A manufacturer gets the contract for a significant amount. The production requirement for each month increases but the company isn’t equipped with more space or employees who have experience or additional hours in the day. A temporary increase in production is possible, but adding another shift can introduce new demands for labor training, supervision, and quality control.
These circumstances reveal an important reason for robotic automation. Robotics isn’t only about replacing humans with machines. When used in the right way it can alter how producers use the capacity they have.
Image credit: automatedsolutions.com.au
Check out the seconds that disappear between products
Inefficiency in manufacturing isn’t always so noticeable. Imagine that an operator has spent 15 seconds arranging a part and then 10 seconds putting it in the material, and a few seconds transferring it to the next process. On one aspect it’s not much of a difference. These seconds add up when multiplied by thousands.
Wasted material is no different. This is also true for the waste material.
The businesses that are looking into robotic automation Australia will benefit by analyzing these tiny loss, repeated ones before they choose the equipment they will purchase. ASA’s needs analysis is designed to find bottlenecks, problems with quality, waste and other process constraints that may affect an automation project.
Robots must be able to work with the system.
The choice of a robotics system is just one aspect of engineering. The system will also require guarding, tools and controls, sensors conveyors, fixtures electrical integration, and communication with the existing production equipment. Engineers should consider the robot’s reach and payload, in addition to how it interacts with its environment and move around.
ASA provides concept development, system design, CAD simulation, and offline programming as part of its approach to FANUC robotic automation. Engineers are able to explore configurations for the system and estimate cycles before the finished system is installed on the factory floor. That becomes particularly useful when space is constrained or when new robotics need to be integrated with a production line that is already in place.
Painting and dispensing show why Repetability is Important
Controlled movement is especially important in some manufacturing processes. Imagine coating hundreds or even thousands of components. The end goal isn’t simply finishing each part quickly. From the time of beginning production through the conclusion, the movement, speed and distance must be managed.
ASA has experts who deal in the field of dispensing and painting across industries, including automotive and aeronautics. In these environments industrial robotic automation can provide regular, programmatic movements and decreases the risk of exposure for employees to potentially hazardous processes.
A better control system can also help reduce the unnecessary use of materials, leading to a decrease in waste as well as productivity improvements.
The System Needs people after the installation.
Automation can’t replace the manufacturing know-how. It requires new skills to run and maintain the process.
Employees must be able to safely operate equipment be aware of abnormal behavior, troubleshoot faults, and take care of maintenance. Programs and processes can be adjusted later if the production needs are changed.
ASA provides training on site in safe operation, programming, troubleshooting, in addition to maintenance of electrical and mechanical systems. The company provides continuous maintenance and service to ensure that equipment is in top repair and wear and tear issues are taken care of.
Capacity means more than just working faster
For Australian producers, expanding capacity doesn’t necessarily mean purchasing more space or increasing the amount of labor required to perform repetitive tasks. Sometimes the better question is whether the present production process can be engineered differently.
ASA has created and integrated automation systems in Australia since 2002. We also support projects abroad. The approach is a combination of needs analysis as well as engineering simulation. FANUC integration as well as training and maintenance.
It’s not about automation for the sake of it. A system that’s worth the gold it’s worth must offer tangible benefits to a manufacturer, such as better production reliability, better quality methods, less risky processes, and less waste.