Manufacturing is facing constant challenges stemming from labor shortages and disrupted supply chains to productivity declines and the high replacement and maintenance costs of legacy equipment. Trends today include equipment upgrades, e-commerce, a push for more robotics and automation and faster software and IIoT solutions.

At Ford’s Advanced Manufacturing Center, Javier is tasked with operating the 3D printers completely on his own. He is always on time, very precise in his movements, and he works most of the day – taking only a short break to charge up. This innovative robot on wheels from supplier KUKA, called Javier by Ford’s additive manufacturing operators, is integral to the company’s development of an industry-first process to operate 3D Carbon printers with an autonomous mobile robot rather than a fixed, stationary unit.