A manufacturer wins a major contract. The monthly production demands are increased, but the manufacturing facility hasn’t seen a sudden increase in floors, employees with experience or working hours during the daytime. While adding another shift may temporarily help, it could also create new jobs as well as training, supervision, and the need for quality control.
Image credit: automatedsolutions.com.au
Situations like this reveal an important purpose of robotic automation. Robotics goes beyond replacing people with machines. The right application can transform the way in which manufacturers make use of their capacity to produce.
Take a look at the seconds that disappear between products
Inefficient manufacturing may not be obvious. An operator could spend 15 seconds assembling the component after which 10 seconds are spent applying materials, and a few seconds more to move it to the next step. For one part the difference isn’t that significant. When repeated thousands of times however these seconds can create significant production time.
Wasted material is no different. A small amount of extra coating or dispensing material that is multiplied across a high-volume production run can become a meaningful expense.
Before choosing the equipment they require, businesses looking into robotic automation Australia will benefit from studying the tiny losses. The analysis provided by ASA is designed to reveal problems with quality and bottlenecks as in addition to the waste that can be a problem within a project.
Robots need to be able integrate into the process.
Robots are just one of many engineering options. The system may also need tooling, guarding, controls, sensors fixtures, conveyors electrical integration, and communication with the existing production equipment. Engineers should take into consideration reach, payload and how the robot is going to be able to move and interact within the surrounding.
ASA provides concept development, system design and offline programming as part of its method of robotic automation. The digital simulation allows engineers analyze configurations, estimate cycles times and test the system prior to making it in operation on the floor of the customer’s. This is particularly useful in cases of space limitations or if new robotics need to be integrated with the existing lines of production.
Dispensing and painting demonstrate why Replicability is Critical.
Certain manufacturing processes demonstrate the importance of controlled movements. Imagine covering hundreds of components. Making components faster is the goal. From the time of beginning production through the conclusion, the movement, speed of the machine, the distance and the application have to be controlled.
ASA’s specialists are experienced in dispensing and painting across various industries like aerospace and automotive. Industrial robotics automation in these areas can allow for repeatable movements while reducing the exposure of workers to physical demanding processes or procedures that could be hazardous.
Reduced wasted materials and an increase in productivity could be achieved through better management.
Even after installation the system will still require individuals
Automation doesn’t eliminate the need for manufacturing expertise. Automation transforms the skills required to maintain and operate the manufacturing process.
Employees need to know how to operate equipment safely, recognize abnormal behavior as well as troubleshoot issues and carry out the correct maintenance. The needs for production may change with time, which means that processes and programs will need to be adapted.
ASA provides on-site training covering programming, safe operation, troubleshooting, as well as electrical and mechanical maintenance. They also provide servicing as well as support for evaluating the condition of equipment, and dealing with wear throughout the lifespan of the equipment.
Capacity means more than just working faster
Increased capacity for Australian manufacturers does not necessarily require the purchase of a larger building or adding more employees to repeat processes. It’s sometimes more beneficial to inquire about whether the production procedure could be altered.
ASA has been working on and integrating automation systems since 2002, supporting manufacturers in Australia and projects internationally. The approach is a combination of needs analysis and engineering simulation with FANUC integration training, and service.
The goal isn’t to automate to achieve its own goals. Any system that is worth investing in should offer a manufacturer measurable results, which include better production reliability, higher quality, safer procedures with less waste, or a greater capacity.