A manufacturing company gets a large contract. Production requirements for the month rise, but the facility hasn’t seen a sudden increase in area for floor, skilled employees or working hours during the daytime. While adding a second shift could temporarily aid, it might also bring new labor in the form of supervision, training, or the need for quality control.
Image credit: automatedsolutions.com.au
Such situations highlight an important function of robotic automation. Robotics does not only mean replacing human workers with machines. It is able to transform the way that manufacturers utilize their production capacity.
Look at the Seconds That Disappear Between Products
Inefficiency in manufacturing doesn’t have to be dramatic. Imagine that an operator has spent 15 seconds positioning a component after which another 10 seconds are spent applying the material, and a few seconds to transfer it to the next process. On one component it’s not much of a difference. If repeated thousands of times however these seconds can result in significant production delays.
The same is true for wasted material. In the event of spreading a small amount additional coatings or dispensing material in a huge production run could lead to an enormous expense.
Before choosing the equipment they need, businesses considering robotic automation Australia will benefit from studying these small losses. ASA’s analysis of needs is designed to uncover problems with quality and bottlenecks as along with the waste that can be a problem within a project.
A Robot has to fit the Process Itself
The choice of a robot represents only one decision in engineering. The system could also require guarding, tools, controls, sensors fixtures, conveyors electrical integration, and communication with the existing production equipment. Engineers should consider the reach and payload of the robot while making decisions about how the robot can move around its area of work and interact with everything around it.
ASA’s approach to FANUC robot automation encompasses conceptual development and design including CAD Simulation, offline programming. The digital simulation lets engineers examine configurations, estimate cycle time and allow them to test the system prior to it becoming operational on the customer’s floor. This is especially helpful when there is a shortage of space or when a new robot needs to be incorporated into existing production lines.
Painting and dispensing show why Repeatability Matters
Certain manufacturing processes illustrate the importance of controlled movement. Imagine covering hundreds of components. The final result doesn’t come from completing each component quickly. From the time of beginning production until the final stage all the movements, speed of the machine, the distance and the application have to be managed.
ASA has specialists who work on painting and dispensing applications across various industries, including automotive and aerospace. In these environments, industrial robotic automation can provide repeatable programmed movement while also reducing employee exposure to physically demanding or potentially hazardous processes.
A better control of materials that are discarded can increase productivity by reducing the amount of unnecessary materials used.
Installation of the system isn’t enough. You still need people to take care of it.
Automation doesn’t remove the requirement for knowledge in manufacturing. It alters the knowledge required for operating and maintaining the manufacturing process.
Employees need to be able recognize abnormal behavior and troubleshoot problems, as well as do the proper maintenance. The processes and procedures can be changed later in the event that the production needs change.
ASA provides on-site training covering safe operation, programming, troubleshooting, as well as electrical and mechanical maintenance. Additionally, the company provides maintenance and ongoing support to monitor the condition of equipment and address issues that may arise during the equipment’s operational lifespan.
Capacity is the capacity to work more quickly
In Australia, increasing capacity for production doesn’t always mean hiring more workers for repetitive tasks or purchasing larger structures. Sometimes, the more important question is whether the current production process can be engineered differently.
ASA is designing and the integration of automation solutions since 2002. It assists companies in Australia and international projects. The company’s strategy combines analysis of needs, engineering, simulation, FANUC robot integration Training, and servicing.
Automation for the sake of automation isn’t the goal. A system that’s worth its weight in gold ought to bring tangible benefits to a manufacturer, such as higher reliability in production, improved quality manufacturing processes, and safer ones. It also means less waste.
