Manufacturers Turning to Robotics in Response to Labor Shortage
With workforce shortages becoming a critical issue, manufacturers in New Hampshire are increasingly integrating robotics and automation to meet production demands. Manufacturing, the third-largest sector in the state, faces significant challenges from an aging workforce with many skilled workers retiring. Robotics has emerged as a vital solution, especially in applications related to material handling, machine tending, and inventory management.
Key Advantages of Automation in Manufacturing
Automation is transforming manufacturing today by promising greater efficiency, consistency, and safety. These robotic systems can undertake both industrial robot tasks and collaborative robots that are monotonous, dirty, and hazardous to human workers. With this development, manufacturers are improving production quality and speed, freeing workers for more challenging tasks with added value. For example, industrial robots undertake other mundane activities, such as palletizing, while cobots contribute to tasks like inventory counting.
Robots: Increasing Workforce Productivity, Not Replacing Workers
But even as fears persist that automation is stealing jobs, most experts maintain that robots augment, rather than replace, human employees. Robotics technologies are created to enhance productivity, remove workplace hazards, and support workers with repetitive tasks. According to Tony Fernandez of NH Manufacturing Extension Partnership, robots are about ensuring a safer, more productive work environment and do not reduce the need for skilled human labor.
Training and Education: Encouraging the Next Generation into Robotics Engineering
With the increased demand for robotics in manufacturing, educational institutions are stepping up efforts to train the next generation of workers. Plymouth State University offers the state's only four-year robotics degree; community colleges offer focused curricula in industrial automation and mechatronics. These programs focus on the technical training that will help students design, operate, and maintain robotic systems, a growing need in manufacturing.
The Role of Robotics in New Hampshire's Manufacturing Ecosystem
Several companies in New Hampshire, like Hypertherm, Cirtronics, and AutoStore, have embraced robotics to enhance production efficiency and handle growing market demands. For example, Hypertherm utilizes automation to reduce waste and ease workers from ergonomically challenging tasks. AutoStore’s warehouse solutions, which replace traditional aisles with automated systems, have seen significant growth, contributing to the state’s automation boom.
Growing Importance of Automation in the Local Economy
Automation adoption is not a fad but a strategic response to workforce challenges, and it's driving growth in the state's manufacturing sector. As robots have become more affordable and accessible, businesses are increasingly investing in these technologies. NHMEP's data shows that 70% of companies are increasing investments in technology, and half of the companies in New Hampshire plan to automate within the next five years.
Building Industry Partnerships for Workforce Development
To keep pace with evolving industry needs, educational institutions and manufacturers are forming partnerships to ensure that curricula are aligned with the latest technological advancements. At Lakes Region Community College, students are enrolled in industrial automation and robotics programs tailored to meet local manufacturing demands. These collaborations are essential in positioning students for careers in automation while helping the state address its workforce shortage.
The Future of Robotics and Automation in New Hampshire
With robotics and automation continuing to be the face of the future in manufacturing, New Hampshire is cementing its status as a hub of technological innovation. Manufacturers in New Hampshire are positioning themselves for success in a skilled labor-scarce environment by investing in advanced automation systems and robotics education. The state's focus on robotics and automation is key to maintaining its manufacturing leadership amidst an ever-changing industrial landscape.
