Boston Dynamics’ four-legged robot, Spot, has been hard at work since its 2019 release. From mapping factory floors at Ford to conducting safety inspections at Kia plants, Spot’s capabilities have been tested and proven in various industrial settings. Now, Spot is taking on a new role at a Michelin facility in Lexington, South Carolina, where it’s tasked with inspecting tire manufacturing equipment.
In a recent video released by Boston Dynamics, Spot can be seen navigating the facility, diligently carrying out its duties. Equipped with a thermal camera, Spot meticulously scans 350 locations, searching for signs of overheating or other malfunctions that could potentially disrupt production.
The data collected by Spot is then processed using specialized software called Orbit, which allows technicians to analyze the findings and identify any anomalies. This early detection system is crucial for preventing equipment failures, potentially avoiding costly downtime and production delays.
Wayne Pender, a reliability manager at Michelin, emphasizes the importance of preempting equipment failures to maintain optimal efficiency. He describes the arrival of Spot as a “Christmas present,” as the robot allows them to proactively address potential issues before they escalate.
Ryan Burns, another reliability manager, highlights the time-saving benefits of Spot’s inspections. He explains that Spot frees up human technicians from the repetitive task of manual inspections, allowing them to focus on more complex problem-solving and maintenance tasks.
“From a technician standpoint, Spot going out and doing these routes eliminates a mundane task that humans are doing,” Burns said. “By Spot finding these anomalies and these issues, it gives the technician more time to go out and plan and schedule how they’re going to fix the problem versus going out, identifying, then trying to plan and schedule everything.”
Michelin’s ambition to deploy more Spot robots underscores their belief in the technology’s potential to further optimize their inspection procedures and improve overall efficiency. With its advanced capabilities and proven track record, Spot seems poised to play an increasingly prominent role in the future of industrial automation.