I Told You So

[JohnDB]

That all depends. In the 80's I used to fix medical equipment for home and institution use. I enjoyed the job. Eventually technology got to the point those things didn't break any longer, and the producers sold products with a 3 year warranty. As far as the company was concerned, after 3 years, the product was worth 0 dollars. Eventually they had no need for me any longer and I was out of a job.

I get what you are saying...
But as many "robots" as I have worked on I can tell you that they can always redesign a robot but they aren't going to be able to redesign the robot repairman...and robots can be made as obsolete as you like...still going to need someone to diagnose the problem and replace worn out parts and sensors and limit switches. Moving machinery will always break down.

Look at the sheer volume of HVAC repair tech jobs are out there...
Those systems aren't supposed to break down either...they aren't exactly disposable like a microwave either. But for some reason they sure do need a bunch of them year around. Hmmm.

Wright Industries is just one robotics manufacturer that makes robots for the paper industry... usually involving the corrugated paper. They aren't going broke anytime soon.
Chipmakers use a lot of robotics too...and boy howdy does China want those machines...but those robotics manufacturers aren't going broke anytime soon either...their stocks are soaring. (They also have a service department)

I don't get involved in printed circuit board repair...that's a complete waste of time and money. An amplifier is the size of a grain of rice and requires a steadier hand than I own to replace...I toss the board and replace it... almost "plug and play". But knowing when to replace the board or when to keep digging...that takes a lot of knowledge that can be taught...but it isn't taught in college.

It does require a very strong foundation in mathematics though...same logic thought patterns are utilized.
(And knowing which side of each type of the screwdriver to hold)

This stuff comes with being a snot nosed kid on the job while going to trade school...and yes...it's not an "easy education" filled with cramming for tests followed by drunken frat parties. It's uncomfortable the whole time. Going to class and reading after a long physically demanding day on the job while I yell at you trying to hurt your feelings all day long.

But at the end... you too can be a primadonna setting your wages. No matter what new robot gizmo they come up with next.

 

[hadit]

I get what you are saying...
But as many "robots" as I have worked on I can tell you that they can always redesign a robot but they aren't going to be able to redesign the robot repairman...and robots can be made as obsolete as you like...still going to need someone to diagnose the problem and replace worn out parts and sensors and limit switches. Moving machinery will always break down.

Look at the sheer volume of HVAC repair tech jobs are out there...
Those systems aren't supposed to break down either...they aren't exactly disposable like a microwave either. But for some reason they sure do need a bunch of them year around. Hmmm.

Wright Industries is just one robotics manufacturer that makes robots for the paper industry... usually involving the corrugated paper. They aren't going broke anytime soon.
Chipmakers use a lot of robotics too...and boy howdy does China want those machines...but those robotics manufacturers aren't going broke anytime soon either...their stocks are soaring. (They also have a service department)

I don't get involved in printed circuit board repair...that's a complete waste of time and money. An amplifier is the size of a grain of rice and requires a steadier hand than I own to replace...I toss the board and replace it... almost "plug and play". But knowing when to replace the board or when to keep digging...that takes a lot of knowledge that can be taught...but it isn't taught in college.

It does require a very strong foundation in mathematics though...same logic thought patterns are utilized.
(And knowing which side of each type of the screwdriver to hold)

This stuff comes with being a snot nosed kid on the job while going to trade school...and yes...it's not an "easy education" filled with cramming for tests followed by drunken frat parties. It's uncomfortable the whole time. Going to class and reading after a long physically demanding day on the job while I yell at you trying to hurt your feelings all day long.

But at the end... you too can be a primadonna setting your wages. No matter what new robot gizmo they come up with next.

Automation doesn't replace all jobs, but it does make workers far more efficient, requiring a mere handful to do what used to take thousands. Look at auto manufacturing. At one point, there were thousands of workers on the assembly lines, putting on bolts, welding joints, etc. Now a relative handful can crank out the same amount or more cars than those thousands ever did, and with better quality.

 

[JohnDB]

Automation doesn't replace all jobs, but it does make workers far more efficient, requiring a mere handful to do what used to take thousands. Look at auto manufacturing. At one point, there were thousands of workers on the assembly lines, putting on bolts, welding joints, etc. Now a relative handful can crank out the same amount or more cars than those thousands ever did, and with better quality.

They don't really need the handful...the union went on strike to keep the handful...

I don't see that working in the future.

 

[Grumblenuts]

But at the end... you too can be a primadonna setting your wages.

The first step is taking the plunge and advertising despite likely having zero confidence in your business success and acumen. By doing, learning occurs naturally and opportunities present themselves. But the most important thing l learned by far was never undersell yourself. You're permanently screwed the moment you do. Shit happens causing your profits to always be less than you can anticipate. Always charge what seems way too much to you, then perhaps negotiate down to something more reasonable from there -- or -- yell "YEEHAW!" and start charging a lot more if you already get too many takers.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

I get what you are saying...
But as many "robots" as I have worked on I can tell you that they can always redesign a robot but they aren't going to be able to redesign the robot repairman...and robots can be made as obsolete as you like...still going to need someone to diagnose the problem and replace worn out parts and sensors and limit switches. Moving machinery will always break down.

Look at the sheer volume of HVAC repair tech jobs are out there...
Those systems aren't supposed to break down either...they aren't exactly disposable like a microwave either. But for some reason they sure do need a bunch of them year around. Hmmm.

Wright Industries is just one robotics manufacturer that makes robots for the paper industry... usually involving the corrugated paper. They aren't going broke anytime soon.
Chipmakers use a lot of robotics too...and boy howdy does China want those machines...but those robotics manufacturers aren't going broke anytime soon either...their stocks are soaring. (They also have a service department)

I don't get involved in printed circuit board repair...that's a complete waste of time and money. An amplifier is the size of a grain of rice and requires a steadier hand than I own to replace...I toss the board and replace it... almost "plug and play". But knowing when to replace the board or when to keep digging...that takes a lot of knowledge that can be taught...but it isn't taught in college.

It does require a very strong foundation in mathematics though...same logic thought patterns are utilized.
(And knowing which side of each type of the screwdriver to hold)

This stuff comes with being a snot nosed kid on the job while going to trade school...and yes...it's not an "easy education" filled with cramming for tests followed by drunken frat parties. It's uncomfortable the whole time. Going to class and reading after a long physically demanding day on the job while I yell at you trying to hurt your feelings all day long.

But at the end... you too can be a primadonna setting your wages. No matter what new robot gizmo they come up with next.

You take me back to my younger days when I went to electronics school. So glad I dropped out after a few months. I was talking with my teacher and asked what kind of money I could make after I get my (then) FCC license. He said about 16K a year. Once again I asked what about if I get my associates degree? He replied 18K a year. I said shit, I make more than that now! So I left

He knew why I was there and it was because of my job as a repairman. He said if you're coming here to learn how to repair electronics, you are in a dying field. There won't be any electronic techs in the future because everything will be throw away. This was around the time when wave soldering came out, and he said boards will be much cheaper to replace than having somebody trying to figure out what's wrong on the board itself. His advice to me is if I was going to stay in school, get an engineers degree or don't waste my time. He was correct.

Anything with moving parts (such as an AC unit compressor and such) will need repair people. But as time moves on, they will simply find more and more ways to make things last longer. The problem today is that it's difficult to buy quality stuff in the US. GE used to be the best but because of quality, couldn't come close to competing with cheaper quality products. I bought a Curtis Mathis television when I got my first apartment in 1980. If it's still around, it's probably still working. Buy a Maytag washer and dryer? You never needed a repairman for 20 years or more. GE is nothing like they used to be, and Curtis Mathis and Maytag are out of business.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

If not for the latest tax cuts and our $2 trillion dollar search for WMDs that weren`t there the debt would be less. The Republicans had their way and put a totally unnecessary $4 trillion on the credit card. We also filled 4,400 body bags with American soldiers but only the money is important, right?

While I was not much of a supporter of the Iraq war, you seem to think only Republicans waste money. Did you take a look at what's in the last two bills Democrats passed? Did you take a look at what's in this new one? They are all Democrat pork bills.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

It went up $8 trillion under Trump. If they don't get paid they steal what you have. Whatever.

Yes it did but how much did it go up when we had a Republican House? Remember Trump presided with two different parties in congressional power. Trump even refused to sign one of the bills until the very last day shutting down the government. And who does the media blame every time the government shuts down, the Democrats?

 

[pknopp]

Yes it did but how much did it go up when we had a Republican House? Remember Trump presided with two different parties in congressional power. Trump even refused to sign one of the bills until the very last day shutting down the government. And who does the media blame every time the government shuts down, the Democrats?

Obama got blamed for it. It's why he wouldn't do it again. The debt went up a few trillion in Trump's first two years.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

Obama got blamed for it. It's why he wouldn't do it again. The debt went up a few trillion in Trump's first two years.

DumBama never got blamed for anything. The MSM blamed it entirely on the Republicans in Congress. But now you're trying to tell me that the Democrats didn't pass any spending bills forcing Trump to sign them?

 

[JohnDB]

You take me back to my younger days when I went to electronics school. So glad I dropped out after a few months. I was talking with my teacher and asked what kind of money I could make after I get my (then) FCC license. He said about 16K a year. Once again I asked what about if I get my associates degree? He replied 18K a year. I said shit, I make more than that now! So I left

He knew why I was there and it was because of my job as a repairman. He said if you're coming here to learn how to repair electronics, you are in a dying field. There won't be any electronic techs in the future because everything will be throw away. This was around the time when wave soldering came out, and he said boards will be much cheaper to replace than having somebody trying to figure out what's wrong on the board itself. His advice to me is if I was going to stay in school, get an engineers degree or don't waste my time. He was correct.

Anything with moving parts (such as an AC unit compressor and such) will need repair people. But as time moves on, they will simply find more and more ways to make things last longer. The problem today is that it's difficult to buy quality stuff in the US. GE used to be the best but because of quality, couldn't come close to competing with cheaper quality products. I bought a Curtis Mathis television when I got my first apartment in 1980. If it's still around, it's probably still working. Buy a Maytag washer and dryer? You never needed a repairman for 20 years or more. GE is nothing like they used to be, and Curtis Mathis and Maytag are out of business.

I took a tour back in the 70's of Hewlitt Packard...they were already having machines then load boards and by the 80's they had them floating on solder leaving the solder perfectly in each spot....now they have these multiple layer boards and I'm clueless as to how they work with the soldering.

But most definitely anything with moving parts is going to break. And if it requires limit switches and sensors they are going to really have problems.

Kitchens and robotics are not compatible with each other. The salt and liquids alone will corrode any number of components. Then there's the pests...they will get into the machinery as well... you really ought to see a pet food plant...I hate going there.

Anyplace that makes stuff is going to have breakdowns...and a manager somewhere screaming to get it back up and running.

 

[Osiris-ODS]

It’s definitely too much for the individuals who can’t, won’t, or don’t understand and comply with such simple requests as “no pickles”.

Almost 30 years ago I worked in a McDonalds restaurant for about 90 days. I truly saw the lowest common denominator of the American work force…

these people needed a visual aid to assemble a hamburger. Milkshake mix had to be labeled by color rather than flavor. Cashiers had to have the register count coins for them.

I personally invite and embrace the robots if they can speed things up and get my order right.

You nailed it. Skip to 0:30. Classic!

 

[Grumblenuts]

I took a tour back in the 70's of Hewlitt Packard...they were already having machines then load boards and by the 80's they had them floating on solder leaving the solder perfectly in each spot....now they have these multiple layer boards and I'm clueless as to how they work with the soldering.

Simples, the inside layers aren't soldered. The traces are chemically etched instead. Then they smash them all together in a hot press, then trim and populate the boards, finishing up with wave solder on just one side.

 

[JohnDB]

Simples, the inside layers aren't soldered. The traces are chemically etched instead. Then they smash them all together in a hot press, then trim and populate the boards, finishing up with wave solder on just one side.

That sounds cool...

 

[Anathema]

You nailed it. Skip to 0:30. Classic

Yep. It’s the lowest form of service industry employment. If you can’t get hired or can get fired from there, you are truly unemployable by my standards.

 

[pknopp]

DumBama never got blamed for anything. The MSM blamed it entirely on the Republicans in Congress. But now you're trying to tell me that the Democrats didn't pass any spending bills forcing Trump to sign them?

No one could force Trump to do anything.

 

[Grumblenuts]

That sounds cool...

It's really not. I misspoke with "instead." The tech is likely far advanced now, but I'm just referring to back in the 80's. Single layer boards are normally etched on both sides. To make the multilayer ones then they'd just etch one of each board and smash them together like I said. The phenolic areas would bond together with just some heat and pressure. Creating select feedthroughs was the only real challenge far as I recall. It was a dirty, smelly business.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

No one could force Trump to do anything.

The media did it several times. Can you name me one government shutdown or threat of government shutdown that they blamed the Democrats for?

 

[pknopp]

The media did it several times. Can you name me one government shutdown or threat of government shutdown that they blamed the Democrats for?

I already noted this. It's why it only happened once.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

I already noted this. It's why it only happened once.

Really? So do you have any evidence to support it?

 

[pknopp]

Really? So do you have any evidence to support it?

Yeah, it never happened again.