Our Manufacturing Business Unit in Bellville recently acquired its first robotic welder. The robotic welder can weld tubes to boilers in a horizontal position. This was previously a labour-intensive and time-consuming procedure in the vertical position. This new welding technology promotes safer working conditions for our factory staff whilst delivering time and cost-effective products to our customers. This acquisition is the first foray into fully automated welding and will allow the business to experiment with future use of this technology elsewhere in the factory.
A competition was held to name the robot to commemorate this momentous occasion. There was not only just one but THREE winners! The three winners independently chose the same name – “BUMBLEBEE”. Aside from the immediate association with the Transformers movie character most of us are familiar with, Gavin Skorbinski submitted the following thought-provoking motivation for the new moniker:
Bumblebees are the friendliest of the bee species that live in small colonies serving their queen. Thus, bees are associated with community, faith and devotion to service, whilst every day exploring greater sources to produce the fruit of their labour. The bee has a strong work ethic and symbolizes hard and smart work. They are also associated with wealth, good luck and prosperity. Throughout the modern and ancient world the bee is known to be a symbol of wisdom, birth, rebirth and industry.