A manufacturer wins a major contract. The monthly production needs increase but the company doesn’t have more space, employees with experience, or extra hours during the day. While adding a second shift could temporarily aid, it might be the cause of additional labor, supervision, training and demands for quality-control.
Image credit: automatedsolutions.com.au
Situations like this reveal an important purpose of robotic automation. Robotics isn’t only about replacing humans with machines. It is able to transform the way that manufacturers utilize their existing production capacity.
Examine the Seconds That Disappear Between Products
Manufacturing inefficiency doesn’t need to be a major issue. An operator could spend 15 minutes putting the part in place, then 10 seconds applying materials, then a couple of seconds moving it to the next step. For one part it’s not much of a difference. When repeated thousands of times the seconds are an enormous amount of production time.
It’s the same for waste materials. The addition of a tiny amount of extra coating or dispensing materials throughout a massive production run could result in a significant expense.
Before deciding on the equipment that they need, businesses considering robotic automation Australia could benefit from analyzing the tiny losses. The analysis conducted by ASA’s Needs Analysis is designed to find bottlenecks, issues with quality, waste as well as other limitations to process that can affect an automation project.
A Robot Has to Fit the Process Itself
Selecting a robot is only one decision in engineering. Guardings, tools, controls sensors, conveyors and fixtures could also be required. Engineers should consider reach and payload while also making decisions about how the robot is going to move through its space and interact with the environment around it.
ASA’s approach to FANUC robot automation is to use concept development and system design including CAD Simulation, offline programming. Digital simulation lets engineers explore configurations and estimate cycles before the system can be put in operation in the factory of the customer’s. This is especially useful when there are space constraints or if new robotics need to be integrated with existing production lines.
Painting and dispensing show why the importance of repeatability is evident.
Certain manufacturing processes illustrate the importance of controlled movements. Imagine applying a protective coating to hundreds of parts. The ability to finish components in a short time is the desired outcome. It is important to control the speed, distance and the movement of every component from the beginning to the very end.
The ASA specialists are skilled in dispensing and painting across various industries such as automotive and aerospace. In these industries, industrial robotic automation provides regular, programmatic movements and decreases the risk of exposure for employees to physically challenging or potentially hazardous processes.
The elimination of waste and the improvement in productivity could be achieved through better management.
Even after the installation the system requires people
Automation does not eliminate the need for manufacturing expertise. The skills needed to operate, maintain and run the process change.
Employees should be able to detect abnormal behavior and identify problems, as well as carry out the correct maintenance. Programs and processes are able to be changed later if production requirements change.
ASA offers training on-site in safe operation, programming and troubleshooting, in addition to maintenance of electrical and mechanical systems. Additionally, the company provides maintenance as well as ongoing support to evaluate the condition of equipment and to address problems that arise over the system’s operational time.
Capacity Is About More Than Working Faster
Increased capacity for Australian manufacturers doesn’t always require the purchase of a larger building or adding more labor to repetitive processes. One of the best questions to ask is whether the existing production process can still be improved.
ASA has been working on and integrating automation systems since 2002. It has assisted companies in Australia as well as projects in other countries. Its method combines the analysis of requirements, engineering, simulations, FANUC robotic integration training, as well as servicing.
Automation isn’t the main goal. A system worth investing in should offer a manufacturer measurable results, including increased reliability of production, improved quality, more secure procedures as well as reduced waste or a higher capacity.