A manufacturing company wins a big contract. The production requirement for each month increases, but the factory doesn’t have more space, employees with experience, or more hours to work during the daytime. While adding another shift may temporarily aid, it might also bring new labor in the form of supervision, training, or quality-control needs.
Situations like this reveal an important purpose of robotic automation. Robotics doesn’t just mean replacing a person with an automated machine. If it is used correctly, it can change how manufacturers use the production capacity they have.
Image credit: automatedsolutions.com.au
Look at the minutes that vanish between products
Inefficient manufacturing isn’t always apparent. Suppose an operator spends 15 seconds arranging a part for 10 seconds, then another 10 seconds applying material, and several more seconds to transfer it to the next operation. On one piece the difference appears to be insignificant. When repeated thousands of times, these seconds can add significant production time.
The same is true for wasted material. The addition of a tiny amount of additional coating or dispensing materials across a large production run can result in an enormous expense.
The companies that are considering robotic automation Australia will gain from analyzing these small repeated losses prior to decide on the best equipment to buy. ASA’s analysis of needs is designed to pinpoint problems with quality and bottlenecks, as along with waste and other constraints during a project.
A Robot Must Fit the Process Itself
A robot is one of many engineering choices. Tooling, guardings, controls as well as conveyors, sensors and fixtures could also be needed. Engineers must take into consideration the reach of the robot and its payload as well as how it will interact with its surroundings and how it will move.
ASA provides concept development, system design, CAD simulation, and offline programming as part of its approach to FANUC robotic automation. Engineers can investigate system configurations and estimate cycle times before the final system is put on the floor of the factory. This is particularly helpful in situations where space is not available or new robotics must integrate into an existing production line.
The importance of repeatability in painting and dispensing
Some manufacturing processes demonstrate the importance of controlled movement especially well. Imagine coating hundreds, or thousands of components. It’s not enough to complete each piece quickly. It’s crucial to regulate the speed, distance, and movement of each component from the beginning until the very end.
ASA has specialists who work on paint and dispensing processes 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.
A better control system can also help reduce the unnecessary use of materials, leading to less waste, as well as productivity gains.
Installing the system is not enough. It is still necessary to have people to maintain it.
Automation can’t replace the manufacturing know-how. The capabilities required to operate, maintain and control the process evolve.
Employees need to know how to operate equipment safely and recognize any abnormalities as well as troubleshoot issues and carry out the correct maintenance. The production needs can change with time, which means that the processes and programs need to be adapted.
ASA offers training on site covering safety, programming, troubleshooting and mechanical and electrical maintenance. They also provide servicing and ongoing support to monitor the condition of the equipment and deal with problems that arise over the system’s operational life.
Capacity is more than working faster
For Australian manufacturers, increasing capacity doesn’t necessarily mean buying more space or increasing the amount of labor required to perform repetitive tasks. Sometimes the better question is whether the existing production process can be engineered differently.
ASA has created and integrated automation systems in Australia since 2002. We also assist with projects across the world. Its methodology combines the analysis of requirements as well as engineering, simulations FANUC robotic integration training, and also servicing.
Automation is not for the sake of it. A system that’s worth its weight in gold will offer tangible benefits to the manufacturer, like more reliable production, better quality manufacturing processes, and safer ones. It also means less waste.
