Four years ago, when Boston Dynamics made its dog-like Spot robot ready for industrial use, it was predicted that this robot could make a difference in many industries. Spot has been tested in tasks such as mapping and security inspections in different factories from Ford to Kia. Now he takes on a new role at Michelin’s Lexington factory in South Carolina, USA. This factory is an important facility in tire and light commercial vehicle production.
The spot robot is used to perform regular equipment inspections in this factory. Based on the results of these inspections, Michelin aims to develop early warning systems in its production lines. Spot’s main task is to measure equipment temperatures and detect anomalies with the help of thermal cameras at 350 different points of the facility. In this way, overheating or other technical problems are detected in advance and disruptions in production are prevented.
Automatic inspection with thermal camera
Spot’s role at Michelin is not limited to automating routine inspections. Spot processes the data it obtains through software called Orbit, developed by Boston Dynamics. This software analyzes the collected data and presents it to the factory management. If the robot detects a malfunction or potential hazard, human technicians are dispatched to the site to investigate the situation and take necessary action. This process both saves costs and increases factory efficiency by minimizing human errors.
Ryan Burns, one of Michelin managers, states that the robot’s ability to undertake such repetitive and time-consuming tasks gives technicians the opportunity to focus on more important work. Burns thinks it would be beneficial to expand this automation offered by the robot with more Spot robots in the future. Thus, audit processes can be made more comprehensive and faster.
Boston Dynamics continues to continually improve Spot’s performance. The company is investigating how Spot can be used more efficiently in different sectors with such pilot projects. It is known that Spot can perform a wide range of tasks, from power plants to construction sites. Especially in dangerous or difficult to access areas, the use of the robot is critical to increase occupational safety.
The results obtained at the Michelin factory provide an important example of how robots can be used in industrial areas. In terms of both cost and efficiency, Spot offers a much more effective solution compared to manual inspection processes. It contributes to the digitalization process of factories, especially thanks to its IoT-based data collection and analysis capabilities.
It is anticipated that Boston Dynamics will take this technology even further and Spot will have a wider application area in the future. This high-tech robot shows how critical a role automation can play in the transition to Industry 4.0.