The kids and I took a tour of the Leatherman factory today. I have to say it was amazing to see the tools being cut and polished and put together into the final product. Samuel of course took his Leatherman and was excited to compare his with the different pieces we were shown along the tour. I had no idea Leatherman made pruning shears! I would say the highlights of the tour for us were the robotic arms and the polishing stones- they put different metal pieces in these large metal vats. There were different types of stones in the vats, depending on the type of polishing being done. The large vats were shaking up the rocks and polishing the pieces of metal found inside, like giant rock polishing machines!
Truly amazing what the robotic arms could do- moving pieces over and over, polishing, cutting, shaping. Our guide told us humans used to do the jobs the robotic arms now performed. I couldn't imagine. She added that the humans doing those jobs usually lasted just 3-4 years until their joints were worn out from repetitive stress.
Of course the skilled workers who assembled different parts of the Leathermen were amazing as well- assembling eighty Leathermen per hour- think of that! Eighty! Our guide told us that she could assemble one Leatherman, possibly, in an hour, and poorly at that. Imagine! The thing I marvelled at while watching them assemble the Leathermen was that they appeared calm in their assembly- they were not rushed or harried seeming at all.
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