A robot dog and a high-speed laser scanner are helping Ford capture accurate as-built documentation on its facilities in a matter of hours instead of weeks.
Meet Fluffy, the quadrupedal robot dog that is helping Ford Motor Co. create a digital map of its Van Dyke Transmission Plant in Sterling Heights, MI. Equipped with a high-speed RTC360 laser scanner, Fluffy captures high-quality scan data that is used by engineers to develop new vehicle programs and more accurate facility layout. “These cutting edge technologies allow Ford Motor Company engineers to save money, retool facilities faster and bring new vehicles to market sooner,” says Mark Goderis, digital engineering manager.
RELATED: See how digital remote manufacturing lets you access your plant anytime and from anywhere.
Watch the video to see Fluffy in action.
Read the following stories for more detail:
Fox News – Ford Unleashes Robot Dog to Update Factory
The Detroit News – Meet Fluffy: Ford Trains Robotic Dog to Map Its Plants
Detroit Free Press – Ford Sending Robotic ‘Fluffy’ to Van Dyke Transmission Plant
Mashable – Oh, Nothing, Just Ford’s Robot Dogs Roaming the Factory Floor
Motortrend – Fluffy the Human Slayer? Nah, It’s Just Ford’s Robot Factory Dog
A new integration of Leica Geosystems’ RTC360 technology onto Boston Dynamics agile mobile robot Spot makes it possible for any plant to take advantage of the benefits of digital remote management.
LEARN MORE >