Multi-actor perspectives on human robotic collaboration implementation in the heavy automotive manufacturing industry - A Swedish case study

Abstract

Implementing an industrial collaborative robot for Human-Robot Collaboration (HRC) in the automotive manufacturing industry is an emerging technology-driven solution aiming to increase production efficiency and reduce the human operator's ergonomic load. Successful implementation of innovative technology depends on technical feasibility and on the acceptance by the affected actors. Many studies exist that focus on the technical aspects of HRC, however, research that focuses on understanding the multi-actor concerns of HRC adoption is rare. In an effort to support the successful adoption of industrial collaborative robots, this study aims to understand the concerns of the various actors who work at the operational and management levels influencing future HRC adoption in the heavy automotive manufacturing industry.A literature review was conducted to understand the HRC implementation challenges and the methods used to investigate multi-actor involvement in advance of, and during, the implementation stage. After reviewing existing studies, the actor analysis method was selected to present the actors' perceptions using the action, factor, and goal (AFG) list to understand different actors’ opinions of HRC adoption, using a Swedish heavy vehicle manufacturing company case study.The case study results showed that the actors from the same organization had different concerns but mostly positive expectations for future HRC adoption. The actors’ perception map shows the details pertaining to Actions, Concerns, and Goals as well as the logical flow between these elements in regards to HRC future adoption. The involvement of different actor groups prior to new solution implementation contributes to a holistic view of potential implementation influences and challenges in the organization. Actor analysis can provide a set of analysis processes that comply with multi-actor perceptions to understand future adoption challenges from different perspectives. In the next step, safety-related issues and under-development standardization are the key challenges of HRC implementation.