It’s no secret that the folks at ATI are quite enthusiastic about robots. We absolutely LOVE to explore new ways to make them more flexible and productive—no matter the brand, size, or payload. We don’t make robots, but we have to be experts in them to provide the best robotic solutions.
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In this edition, of #weloverobots, we hear from Matthew Dockstader, Product Manager for ATI Material Removal Tools. Matthew's expertise lies in developing and implementing innovative material removal solutions and collaborating with cross-functional teams to ensure high-quality products. His leadership, technical proficiency, and customer-centric approach have established him as a driving force in advancing industrial automation technologies.
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Interviewer: So Matthew, tell us about your first experience with robots?
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MD: My first experience with robots was during college. I had an internship at Altec, which makes bucket trucks. On their manufacturing floor, they had these big welding robots for some of the largest and heaviest parts that were too difficult to manage by hand. There were laser cutters, plasma cutters, and massive machining centers, but the welding robots stood out to me. Even behind the welding screens, you could still see how much faster the robot was than a skilled welder at finishing the welds on a large and complicated part that could be awkward to reach for a person.
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Interviewer: What do you love about the industry?
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MD: To me, the most exciting thing about robotics and automation is that there's always something new. The nature of robotic manufacturing is that it is flexible and adaptable to so many different applications. It's exciting to see new ideas and innovations become more mainstream as well. Everyone in the industry is excited to show off and it really is a great community where so many different companies and components need to come together to create success.
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Interviewer: What excites you about the future of robots?
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MD: What excites me about the future of robotics is all the work being done to break down the barriers to entry into automating deburring, grinding, and sanding processes. For example, Gray Matter Robotics and Titan Robotics have developed sophisticated scan and sand automated systems that do not need any “traditional” robot programming by the end user and are easy to understand and use in the production environment. Companies like DIY Robotics and Kane Robotics are also building standard deburring and sanding cells that are much more approachable to small and medium sized companies instead of needing fully customized robotic automation. So many people are working on how we can further the use of robots and automation to complete dull, dirty, and dangerous tasks and help upskill the jobs we’re asking people to do.
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There you have it, folks! The passion for robotics and automation burns bright in the entire ATI team. Keep an eye out for future stories to learn more about "why" #weloverobots.
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