A manufacturer gets an enormous contract. The production requirements for the month increase however, the plant does not have enough space and has employees with previous experience or additional hours during the daytime. While adding another shift might temporarily boost production, it could also create new jobs, supervision, training and the need for quality control.
Such situations highlight an important purpose of robotic automation. Robotics goes beyond replacing people with machines. A good application could change how manufacturers use their capacity to produce.
Image credit: automatedsolutions.com.au
Check out the Seconds that Aren’t able to be found between the products
Manufacturing inefficiency isn’t always significant. Imagine a person spending 15 seconds looking for a particular component and then 10 seconds putting it into the material and several seconds transfer it. For one part the difference isn’t that significant. If repeated thousands of times however these seconds can increase production by a significant amount.
The same is true for wasted material. In the event of spreading a small amount extra coating or dispensing substances in a huge production line can lead to an enormous expense.
Companies considering robotic automation Australia projects can benefit from examining these small, repeated losses before deciding what equipment they need. The needs analysis of ASA is designed to identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies, quality issues, and other process constraints that can affect an automation project.
A Robot has to fit the Process Around It
The decision to choose a robot represents only one decision in engineering. Tooling, guardings, controls, sensor, conveyors and fixtures are also necessary. Engineers need to consider the payload and reach while making decisions about how the robot will move about its area of work and interact with everything around it.
ASA offers concepts development, design, CAD simulation, and offline programming as part of its approach to FANUC’s robotic automation. Engineers are able to explore configurations for the system and estimate cycle times before the finished system is installed on the floor of the factory. It is particularly helpful when there is a small amount of space or the new robotics is required to be integrated with an existing production line.
Painting and Dispensing demonstrate why the importance of repeatability is evident.
Controlled movement is crucial for certain manufacturing processes. Imagine coating hundreds of components. The desired result isn’t merely the process of completing every component in a short time. From the moment of starting production until the final stage, the movement, speed of the machine, the distance and the application have to be controlled.
Our specialists have experience dispensing and painting across various industries such as automotive and aerospace. In these areas industrial robotic automation could offer repeatable programming while also reducing employee exposure to physical demands or potentially dangerous processes.
An improved control over waste material can also contribute to productivity improvements by reducing the amount of unnecessary materials used.
Installing the system is not enough. It is still necessary to have people to keep it running.
Automation does not completely eliminate the need for expertise in manufacturing. The abilities needed to operate, maintain, and manage the process are changing.
Employees must be taught to operate equipment in a safe manner, identify abnormal behavior as well as troubleshoot components that are malfunctioning and take care of any maintenance that is required. The production needs can change over time, which means that procedures and protocols will need to be adjusted.
ASA offers on-site training in programming, safety, troubleshooting and mechanical and electric maintenance. They also provide servicing as well as support for evaluating the condition of equipment and addressing wear throughout the lifespan of the equipment.
Capacity goes beyond just working faster
For Australian manufacturers, increasing capacity doesn’t necessarily mean buying an additional building or adding labor to repetitive processes. One of the best questions to ask is whether your current production process can still be improved.
ASA has created and integrated automation solutions in Australia since 2002. We also help with projects overseas. Its method of analysis combines needs, engineering simulation, FANUC integration, training and servicing.
Automation is not the aim. A system worth investing in should provide a company with quantifiable results, like greater reliability in production, better quality, safer processes with less waste, or a greater capacity.