Jim Thompson

Email Jim at jim.thompson@ipulpmedia.com

Last week we talked about organizational and protocol changes you could make to improve your maintenance efficiency. We focused on the tools necessary to do the maintenance function, i.e., turning wrenches, and reading volt meters.

I want to stay with the same functions this week but bring them to current times.

If you have been on a college campus recently, you may have seen Starship Technologies (https://www.starship.xyz) food delivery robots. Last spring, I saw several of these in line at a crosswalk waiting for the automobile traffic to clear on the Miami University Campus in Oxford, Ohio. Starship has competitors, but this seems like a good place to start.

About the size of a normal ice chest for picnics, the Starship could be outfitted for carrying small tools and small parts for maintenance work. Others are larger.

For many decades, the service trucks for telephone and cable lines have been dedicated to the driver, for the driver tends to organize the truck in their own way. Such a protocol could be followed with these robots as well.

Prior to the shift where a certain lead mechanic or electrician is going to work on certain jobs, the robot could be loaded with the proper tools by the tool crib/storeroom. Small parts could be loaded in other robots the same way. Then the robots are sent to an automatic charging station to assure full charge for the next shift.

The technician comes to work, walks by her robot and follows them to the job site. The removable iPad built into its lid is loaded with drawings, manuals and videos on how to do the job. Empty junk removal robots show up to take away worn out parts and dump them where appropriate.

Technicians focus on the highest value services they can provide; robots take over the low value work.

So far, we have talked about ground level work. High work can be conducted in the same way with drones. Such matters as house crane maintenance, maintenance around a secondary fourdrinier and so forth could engage drones doing the same tasks I described on the ground. Besides being more efficient, this reduces the danger of accidents from a technician climbing with tools or parts. As drones become more robust and incorporate more safety features, this will become routine.

Welcome to maintenance in the 21^st century.

Be safe and we will talk next week.

For an in-depth view, go here.

Study Guide: Modernizing Maintenance with Robotics and Drones

This guide provides a review of the concepts presented in the text "Stepping up the game" by Jim Thompson, which outlines a vision for integrating robotics and drones into modern maintenance operations to enhance efficiency and safety.

Short-Answer Quiz

Instructions: Answer the following questions in 2-3 complete sentences, drawing exclusively from the provided source material.

1. What is the central theme of the article, and how does it contrast with the topic discussed in the previous week?
2. Identify the specific company and product used as a primary example for ground-level maintenance robots. Where was this technology observed in action?
3. According to the text, what is the proposed workflow for preparing a maintenance robot for a technician's shift?
4. Describe the key features and tools a technician would find integrated with their assigned robot on the job site.
5. What is the fundamental principle behind integrating robots into the maintenance process, particularly concerning the division of labor?
6. How does the article suggest adapting the concept of robotic assistance for tasks that are not at ground level?
7. What are the two principal advantages of using drones for maintenance tasks in elevated areas?
8. Explain the protocol for organizing traditional service trucks and how this concept could be applied to maintenance robots.
9. What role do "junk removal robots" play in the proposed modernized maintenance workflow?
10. What conditions does the author state are necessary for the use of drones in maintenance to become "routine"?

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Answer Key

1. The central theme is bringing maintenance functions into "current times" by integrating modern robotics and drones. This contrasts with the previous week's topic, which focused on improving efficiency through organizational changes and the use of traditional tools like wrenches and volt meters.
2. The primary example is the food delivery robot from Starship Technologies. These robots were observed by the author on the Miami University Campus in Oxford, Ohio, waiting at a crosswalk.
3. Before a shift, the tool crib or storeroom would load a robot with the specific tools and small parts needed for a job. The robot would then be sent to an automatic charging station to ensure it has a full charge for the upcoming shift.
4. A technician's robot would be equipped with a removable iPad built into its lid. This iPad would be pre-loaded with drawings, manuals, and instructional videos relevant to the assigned job.
5. The fundamental principle is that technicians should focus on the highest value services they can provide. Robots, in turn, take over the low-value work, such as transporting tools and materials, thereby increasing overall efficiency.
6. For "high work," the article suggests using drones to perform the same tasks as ground-level robots. Drones could be engaged for maintenance around elevated equipment like house cranes or a secondary fourdrinier.
7. The two principal advantages of using drones are increased efficiency and improved safety. Drones reduce the danger of accidents that can occur when a technician climbs with tools or parts.
8. The text notes that service trucks for telephone and cable lines have traditionally been dedicated to a specific driver who organizes the truck in their own way. This same protocol could be followed with robots, assigning them to a particular lead mechanic or electrician for certain jobs.
9. In the proposed workflow, "junk removal robots" appear at the job site to take away worn-out parts. They are responsible for transporting this waste and dumping it in the appropriate location.
10. The author states that drone use in maintenance will become routine as the technology becomes more robust and incorporates more safety features.

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Essay Questions

Instructions: The following questions are designed for longer, more analytical responses. Formulate a comprehensive essay for each, synthesizing concepts and arguments from the source text.

1. Analyze the proposed shift in a maintenance technician's responsibilities. How does the integration of robots and drones redefine their role from performing all tasks to focusing exclusively on "high value services"?
2. Compare and contrast the traditional approach to maintenance (implied by the mention of "turning wrenches") with the 21st-century vision outlined in the text. Discuss the key changes in tools, protocol, and overall operational efficiency.
3. Using the examples of ground-level robots and aerial drones, explain the overarching strategy for automating "low value work" in a maintenance environment as described in the article.
4. Discuss the importance of the integrated iPad mentioned in the text. How does this digital tool complement the physical assistance provided by the robot to create a more efficient and informed technician?
5. The text suggests that drone use will become "routine" as the technology becomes more robust and incorporates more safety features. Based on the context provided, elaborate on the potential safety and logistical challenges that must be overcome for this vision to be realized.

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Glossary of Key Terms

Term Definition

Drones Unmanned aerial vehicles proposed for conducting maintenance tasks in high places, such as around house cranes, to improve efficiency and reduce the danger of accidents from climbing.

Fourdrinier Mentioned as an example of a location for "high work" where a drone could be used for maintenance (specifically, a "secondary fourdrinier").

High-Value Services The critical, skill-intensive tasks that technicians are best suited for and should focus on, while robots handle less complex, supportive work.

iPad A removable tablet device built into the lid of a maintenance robot, loaded with drawings, manuals, and instructional videos to assist the technician with their job.

Junk Removal Robots Specialized robots designated to show up at a job site to take away worn-out parts and dispose of them appropriately.

Low-Value Work The supportive, often logistical tasks (like carrying tools and parts or removing junk) that can be taken over by robots to free up technicians to perform more critical duties.

Starship Technologies A company that produces food delivery robots, cited as an example of a technology that could be adapted for maintenance tasks. These robots are described as being the size of a normal ice chest.

Tool Crib/Storeroom The central location responsible for loading the maintenance robots with the proper tools and small parts before a technician's shift begins.

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