A large contract is signed by the manufacturer. Although the monthly production requirements have risen, the manufacturing facility does not suddenly have more floor space or experienced employees. An increase in production for a short period might be possible, but an additional shift may bring new demands for labor education, supervision, training and quality control.
Image credit: automatedsolutions.com.au
This situation highlights a major need for robotic automation. Robotics isn’t only about replacing humans with machines. It could be utilized to alter the method by which manufacturers use their existing capacity for production.
Examine the Seconds That Disappear Between Products
Manufacturing inefficiency doesn’t have to be significant. Imagine a worker spending 15 seconds searching for a piece of equipment for 10 seconds, then applying the material, then several seconds transfer it. The difference might seem small for one component. It’s a lot when multiplied by thousands.
The waste material that is discarded is not different. A tiny amount of surplus coating or dispensing material multiplied throughout a production run that is high-volume can result in an expense that is significant.
Companies that are thinking about robotic automation Australia can benefit from looking at these small repeated losses prior to decide on the best equipment to buy. ASA’s needs analysis is intended to uncover bottlenecks and quality issues, waste, and other process constraints which could affect the automation project.
Robots should be able to integrate into the process.
Making a choice on a robot is only one engineering decision. It may be necessary to include tooling, guarding and controls, sensors and conveyers, fixtures, electronic integration and communication with the current production equipment. Engineers should take into consideration reach, payload and how the robot is going to be able to move and interact within its surroundings.
ASA provides conceptual development, system design, CAD simulation and offline programming as part of its approach to FANUC robotic automation. Digital simulation lets engineers test configurations and estimate cycle times before the completed system is operational at the factory floor of the customer’s. It’s particularly useful when there’s a finite amount of space, or when the new robotics requires integration with the production line.
Dispensing and painting demonstrate why Replicability is Critical.
The ability to control movement is particularly important in certain manufacturing processes. Imagine coating hundreds, or thousands of parts. Not just completing components quickly is the desired outcome. It’s important to control the speed, distance and movement of each component from beginning to at the very end.
The experts at ASA are proficient in painting and dispensing across different industries such as aerospace and automotive. In these environments, industrial robotic automation can provide repeatable programmed movement while also reducing employee exposure to physically demanding or potentially hazardous processes.
Reduced waste and improvement in productivity could be achieved through better control.
Installation of the system isn’t enough. It is still necessary to have people to take care of it.
Automation doesn’t eliminate the requirement for knowledge in manufacturing. The capabilities needed to manage, maintain and control the process evolve.
Employees should be aware of how to operate equipment safely, recognize abnormal behavior as well as troubleshoot issues and conduct the necessary maintenance. Programs and processes can be modified later on if production requirements alter.
ASA offers training on-site in safe operating, programming, and troubleshooting, in addition to maintenance of electrical and mechanical systems. They also provide servicing as well as ongoing support to evaluate the condition of the equipment and deal with wear over the system’s operating duration.
Capacity is more than just working faster
For Australian manufacturers, increasing capacity doesn’t necessarily mean purchasing larger buildings or adding labor to repetitive processes. One of the best questions to ask is whether the current manufacturing process could be improved.
ASA has been developing and integrating automation solutions since 2002. It provides support to the manufacturing industry in Australia, as well as international projects. Its approach connects needs analysis, engineering, simulation, FANUC robot integration Training, and servicing.
Automation is not the only goal. A good system will give manufacturers something tangible in the form of more reliable production, consistent quality, safer processes, lower waste or a larger capacity for the factory that it currently operates.