In this Automation World podcast we connect with Patrick Varley, industry marketing manager for robotics at Mitsubishi Electric Automation, to explore the world of smarter machine tending via robotic assets to overcome labor and skills shortages. Patrick details the increasing awareness among smaller manufacturing enterprises about the benefits of robotic employees that, unlike some human counterparts, don't require extensive training and then just walk out the door. Finally, we explore the robots-as-a-service approach (rent-a-robot) that delivers fully programmed robotic machine-tending programs at zero CapEX.