.0 curve have embraced big data and flexibility within their plants as a means of innovating ahead of the competition. Traditional automakers and tech companies alike are investing in flexible, data rich technologies like vision guided vehicles (VGVs) to autonomously transport parts and other materials throughout their facilities.
Ahead of many other machines on the factory floor, VGVs themselves are sensors that accurately and consistently capture performance data. VGVs provide auto manufacturers with valuable insights into plant workflows, including predicting maintenance needs before equipment breaks and tracking parts as they move through the supply chain. Importantly, VGVs are 100% flexible, which means automakers can use the same vehicle to perform different functions on different shifts or in different facilities as processes change and organizations grow.
Automotive manufacturers are seeking ways to simultaneously embrace big data, stay flexible, and continue to innovate ahead of fellow automakers and new competition from Silicon Valley. The race to be the automaker of the future will depend on their ability to achieve all three – faster than everyone else.
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About Seegrid
Seegrid (www.seegrid.com), the pioneer and leader in three-dimensional vision navigation, provides unique and revolutionary automation technology for materials handling. Engineered with state-of-the-art Seegrid Vision, industrial trucks are transformed into the next generation of AGVs: vision guided vehicles (VGVs). VGVs navigate without wires, lasers, magnets, or tape, and deliver unmatched flexibility. Designed for simplicity and reliability, the Seegrid flexible automation solution is offered in a line of pallet trucks and tow tractors. Seegrid’s vision guided vehicles were featured in the Wall Street Journal.
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Experience the maximum benefits of VGVs with Seegrid Supervisor to manage, monitor, and control a fleet of vehicles in context of your operation. Generating economic advantages and operational efficiencies, VGVs optimize workflow processes, increase productivity and throughput, and optimize labor and operating costs. An award-winning organization, Seegrid is experiencing significant growth both in employees and clients. Multi-billion dollar organizations focused on lean manufacturing best-practices are turning to the Pittsburgh-based robotics leader. From large automotive operations to retail distribution centers, Seegrid VGVs are advancing the reality of a Fork Truck Free approach. VGVs improve workplace safety, reduce equipment and product damage, and deliver a rapid return on investment. Seegrid customers include: Whirlpool, Kohler, Walgreens, Volvo, and 3M.
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Company Name: Seegrid Corporation
Contact Person: Amanda Merrell
Email: pr@seegrid.com
Phone: (412) 621-4305
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City: Pittsburgh
State: PA
Country: United States
Website: www.seegrid.com