A significant contract is won by an industrial manufacturer. The monthly production demands are increased, but the manufacturing facility does not suddenly gain floor space, experienced employees or working hours during the daytime. Adding another shift might help in the short term, but it could create new labor as well as training, supervision and quality-control demands.
Image credit: automatedsolutions.com.au
Situations like this reveal an important purpose of robotic automation. Robotics isn’t only about replacing human beings with machines. A good application could change how manufacturers use their production capacity.
Check out the minutes that vanish between products
Inefficiency in manufacturing doesn’t have to be noticeable. Imagine that an operator has spent 15 seconds positioning a component and then 10 seconds putting it in materials, and then several seconds to transfer it to the next operation. For one part it’s not much of a difference. Those seconds add up when multiplied by thousands.
The same is true for wasted material. A small amount of excess coating or dispensing material that is multiplied across a high-volume production run can result in an expense that is significant.
The businesses that are looking into robotic automation Australia will gain from studying these small, repetitive losses before they decide on the best equipment to buy. The needs analysis conducted by ASA is designed to find bottlenecks and quality issues, waste and other process constraints which might affect an automation plan.
The robot has to fit the procedure around it.
A robot is one of many engineering options. The system might also require tools, guarding and controls, sensors, conveyors, fixtures, electrical integration, as well as communication with existing production equipment. Engineers should consider reach, payload and how the robot will move and interact in its environment.
ASA offers conceptual development, design of systems and offline programming in its approach to robotic automation. Engineers are able to explore configurations for the system and calculate cycles prior to when the finished system is installed in the factory floor. This is particularly helpful when space is constrained or when new robotics need to be integrated into an existing production line.
Painting and Dispensing demonstrate why Repeatability Matters
Some manufacturing processes demonstrate the benefits of controlled movement particularly well. Imagine coating hundreds or even thousands of parts. The final result doesn’t come from completing each component quickly. The distance, movement, speed, and application need be controlled starting from the beginning of the production process until the point of completion.
ASA has experts who work on dispensing and paint applications across industries, including automotive and aeronautics. In these settings, industrial robotic automation offers predictable, controlled movements. It also reduces employee exposure to physically challenging or potentially hazardous processes.
Better control may also reduce the unnecessary use of materials, leading to a reduction in waste and productivity gains.
The System Still Needs People Even After Installation
Automatism isn’t a substitute for manufacturing knowledge. It requires new skills for operating and maintaining the manufacturing process.
Employees must be taught to operate equipment with care and to recognize abnormal behavior as well as troubleshoot components that are malfunctioning and perform necessary maintenance. Production requirements may also be changed, which means the processes and programs could require modifications later.
ASA offers on-site training in safe operation, programming and troubleshooting, in addition to electrical and mechanical maintenance. The company provides servicing as well as support for evaluating the condition of equipment, and dealing with wear throughout the system’s lifetime.
Capacity Is About More Than Working Faster
For Australian producers, expanding capacity doesn’t mean purchasing a larger building or continually increasing the amount of labor required to perform repetitive tasks. Sometimes, the most important thing to consider is whether the current manufacturing process can be designed differently.
ASA has been developing and the integration of automation systems since 2002, supporting companies in Australia as well as projects across the globe. Its methodology combines analysis of needs with engineering, simulations FANUC robotic integration and training as well as maintenance.
Automation is not for its own sake. A system worth the gold it’s worth should provide measurable benefits to the manufacturer, like better production reliability, better quality manufacturing processes, and safer ones. It also means less waste.