Automation of the manufacturing process can help a business to achieve high levels of productivity and efficiency while increasing product quality and profits. Automated manufacturing systems require little or no human participation to operate. These systems often perform the operations of assembling, processing, inspection, or handling of materials.
Here are 8 reasons why a company should consider implementing automation into their manufacturing process:
1. Increased Workplace Safety
Transferring some dangerous tasks to automated machines can make the workplace safer. Since the Occupational Safety and Health Act was signed into law in 1970, the safety and health of employees has become a priority. Automation has made the workplace safer for employees.
2. Reduced Labor Cost
Investing in continuous motion assembly machine can help to replace manual operations and thus, reduce increasing labor costs.
3. Increased Labor Productivity
Automated systems can perform tasks more efficiently than manual operations. Manufacturing process automation increases labor productivity and the total rate of production.
4. Reduced Manual Tasks
Automation can reduce several operations that are repetitive, tiring or boring for employees.
5. Accomplish Impossible Manual Tasks
There are certain manufacturing operations and processes that are not possible without the involvement of machines. Examples include rapid prototyping through graphic modeling, making of complex surfaces with Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC) or numerical controlled systems and integrated fabrication of circuits. These processes have special requirements for miniaturization, accuracy and geometry that are impossible to achieve manually.
6. Enhanced Product Quality
Automation reduces the fraction defect rate and automated operations are performed with greater conformity and uniformity.
7. Avoid Higher Costs of Not Automating
Automation benefits can lead to higher sales, better quality, improved productivity, a better bottom line due to higher efficiencies and a better company image. Companies that do not implement automation may find themselves lagging behind their competition who have chosen to automate with bespoke assembly machine.
8. Reduced Manufacturing Lead Time
Automation helps to reduce the elapsed time between the order of the customer and product delivery.
If you know little about the process of manufacturing automation, you may wonder if your business will be competitive. An owner of a small business does not need to worry about this, but larger manufacturing firms need to worry about it all the time. While automation may cause a slight reduction in the work force, it also saves the business time and money. It can also create new positions for a person with the right skills.
