A company is awarded a large contract. The production requirement for each month increases but the company has no room and employees with experience or additional hours in the day. The addition of a second shift could help temporarily, but it may be a source of new labor and training, supervision, and quality control requirements.
Image credit: automatedsolutions.com.au
Situations like this reveal an important purpose of robotic automation. Robotics doesn’t just mean replacing human beings with machines. If it is used correctly it can transform the way companies use the capacity they already have.
Look at the time that passes between the products
Manufacturing inefficiency isn’t always significant. For instance, suppose an operator is spending 15 seconds positioning a component after which another 10 seconds are spent applying the material, and a few seconds moving it to the next process. On one piece, the difference seems insignificant. The seconds add up when multiplied by thousands.
It is the same with wasted material. A small amount of excess coating or dispensing material that is multiplied over a large-scale production run could result in a significant expense.
Before deciding on the equipment that they require, businesses looking into robotic automation Australia can gain from analysing these small losses. AAS’s Needs Analysis aims to pinpoint bottlenecks, as well problems with quality, waste and other process constraints which could affect an automation project.
A Robot must be able to integrate the Process Around It
The choice of a robot is just one option in the engineering process. It might be necessary to add tooling, guarding and controls sensors as well as conveyers, fixtures electronic integration and communication to the production equipment already in place. Engineers must consider reach and payload while also making decisions about how the robot will move through its work area and interact with everything around it.
ASA offers concept development, system design and offline programming as part of its approach to robotic automation. The digital simulation allows engineers to to explore the possibilities of configurations, estimate cycle time and allow them to test the system prior to it becoming operational on the customer’s floor. It is particularly helpful when there’s a finite amount of space or the new robotics requires integration with the production line.
Dispensing and painting demonstrate why Replicability is Essential
Some manufacturing processes illustrate the benefits of controlled movement particularly well. Imagine applying a coating on hundreds of parts. It’s not enough to finish each component in a short time. From the beginning of production to the end the speed, movement of the machine, the distance and the application have to be managed.
ASA has experts working on painting and dispensing solutions across a variety of industries, including automotive and aerospace. In these industries, industrial robotic automation can provide repeatable, programmed movements and reduces exposure of employees to potentially dangerous processes.
Better control may also reduce the unnecessary use of materials, leading to less waste, as well as productivity improvements.
Even after the installation the system requires users
Automation can’t replace the manufacturing know-how. Automation alters the knowledge required to operate and maintain the manufacturing process.
Employees must be taught to operate equipment with care as well as to spot abnormal behavior as well as troubleshoot components that are malfunctioning and carry out necessary maintenance. The processes and procedures are able to be changed later if the production needs alter.
ASA offers training on-site including programming, safety troubleshooting, mechanical and electric maintenance. The company offers servicing and assistance for assessing the condition of equipment and taking care to address wear and tear throughout the life of the system.
Capacity is more than just making work faster
For Australian producers, expanding capacity doesn’t necessarily mean purchasing more space or adding labor to repetitive processes. It is sometimes better to ask if the production procedure could be altered.
ASA has been working on and the integration of automation solutions since 2002, assisting manufacturers in Australia as well as projects around the world. The approach combines needs analysis Engineering, simulation, FANUC robot integration, training, and servicing.
Automation isn’t the goal. A system worth investing in must provide the manufacturer with measurable results, which include better production reliability, higher quality, safer procedures as well as reduced waste or a higher capacity.