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A comment on Playstation's secret weapon: a nearly all-automated factory. Parent comment

Re:Playstation's secret weapon: a nearly all-automated factory by foxfired on Monday July 06, 2020 @12:50PM (#23749769)
There is a interview of Elon Musk with MKBHD. He was precisely referring to this as being one of the issues when they were trying to automate the pipeline. The machines just couldn't plug a loose tube in its place. Maybe they should have consulted with Sony.
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Re:Playstation's secret weapon: a nearly all-automated factory by Retric on Monday July 06, 2020 @01:30PM (#23750282)
Tesla tried it because the technology was mostly ready back then. The difference is a PlayStation has vastly fewer cables, far simpler routing, and problems can more easily be fixed. People can physically pick up a PlayStation diagnosis the problem and then put it back, try to do that with a car.
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Re:Playstation's secret weapon: a nearly all-automated factory by rootusrootus on Monday July 06, 2020 @02:38PM (#23751184)
Also, Sony has to hit a much lower price point, and they made about 10x as many consoles last year as Tesla made Model 3s. Both of those seem like they'd make the automation ROI better for Sony.
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Re:Playstation's secret weapon: a nearly all-automated factory by baybal2 on Monday July 06, 2020 @01:54PM (#23750650)
Is Tesla model S was made to be manufactured on a "lights out" line, it will look like their Cybertruck.
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Re:Playstation's secret weapon: a nearly all-automated factory by filoleg on Monday July 06, 2020 @02:20PM (#23750973)
What does "lights out" mean here? Is it a way to describe a nearly fully-automated production line?

If that's the case, then aren't they using it for Model 3/Y already? If yes, then I have to disagree with you, because neither of those cars look anything like Cybertruck, even stylistically.

EDIT: thanks for explanation in the replies, it makes sense. If anyone has any additional insight as to how it affects production lines that are, let's say, 90% automated and 10% manual, your contribution would be heavily appreciated.

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Re:Playstation's secret weapon: a nearly all-automated factory by tantalor on Monday July 06, 2020 @02:26PM (#23751047)
The pure definition of “lights out” refers to a fully automated facility where human hands never touch a product during the entire manufacturing process. In theory, a true lights-out plant would operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with downtime only for routine maintenance or repair.

https://www.assemblymag.com/articles/94982-lights-out-automa...

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Re:Playstation's secret weapon: a nearly all-automated factory by pstrateman on Monday July 06, 2020 @02:30PM (#23751090)
It's called lights out cause the machines don't need lights, so why pay for them?
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Re:Playstation's secret weapon: a nearly all-automated factory by belltaco on Monday July 06, 2020 @02:43PM (#23751255)
Is that true for computer vision based robots? Or do they use lidar or something?
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Re:Playstation's secret weapon: a nearly all-automated factory by TacticalTable on Monday July 06, 2020 @03:01PM (#23751468)
It's less of a literal concept and more of a figurative one. The factory floor would certainly be fully lit.
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Re:Playstation's secret weapon: a nearly all-automated factory by jonny_eh on Monday July 06, 2020 @05:09PM (#23752781)
An LED lamp should be sufficient.
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Re:Playstation's secret weapon: a nearly all-automated factory by Dork1234 on Monday July 06, 2020 @02:25PM (#23751035)
filelog: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lights_out_(manufacturing)
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Re:Playstation's secret weapon: a nearly all-automated factory by sprafa on Monday July 06, 2020 @01:08PM (#23749954)
I think what Elon learnt from that experience is that manufacturing things is hard, and that building that knowhow and ability to both build and troubleshoot robot factories like this one is not something you do overnight, even if you hire the best engineers.

Basically it’s unlike software and that might be where he stumbled.

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Re:Playstation's secret weapon: a nearly all-automated factory by SkyMarshal on Monday July 06, 2020 @02:42PM (#23751240)
Andy Grove used to talk about this a lot - that manufacturing know-how does not come easily, and that continuous improvement and innovation in manufacturing depends on continuing to actually do it.

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/26/opinion/andy-groves-warni...

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Re:Playstation's secret weapon: a nearly all-automated factory by barrenko on Monday July 06, 2020 @04:51PM (#23752605)
That man was something else.
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Re:Playstation's secret weapon: a nearly all-automated factory by blackrock on Monday July 06, 2020 @05:17PM (#23752852)
It sounds like an engineer can assemble or design another robot to do this specific task. Then you’d have to clamp down that loose tube afterwards.

Maybe with the AI vision recognition systems being developed now, that such a robot will become available in the future.

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Re:Playstation's secret weapon: a nearly all-automated factory by aahhahahaaa on Monday July 06, 2020 @11:22PM (#23755381)
I imagine there are certain times where you end up redesigning the tube instead!
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