A company is awarded a significant contract. The production requirement for each month increases however, the plant has no room, employees with experience, or extra hours during the daytime. It is possible to add another shift temporarily, but it can also introduce new labor, training, supervision, and quality control requirements.
This situation reveals a key purpose for robotic automation. Robotics doesn’t just mean replacing people with machines. A suitable application can alter the way in which manufacturers make use of their capacity to produce.
Image credit: automatedsolutions.com.au
Take a look at the seconds that disappear between products
Inefficient manufacturing isn’t always apparent. An operator may spend 15 minutes putting the part in place, then 10 seconds applying materials, and then a few more seconds moving it to the next step. On one component it’s not much of a difference. The seconds add up when multiplied by thousands.
The same applies to wasted material. In the event of spreading a small amount additional coatings or dispensing material over a long production run could result in substantial costs.
Companies considering robotic automation Australia projects can benefit from examining these small, repeated losses before deciding what equipment they need. The analysis by ASA’s experts is designed to reveal bottlenecks and quality issues, as in addition to any other limitations in a project.
The robot needs to be able to accommodate the process around it
The choice of a robot represents only one decision in engineering. Tools, guardings, controls as well as conveyors, sensors and fixtures are also necessary. Engineers must consider the reach of the robot and its payload as well as how it will interact with its surroundings and move around.
ASA provides concepts development, design, CAD simulation and offline programming as part of its approach to FANUC robotic automation. Digital simulation lets engineers to explore the possibilities of configurations, estimate cycle time and allow them to test the system prior to making it functional on the floor of the customer’s facility. This is especially helpful in cases of space limitations or when new robotics have to be integrated into the existing lines of production.
Painting and Dispensing Show Why Repeatability Matters
Certain manufacturing processes highlight the importance of controlled motion particularly well. Imagine coating hundreds of parts. The end goal isn’t simply finishing each part quickly. It’s crucial to regulate the speed, distance and movement of each part from the beginning to the very end.
ASA has specialists working with painting and dispensing applications across a variety of industries, including automotive and aerospace. In these areas, industrial robotic automation offers predictable, controlled movements. It also reduces employee exposure to physically challenging or potentially dangerous processes.
The elimination of waste and improvement in productivity could be achieved through better control.
Installation of the system isn’t enough. It is still necessary to have people to keep it running.
Automation is not a complete solution to the need for manufacturing expertise. The abilities required to manage, maintain, and operate the process shift.
Employees should be able to detect abnormal behavior and identify problems, as well as perform the appropriate maintenance. The production needs can change with time, which means that procedures and protocols will have to be modified.
ASA offers on-site training in safe operation, programming, troubleshooting, in addition to electrical and mechanical maintenance. The company also provides servicing and ongoing support to check equipment condition and address wear and tear over the course of its operating time.
Capacity means more than just getting faster work done
In Australia, expanding production capacity does not always mean adding workers to repetitive tasks or purchasing bigger buildings. One of the best questions to ask is whether the current manufacturing process is able to be improved.
ASA has been creating and integrating automation solutions since 2002, and has been supporting manufacturers in Australia as well as projects around the world. Its approach combines analysis of needs, engineering, simulations, FANUC robotic integration and training as well as maintenance.
The goal isn’t to automate to achieve its own goals. An investment in a system should provide a company with quantifiable results, which include increased reliability of production, improved quality, more secure procedures and reduced waste, or an increase in capacity.