A company is awarded a significant contract. While the demands for production have grown, the plant does not suddenly have more floors or more experienced workers. It is possible to add another shift temporarily, but it may create new labor or training, supervision and quality-control regulations.
Image credit: automatedsolutions.com.au
Situations like this reveal an important purpose of robotic automation. It’s not just about replacing people with machines. It’s a tool that can alter the method by which manufacturers use their production capacity.
Examine the Seconds That disappear between products
Manufacturing inefficiency doesn’t need to be a major issue. Imagine a person spending 15 seconds looking for a particular component and then 10 seconds putting it into the material and several seconds moving it. On one piece the difference appears to be insignificant. Those seconds add up when multiplied by thousands.
This is also true of wasted material. A tiny amount of leftover coating or dispensing material multiplied in a production run with a high volume could result in a significant expense.
Companies that are thinking about robotic automation Australia will benefit by analyzing these tiny routine losses before they decide which equipment to buy. The analysis of needs by ASA aims to identify bottlenecks as well problems with quality, waste and other limitations to process that can affect the automation project.
Robots must be able to integrate into the process.
The choice of a robot is just one of the engineering decisions. It is possible to install tooling, protection and controls sensors conveyors, fixtures, electronic integration and communication to the production equipment already in place. Engineers need to consider reach and payload while also making decisions about how the robot can move around its area of work and interact with the environment surrounding it.
ASA provides concept development, system design and offline programming as part of its approach to robotic automation. Engineers can investigate system configurations and estimate cycle times before the finished system is installed in the factory floor. This is especially useful when space is limited or when a new robot needs to be incorporated into existing production lines.
Painting and Dispensing Show Why It’s Important to Repeat
Certain manufacturing processes illustrate the importance of controlled movements. Imagine coating hundreds, or thousands of parts. It’s not enough just to complete each piece quickly. It’s important to control the speed, distance, and the movement of every component from the beginning until the very end.
The experts at ASA are proficient in dispensing and painting across various industries including aerospace and automotive. Industrial robotic automation in these settings allows for reproducible movements as well as limiting the exposure of employees to physical demanding processes or procedures that could risk injury.
A better management of waste materials can also aid in productivity improvement by reducing the amount of unnecessary material used.
The System Still Needs People After Installation
Automation is not a complete solution to the requirement for expert manufacturing. Automation changes the skills needed for maintaining and operating the process.
Employees should be able recognize unusual behavior and resolve problems, as well as carry out the correct maintenance. Processes and programs can be adjusted later if the production needs change.
ASA offers training on-site covering safety, programming as well as troubleshooting techniques and mechanical and electric maintenance. The company offers servicing and support for checking the condition of equipment and addressing wear throughout the lifespan of the equipment.
Capacity is about more than just getting faster work done
For Australian manufacturers, increasing capacity doesn’t necessarily mean purchasing larger buildings or increasing the amount of labor required to perform repetitive tasks. One of the best questions to ask is whether the existing manufacturing process is able to be improved.
ASA has been developing and the integration of automation solutions since 2002. It provides support to companies in Australia and international projects. Its approach combines needs analysis, engineering simulation, FANUC integration, training and servicing.
Automation is not the goal. A worthwhile system should give the manufacturer something tangible in the form of more reliable production, consistent quality, safer methods, less waste or a greater capacity in the existing factory.