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      03-28-2014, 03:11 PM   #45
jadnashuanh
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Drives: 535iGT x-drive; i3 BEV
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ddk632 View Post
On top of 8000... will end up as 8800 total. Astute observation re: the additional people vs % of additional output. I hadn't thought of that, and you're right, it is quite amazing.
If you haven't had the opportunity to tour one of the BMW factories, you should try to make that happen. A huge amount of the vehicle is formed and assembled by robots. So, since they'll work 24-hour shifts without lunch or rest breaks, the more you can use them, the more stuff you can produce with fewer people to monitor the process. Even the welders can replace their own contact points when they wear out, so people are only needed to ensure the bin is full (and robots are doing some of that, too) and to reprogram them for enhancements or major maintenance (which doesn't happen often). So, fewer actual people are required, but their skill levels may need to be higher so they can adapt and service/monitor more things. Certainly, there are still some 'grunt' and/or monotonous jobs, but those are getting fewer and fewer as the robots and mechanization improve. And, you don't have to pay medical or retirement to a robot, so the initial costs are much more easily amortized which helps the bottom line, too.

The age of the dull, monotonous assembly line is expiring, at least in more advanced countries. At some point, those in China and other far eastern locales will see their work hours reduced, conditions improve, and life-styles enriched verses working 6-7 days and long hours, and the age of really cheap stuff will end, being replaced by still reasonable, highly automated assembly lines. Get a good education, either in a good trade school, or college, if you want to have a comfortable lifestyle; otherwise, you may only find a job at the local McDonalds.
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