Will AI replace Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers?
AI can do 2% of the work Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers do at least twice as fast. Real use has not caught up: none of their tasks show up in real AI use yet, but AI could speed up 1 of them. Robots can technically handle 24 physical tasks. 6 still need a person.
AI is already doing this0 · 0% of time
People already use AI for these tasks in real work, based on Anthropic's analysis of how Claude is used.
- Real AI use has not reached any of this job's tasks yet.
AI could do this next1 · 2% of time
AI can speed these up by at least half, but real use has not caught up yet. These are next in line.
- Read service guides to find information needed to perform repairs.2% of time
Robots can technically do this24 · 72% of time
Physical tasks that today's robots can perform in at least some settings. Robots are cost competitive for very few tasks so far, so this change moves slower.
- Inspect and test equipment to locate damage or worn parts and diagnose malfunctions, or read work orders or schematic drawings to determine required repairs.Robots: purpose built settings11% of time
- Reassemble repaired electric motors to specified requirements and ratings, using hand tools and electrical meters.Robots: purpose built settings9% of time
- Measure velocity, horsepower, revolutions per minute (rpm), amperage, circuitry, and voltage of units or parts to diagnose problems, using ammeters, voltmeters, wattmeters, and other testing devices.Robots: purpose built settings5% of time
- Scrape and clean units or parts, using cleaning solvents and equipment such as buffing wheels.Robots: purpose built settings5% of time
- Inspect electrical connections, wiring, relays, charging resistance boxes, and storage batteries, following wiring diagrams.Robots: purpose built settings4% of time
- Assemble electrical parts such as alternators, generators, starting devices, and switches, following schematic drawings and using hand, machine, and power tools.Robots: purpose built settings4% of time
- Remove and replace defective parts such as coil leads, carbon brushes, and wires, using soldering equipment.Robots: purpose built settings4% of time
- Rewind coils on cores in slots, or make replacement coils, using coil-winding machines.Robots: purpose built settings4% of time
- Maintain stocks of parts.Robots: purpose built settings2% of time
- Solder, wrap, and coat wires to ensure proper insulation.Robots: purpose built settings2% of time
- Lift units or parts such as motors or generators, using cranes or chain hoists, or signal crane operators to lift heavy parts or subassemblies.Robots: purpose built settings2% of time
- Weld, braze, or solder electrical connections.Robots: purpose built settings2% of time
- Reface, ream, and polish commutators and machine parts to specified tolerances, using machine tools.Robots: purpose built settings2% of time
- Adjust working parts, such as fan belts, contacts, and springs, using hand tools and gauges.Robots: purpose built settings2% of time
- Cut and form insulation, and insert insulation into armature, rotor, or stator slots.Robots: purpose built settings2% of time
- Verify and adjust alignments and dimensions of parts, using gauges and tracing lathes.Robots: purpose built settings2% of time
- Lubricate moving parts.Robots: purpose built settings1% of time
- Clean cells, cell assemblies, glassware, leads, electrical connections, and battery poles, using scrapers, steam, water, emery cloths, power grinders, or acid.Robots: purpose built settings1% of time
- Test equipment for overheating, using speed gauges and thermometers.Robots: purpose built settings1% of time
- Steam-clean polishing and buffing wheels to remove abrasives and bonding materials, and spray, brush, or recoat surfaces as necessary.Robots: purpose built settings1% of time
- Test battery charges, and replace or recharge batteries as necessary.Robots: purpose built settings1% of time
- Sharpen tools such as saws, picks, shovels, screwdrivers, and scoops, either manually or by using bench grinders and emery wheels.Robots: purpose built settings1% of time
- Hammer out dents and twists in tools and equipment.Robots: purpose built settings1% of time
- Seal joints with putty, mortar, and asbestos, using putty extruders and knives.Robots: purpose built settingsunder 1% of time
Still needs a person6 · 26% of time
No real AI use, no proven AI speedup and no robot that can do it yet. This is the part of the job to build on.
- Repair and rebuild defective mechanical parts in electric motors, generators, and related equipment, using hand tools and power tools.9% of time
- Disassemble defective equipment so that repairs can be made, using hand tools.6% of time
- Record repairs required, parts used, and labor time.5% of time
- Rewire electrical systems, and repair or replace electrical accessories.4% of time
- Set machinery for proper performance, using computers.1% of time
- Repair and operate battery-charging equipment.1% of time
Your week is not the average
Describe what you actually do and get a personal report: your own tasks, what AI can already do, what stays yours and a 90 day plan.
What this means
Little of this work suits AI. The bigger change here is robots: today's robots can technically do 72% of the working time, though they are rarely cheap enough to replace people yet.
What to do next
- Get ahead on the 1 task AI could do next. These move as tools improve, so learning them early pays off.
- Keep an eye on the 24 physical tasks robots can technically do. Cost keeps most robots out of work today, so this shift is slower.
- Build on the 6 tasks that stay human. This is where your judgment, skill and relationships matter most.
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