All this power costs money. While Johnson won't provide specific pricing details, he does say that a smaller, less powerful model, the R-2000cB, is roughly $85,000. The M-2000iA will cost several times that. The Titan costs between $225,000 and $230,000. Despite the price tag, the robots help factories reduce costs and increase productivity, their makers say. If customers suddenly prefer one car model more than another, the factory can simply install new software in a robot designed for flexibility rather than replacing the specific hardware needed for each model. The robots also increase human safety by removing workers from risky areas, such as pouring molten metal into castings to make engine blocks. Replacing humans with robots might not sit well with those who stand to lose their jobs, but Johnson says not to worry. "The robots still need technicians to monitor and repair them when they break," he said. When programmed correctly, the robots are so safe that you could strap a human to the end of one, he added. Two humans, in fact. KUKA added two seats, a hood, and a 20-inch flat screen to its 1,100-pound model to create the Robocoaster. The only Robocoaster in the United States is at Legoland in Carlsbad, Calif. KUKA plans to equip the larger Titan with a similar "entertainment" package. As to the ousted champion, Johnson said Fanuc could build a bigger, stronger robot, but only if they could sell it to customers. Beaupre said KUKA has no plans to develop a robot stronger than the M-2000iA. "The title isn't everything," said Beaupre. "We have a robot to sell as well." Related Links: |
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