A big contract is won by an industrial manufacturer. Even though the production needs for each month have grown, the plant doesn’t suddenly have more floors or more experienced workers. While adding another shift may temporarily boost production, it could also bring new labor, supervision, training and demands for quality-control.
Such situations highlight the importance of robotic automation. Robotics isn’t only about replacing humans with machines. It can be used to modify the methods that manufacturers employ to use their existing production capacity.
Image credit: automatedsolutions.com.au
Check out the amount of time that is lost between products
Inefficiency in manufacturing doesn’t have to be dramatic. Imagine a worker spending 15 seconds locating a component after which they spend 10 seconds putting the material and several seconds transfer it. For a single component, the difference is insignificant. Repeated thousands of times, the seconds are an enormous amount of production time.
It’s the same with wasted material. The same is true for the waste material.
Companies considering robotic automation Australia projects can benefit from examining these small, repeated losses before deciding what equipment they need. The analysis conducted by ASA’s Needs Analysis is designed to pinpoint bottlenecks, inefficiencies, quality issues, and other process constraints that may affect an automation project.
The robot must fit the process around it
A robot is one of many engineering choices. It might be necessary to install tooling, protection and controls sensors, conveyers, fixtures, electronic integration, and communications with the existing production equipment. Engineers must take into consideration the reach and payload of the robot while making decisions about how the robot will move about its space and interact with everything around it.
ASA’s approach for FANUC robot automation includes concept development, system design along with CAD Simulation and offline programming. Engineers are able to explore configurations for the system and calculate cycles prior to when the finished system is installed in the factory floor. It’s particularly useful in situations where there is a restricted space available or when the new robotics requires integration with the production line.
Dispensing and painting demonstrate why Replicability is Critical.
Certain manufacturing processes illustrate the importance of controlling movements. Imagine covering a variety of components. It’s not enough to complete each piece in a short time. It is important to control the speed, distance and movement of each piece from the beginning until the final.
Our specialists have experience painting and dispensing across industries including aerospace and automotive. Industrial robotics automation in these areas allows for reproducible movements and reduce the risk of workers to physically demanding processes or processes that could be dangerous.
A better control of waste materials can also help improve productivity by increasing the quantity of material consumed.
The installation of the system isn’t enough. Still, you need someone to maintain it.
Automatism isn’t a substitute for manufacturing knowledge. It alters the knowledge required to operate and maintain the manufacturing process.
Employees need to know how to safely operate equipment identify abnormal behavior, troubleshoot faults, and carry out the correct maintenance. Systems and procedures can be changed later in the event that the production needs shift.
ASA offers on-site training in safe operation, programming troubleshooting, as well as mechanical and electrical maintenance. It also offers servicing and ongoing support to monitor the condition of equipment and address wear over the system’s operating duration.
Capacity goes beyond just working faster
In Australia, boosting production capacity doesn’t always mean adding workers to repetitive tasks or buying larger buildings. The better question to ask is whether the current manufacturing process could be improved.
ASA has been working on and integrating automation solutions in Australia since 2002. We also provide support for projects overseas. The company’s strategy combines analysis of needs, engineering, simulation, FANUC robot integration training, as well as servicing.
The objective isn’t automation for its own sake. Any system that is worth investing in should offer a manufacturer measurable outcomes, such as increased reliability of production, improved quality, safer processes and reduced waste, or an increase in capacity.