GM Hooking 30,000 Robots To Internet To Keep Factories Humming (bloomberg.com)

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Bloomberg: General Motors has connected about a quarter of its 30,000 factory robots to the internet, and the largest U.S. automaker already is reaping the benefits of less down time. In the last two years, GM has avoided 100 potential failures of vehicle-assembling robots by analyzing data they sent to external servers in the cloud, Mark Franks, director of global automation, said at a conference in Chicago on Monday. Connectivity is preventing assembly line interruptions and robot replacements that can take as long as eight hours. Internet monitoring allows GM to order parts when it detects they're wearing out instead of having to store them at the factory. That reduces inventory and saves money, Franks said. Hooking robots to the internet for preventive maintenance is just the start of a spurt of new robotics technology, Franks said. GM is using robots that can work safely alongside humans in the factory that produces the Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid, he said.

Comments

Why in hell?

[msauve]

Why would they "connect them to the Internet?" There have to be a very limited number of robot suppliers, why wouldn't they just have VPNs specific to each to handle these service needs? Going through the Internet via a secure VPN is very different than connecting to the Internet.

(having said that, it's more than likely that's exactly what they're doing, and the summary/article has simplified it to the point of just being wrong)

Re:Why in hell?

[msauve]

"If I was GM I'd rather have them talk out via (properly configured) HTTPS to the vendor at a fixed IP or range of IPs than setup a VPN to the vendor."

If you were you, you wouldn't have a clue about how an IPSec VPN actually works.

Re:MBA logic

[deKernel]

You can think the IRS for that kind of crap. The company will get taxed on the value of the spare parts in inventory at the end of the year.