Hacker News Reader

Comment by foxfired | Hacker News Reader

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.

View on HN

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.

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.

Is Tesla model S was made to be manufactured on a "lights out" line, it will look like their Cybertruck.

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.

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...

It's called lights out cause the machines don't need lights, so why pay for them?

Is that true for computer vision based robots? Or do they use lidar or something?

It's less of a literal concept and more of a figurative one. The factory floor would certainly be fully lit.

An LED lamp should be sufficient.

filelog: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lights_out_(manufacturing)

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.

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...

That man was something else.

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.

I imagine there are certain times where you end up redesigning the tube instead!

Reply on news.ycombinator.com