Are exoskeletons for you? Manufacturing industries are increasingly turning to exoskeletons to ensure their workers are safer and perform tasks more efficiently. BMW was one of the first to introduce exoskeletons in the manufacturing environment. Last week, BMW’s Francesco “Frank” Pochiro teamed up with SCRA to discuss exoskeletons for industrial applications and unveil plans for a live EXO Demo.

When Francesco was first hired as an Innovation Manufacturing Engineer at BMW in 2012, the automaker was moving away from concrete flooring to having moving conveyor belts instead. Associates stand on the more ergonomic flooring as they install parts under vehicles that are moving along an overhead assembly line. The new flooring was easier on their bodies but presented another challenge that Francesco was tasked with solving.

Watch the recorded presentation to hear how his pursuit of the “Ironman suit” led to collaborations with EXO companies and helped expand this innovative technology into automotive manufacturing. Francesco also gives an overview of exoskeleton types, industry applications, efficacy studies, and ROI justification.

Want to try one on to see for yourself? SCRA Industry Manager, Catherine Hayes, wraps up this recording with information about the live EXO Demo planned for the South Carolina Manufacturing Conference and Expo, coming to Greenville November 11-12. Vendors are invited to participate and evaluate multiple commercial devices for specific tasks that simulate manufacturing working environments. Participants will also hear about the next steps to introduce and implement EXOs in the workplace. SCRA is providing financial and technical support to organize and de-risk the demo. For more information contact Catherine at catherine.hayes@scra.org.