A company is awarded the contract for a significant amount. The production requirements for the month increase but the company has no room or employees who have experience or more hours to work during the daytime. A temporary increase in production is possible, but adding another shift can introduce new requirements for labor training, supervision, and quality control.
These kinds of situations reveal the importance of robotic automation. Robotics isn’t only about replacing humans with machines. It could be utilized to modify the methods that manufacturers employ to use their existing capacity for production.
Image credit: automatedsolutions.com.au
Watch the second-to-second time between products
Inefficient manufacturing may not be apparent. Imagine a worker taking 15 seconds locating a component for 10 seconds, then applying the material, then several seconds transfer it. The difference might seem small even for a single piece of equipment. When repeated thousands of times, these seconds can add significant production time.
It is the same with scrap material. Similar is the case to waste materials.
Companies considering robotic automation Australia projects may gain from examining these minor loss events repeatedly before deciding on the equipment they will require. ASA’s analysis of requirements is designed to uncover problems with quality and bottlenecks, as in addition to additional constraints and waste within a project.
The robot needs to be able to accommodate the procedure around it.
The choice of a robot is just one engineering decision. Guardings, tools, controls as well as conveyors, sensors and fixtures are also required. Engineers must consider the reach of the robot and its payload, in addition to how it will interact with its environment and move around.
ASA provides concept development, system design, CAD simulation, and offline programming as part of its approach to FANUC robotic automation. Digital simulation allows engineers to explore configurations and estimate time-to-market before the system is operational on the customer’s factory floor. This is particularly helpful when space is limited or if new robotics require to be incorporated into existing production lines.
Painting and Dispensing demonstrate why the importance of repeatability is evident.
Controlled movement is crucial for certain manufacturing processes. Imagine coating hundreds of components. It’s not enough to finish each part quickly. From the moment of starting production all the way to the finish, the movement, speed as well as the distance to be applied must be controlled.
ASA has experts who work with dispensing applications and paint across various industries, including automotive and aeronautics. In these areas industrial robotic automation is able to provide repeatable programmed movement as well as limiting exposure for employees to physically demanding and potentially dangerous processes.
Better control of the waste material can also increase productivity by reducing the amount of unnecessary material consumed.
Even after the installation, the system still requires users
Automating doesn’t completely eliminate the requirement for manufacturing knowledge. The abilities required to operate, maintain, and run the process change.
Employees should be able recognize abnormal behavior and troubleshoot problems, as well as carry out the correct maintenance. Programs and processes can be modified later on if the production needs alter.
ASA provides on-site training in safe operating, programming, and troubleshooting as well as maintenance for electrical and mechanical components. The company provides continuous maintenance and service to ensure that equipment is in good order and wear and tear issues are addressed.
Capacity refers to more than the ability to work faster
For Australian manufacturers, increasing capacity doesn’t necessarily mean purchasing a larger building or continually adding workers to repetitive processes. It is sometimes better to ask if the production process can be improved.
ASA has been developing and the integration of automation solutions since 2002. It assists manufacturers in Australia, as well as international projects. Its method of analysis connects needs, engineering, simulation, FANUC robot integration Training, and servicing.
Automation is not the aim. A system that is worthy of its weight in gold must provide measurable benefits to the manufacturer, like more reliable production, better quality methods, less risky processes, and less waste.