The Automation Trend — What is the hype all about?
Automation is the creation and application of technologies to produce and deliver goods and services with minimal human intervention. Manufacturers are increasingly using automation to drive precision, consistency, and greater operational efficiency. The first thing to achieve automation is to identify your goals. For instance, some of the most common goals manufacturers are looking to achieve through automation are reducing downtime, providing predictable maintenance, and improving decision making. Now that you decided what goals you are trying to achieve, what are the next steps?
The next step is to identify the types of automation you need. The most common types of automation are fixed automation, programmable automation, flexible automation, and integrated automation. To put it simply, fixed automation systems carry out a single set of tasks without deviation and would be better for mass production. Programmable automation runs through commands input from a computer program. This type of automation is seen commonly in mass production that produces similar types of products that utilize many of the same steps and tools. Flexible automation is utilized in computer-controlled flexible manufacturing systems and allows for more flexible production. Every piece of equipment receives instructions from a human-operated computer which translates to being able to handle more variety of jobs. Lastly, integrated automation is the total automation of manufacturing plants. This means the whole manufacturing process is handled by computers and control processes with minimal human involvement.
By understanding the types of automation, you can now decide what parts do you need to achieve automation. To illustrate, some automation parts are industrial robot arms, collaborative robot applications or cobots, autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), machine vision systems, and smart conveyors. Each of these parts fulfills a different function while its main goal is ultimately the same which is automation.
These are 5 tips created by Rtech which would help you achieve automation easier.
- Start off small
Before you make any major changes to the business operation, it is a good idea to start off small and find just one task that can be automated. This will help you to gauge how automation could work without having to make any drastic changes. You could then look to automate a few other smaller tasks before making any larger changes.
2. Reassure staffs
One of the most important steps to take when you start to implement automation is to speak to your staff as they are sure to be concerned about job losses. You should reassure staff and explain how automation and employees can co-exist as automation can be used to lighten their workload and reduce stress. This provides them the time to focus on areas of the business that need a human touch.
3. Expect a learning curve
Making any kind of change to the business operation will always create a few learning curves. This would be especially true if you have been sticking to a standardized procedure for a long time. Because of this, you need to expect issues and allow a period of time to fully adapt automation as part of the business operation.
4. Use automation to solve problems
It is also important that you are using automation for the right reasons. Try to identify issues in the work processes and find ways to automate these tasks.
5. Track results
Tracking results when you have fully implemented automation as part of the business process will help you to adjust in order to have a more effective and efficient process. This will also help you to see the direct benefits of automation and give you the confidence to find other areas in the company where you could implement automation.
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