What is the process for selecting the appropriate level of automation in manufacturing?

First of all, You need to highlight the areas where automation will improve the process output and efficiency. Remember, deployment and maintenance of Automation systems is costly. You wouldn't want to chase the goal of automation without considering the pros and cons of the upgrade. once you have figured out the areas for automation, the next step is to study the process/ sequence currently being carried out and then reaching out to a experienced Automation expert/service provider for assessment of the process as to what level of Safety, and reliability will be required for the process.

1) Good level of automation is required for managing the process so as to reduce the human intervention and the probability of error caused by the human. 2) Also, level of automation is governed by accuracy of measurement and control required for manufacturing specific product precisely. Therefore, formulation of the product also matters. 3) If the process involves hazards i.e., handling of strong acids or alkali, flammable, or explosive material or if the process involves highly exothermic or endothermic reaction causing high temperature, high pressure then the level of automation must be added with added safety for automated preventive and corrective actions. 4) Frugality must be addressed while designing automation for any process.

The process of selecting "an appropriate level of automation" is indeed a decision process, thus it requires a systematic approach (hierarchical approach) : 1- Identify the needs and objectives 2- identify possible options to achieve the objectives (brainstorming) 3- define criteria to evaluate the identified options in step 2 4- evaluate positive and negative aspects of each options (in 2) using the criteria (in 3) 5- choose the best option (highest score) / level of automation 6- discuss with the people concerned, appoint those responsible for the implementation, name the necessary resources, carry out a follow-up / audit to ensure the process is successful. I+C+A+N model : Identify+Construct options+Assess pros & cons+Name resources

Do an assessment of the environment and data. Listen people and define the actual maturity of automation. Combine analytics and business insights to define the level of the automation that is possible to implement and needed according to the business KPIs

Automate the processes that are under control and repeatable. This will free up resources to stabilize other processes, that you can then be automated. Automation is not one and done, it is an evolution.

Level of automation is tricky, therefore achieving appropriate level is not so essy. But there are mining tools with use of AI can communicate with machines. SMEs can analyse the output of the tools and derive top bottlenecks. Based on the result, identify and prioritize high ROI auttomations. This will give a fair understanding of what level of automation is needed and can work towards achieving it

It begins with a comprehensive understanding of manufacturing needs, followed by defining specific objectives, evaluating the current state of operations, and establishing $. A risk assessment helps identify and mitigate potential challenges, and a thorough ROI analysis determines if automation aligns with financial goals. The scalability and integration of the chosen automation system with existing infrastructure are key considerations, as is customization to suit unique processes. Pilot testing confirms the effectiveness of automation, and employee training prepares the workforce for the transition. Implementation is followed by continuous monitoring and system refinement. Documentation and compliance with safety standards are imperative.

In my experience, it is essential to involve all stakeholders and provide an acceptable solution, even if not optimal in the KPI-terms. Especially in a project where something has to be automated that is not done many times, it is essential to consider soft factors, too. So, focusing on users and people surrounded by automation, it is much harder to convince them to enable all the benefits of automation than to fulfill some KPIs.

Eine der gro?en Herausforderungen unserer Zeit ist der Fachkr?ftemangel. Ich glaube, dass Automatisierung eine gute M?glichkeit ist, diesem Problem zu begegnen. Auch Arbeiten, die die Gesundheit der Mitarbeiter belasten, haben ein gro?es Potenzial, automatisiert zu werden. Ein weiterer Vorteil ist die Reproduzierbarkeit bei gleichbleibender Qualit?t.

Automation means that resources being to deployed to end result with out loose of quality or performance and can be planned. It gives an opportunity to upgrade and enhance existing technologies, moving us one more step closer to Future we so believe.

Sometimes the cost efficiency is not interpreted right. Automation costs should not exceed the performance profit it is doing, so it is worth to spend more money to fully automate low-performance processes. Also automation would save money on later stage, helping to plan and expect expenses and productivity.

In automation, the process, capital investment, and specific requirements dictate the approach. Some complex processes, like power plants, production plants and etc, demand full automation, while simpler ones, such as water distribution, can be managed manually. Quality and capital are key factors, but the human touch is invaluable. In today's context, human oversight remains essential. When unexpected errors arise, human decision-making is crucial. If a solution consistently works over time, it can then be automated then. These kind of optimization processes necessitate capital investment, leading to the question: is it worth the investment?

J'ai toujours trouvé déplorable les systèmes automatisés modifier ou dépanner par quiconque sans en avoir fait des écriture de fa?on claire et formelle

Think long term, not short term. Automation will have a seemingly substantial cost up front, but if done well will provide benefits through life. If designed and planned well, future upgrades will also be less of a burden.

For processes that cannot be fully automated. The tricky cost is the cost of re-education of people working with machines because they suddenly need new skills.

Before automate any process of manufacturing industry, we should use ECRS tool to optimize the existing process. Otherwise it will be a task of automate the non value added activities (wastes). For the control system we can use open or close loop methods. But for manufacturing industry most of activities of the process are repeating task. So, close loop controlling is the better solution for that kind of process since we can maintain the accurate controlling with simple programing with the support of feedback signal. Mathematical modeling is too much complex for that kind of simple applications. Most important thing in manufacturing industry is reach the cost, quality, delivery, safety and compliance targets which is given by company.

Feasibility is also a spectrum. Maybe not a lot in a process is feasible to automate, but some not obvious steps might be worth considering automating. Therefore, in the feasibility study, involving people who have been doing manual processes for a long time is essential. But also, do not listen to them too closely to keep openness to new ideas.

Standardization, first. Is what your automating in-line with equipment that you have on hand and maintenance is familiar with? Maintenance, next. Is the automation system you’re installing efficiently repairable to minimize downtime or are redundant systems cost effective? The answers to the questions of what automation system you should install come from different perspectives. Money, Maintenance and Operations. You strike the best balance between all 3 and you’re probably golden…until the next best thing comes along..

Plan for now and for the future. A design should be aiming to be as effective now as it can be while minimising future upgrade costs to keep the system sustainable for years to come.

The design of automation involves specifying, selecting, and configuring components like sensors, actuators, controllers, software, and interfaces to achieve the desired automation level and functionality. This process should adhere to human-centered principles, focusing on user needs, preferences, capabilities, and overall satisfaction. Key steps in automation design include defining the problem and objectives, analyzing processes and tasks, identifying requirements and constraints of automation, generating and evaluating different automation options, and selecting and implementing the most suitable solution. Throughout this process, it's crucial to balance costs, benefits, and risks to meet objectives and satisfy stakeholder expectations.

I think it's worth noting the beginning and end of recruitment process in person .the big problem is that there should be no education system

Focus just on a problem you are solving, but look not to close too many doors behind to enable the upgrade of the automation systems.

It's a good practice to find a perefect balance developing automated solutions between the performance, goals and resources needed.

Checking how well automation works is important. It helps us see if it makes things better, like getting more work done, making it better quality, and safer. We also want to see if it's not wasting time or resources. By using the right measurements and methods, we can make it even better. Most common issue for me was to understand the time-scale of automation effectiveness, the wrong expectactions could lead to automation what would need even more resources then before implementation.

when new automation systems are built, check the existing equipment upfront. use machinery part vendors, and electronic, pneumatic, plc parts (...) alike already in use on site. spare parts may be already available, supplier connection already established, the usage of the components may be trained, knowledge already available.

Estoy de acuerdo con usted. El procedimiento correcto es buscar la forma más simple para controlar un proceso, lo cual depende mucho de la experiencia que se tenga en dicho proceso.

A solutions architect must evaluate all surrounding (related) business processes. Automating a single thread will not yield the expected RoI. Only When the end to end process is automated and manual intervention/administration is reduced, effective metrics can be measured. Inefficient multiple cloud hops is the bane of today’s automation.