Struggling to bridge the gap between automation and human workers in industrial engineering?

Change management is a crucial principle when introducing automation. These projects raise numerous questions for operators. Firstly, there are ethical and personal data protection concerns, particularly the risk of continuous monitoring, which can increase stress. Additionally, there may be a mismatch between the operators' current skills and those required for automation, necessitating training to ensure a smooth transition and mitigate psychosocial risks. Furthermore, automation can lead to a loss of purpose for operators, as they may find themselves supervising or delegating tasks that machines cannot perform. Therefore, any automation study must include input from operators to ensure a successful and sustainable project.

Absolutely, the integration of human factors in industrial engineering is essential for creating balanced and effective work systems. Human workers bring irreplaceable qualities like problem-solving abilities, creativity, and adaptability—skills that are difficult to replicate with automation. When designing systems, it's crucial to recognize and enhance these strengths while also incorporating automation to handle tasks that require precision, consistency, and repetitive execution. By thoughtfully combining the best of both worlds, industrial engineers can design operations that are not only efficient but also resilient to change and variability.

This is something I have struggled with for ages. Despite, creating an effective interface for operators; developing a comprehensive Standard operating procedure (SOP); and, taking in as much input as possible from operations during development, there still ends up a disconnect. Especially, with facilities that run 24/7, with multiple shifts (A, B, C, D crews). Things get missed in shift notes. SOPs get cursorily glanced at. The biggest thing that can be done is to talk to each shift team lead, before and after development.

Recognizing human strengths in creativity and adaptability is key to optimizing automation in industrial systems, creating a balance that enhances both efficiency and resilience. Integrating these human factors ensures that technology complements rather than replaces, the valuable contributions of human workers.

The entire purpose of automation is to reduce the human factor. Selling this to operators, whose job will inevitably be replaced, is extremely easy. You tell them the purpose of the automation, to ultimately make their job easier, to allow them to do other supervisory functions that the DCS can not. Tell them there's no point in having to manually watch values and open valves, a simple PID can do that. Once you have operators investment, automation becomes easy because the operators will tell you what they need to do their jobs and make it easier. Understand your place in this equation as the engineer, you aren't trying to delete a job, you are trying to make one easy to the point the person need not be educated to run the plant.

O treinamento sobre processo e sua importante aplica??o de qualidade na repetibilidade do processo, para toda a equipe de m?o de obra, demonstrando como o processo automatizado facilitaria a sua vida e aumentaria os lucros.

Identify Key Areas for Automation: Start by pinpointing processes where automation will have the greatest impact, such as repetitive tasks, quality control, or data-driven decision-making. These areas are often the most suitable for automation because they allow for immediate and measurable improvements. Incremental Introduction: Gradually introducing automation helps mitigate potential disruptions. It allows both the technology and the workforce to adapt over time, reducing resistance and helping to identify and resolve issues early in the implementation process. Employee Training and Integration: Training is essential to ensure that employees are comfortable with new technologies and can work effectively alongside them.

To bridge the gap between automation and human workers, it's essential to communicate the benefits of automation clearly and involve employees early in the process. Providing proper training for the employees and creating roles where employees and machines collaborate can ease the transition process. Encouraging ongoing feedback and making adjustments based on employee input will help integrate automation smoothly while maintaining productivity and job satisfaction.

Automation offers a numerous amount of benefits to any company rather it be something as simple as a counter to something as complex as a vision system installed to inspect parts and their tolerances. The possibilities are endless. It’s all dependent on the company and its goals. If you ask for help with making a product better and more consistent that’s what you get. If you ask for help in better run ability and quality product with more consistent way with meeting demands and making it as economical as possible that’s what you’ll get. There is no limits to automation, the only limit is the person asking or doing the work. You want someone who knows technology and who knows what they don’t know and when to reach out for help on a project

A automa??o realmente traz muitos benefícios, como maior produtividade, qualidade aprimorada e redu??o de custos. No entanto, para maximizar esses benefícios, é crucial um planejamento e implementa??o cuidadosos. Identificar áreas onde a automa??o pode ter o maior impacto sem perturbar a for?a de trabalho é essencial. Introduzir a automa??o de forma incremental e fornecer treinamento adequado aos funcionários para que possam trabalhar com as novas tecnologias s?o passos importantes. Isso garante uma transi??o suave e promove um ambiente de melhoria contínua, onde a automa??o e o fator humano coexistem harmoniosamente.

Training in new technologies involves addressing a wide range of issues. Firstly, it is essential to acquire the technical know-how to use the tools effectively and to know how to respond in the event of an incident or danger. Additionally, training must cover the psychosocial risks associated with the use of these new technologies to minimize increased stress and fatigue. It is also crucial for staff to understand the reasons for automation, including its advantages and disadvantages, beyond the technological promises made by manufacturers. For example, few automation projects get off to an error-free start. It is essential to anticipate this phase to avoid discouragement and rejection of the use of technology.

In today's age, training is somewhat secondary to design. If your design is intuitive, you hardly need training. With the amount of turnover, you don't want a system so complicated you need an engineer to train the people. You want a system designed so well and so intuitive that it can answer the questions the operators have. Hover over tip tools, clickable links, and possibly a link to a PDF with more prudent information, should the operator need it. That should be the amount of training necessary, otherwise you'll be looking at hiring and maintaining training coordinators for all job functions.

Role Evolution and Job Redefinition: As automation changes the nature of work, training should also address how employees' roles might evolve. This could mean shifting from manual tasks to more analytical or supervisory roles, requiring new skills and perspectives. Mindset of Adaptability and Continuous Learning: Encourage a culture where continuous learning is valued. This involves not just technical skills but also soft skills like problem-solving, critical thinking, and adaptability. Training programs should emphasize the importance of staying curious and open to change, helping employees see automation as an opportunity rather than a threat.

Training people who have the mindset of “this is how we have always done it” is tough but with the right leaders in charge it’s an easy breeze through the week. You can set up numerous training videos through automation to show you exactly how to do anything you want and operator to do. Again, it’s all about who you have making the calls and doing the work to help your company. Some people won’t train unless you pay more. Some people won’t train because they want to be the most important in the job. Every scenario is a on basis terms that needs extra work to meet the companies best interest at the end of the day

Treinar a for?a de trabalho é essencial para integrar a automa??o com sucesso. Funcionários precisam entender como interagir com novas tecnologias e como suas fun??es podem evoluir. O treinamento deve focar n?o só nos aspectos operacionais, mas também em promover uma mentalidade de adaptabilidade e aprendizado contínuo. Equipar os funcionários com as habilidades necessárias alivia o medo da obsolescência e os capacita a serem participantes ativos em um ambiente automatizado. Isso facilita a transi??o e promove um ambiente de melhoria contínua.

Task Analysis: Begin by analyzing current tasks within the operation. Identify tasks that are repetitive, time-consuming, hazardous, or require a level of precision that can be better handled by automation. These are prime candidates for automation, allowing for more consistent and error-free outcomes. Redesigning Human Roles: Once certain tasks are automated, focus on redesigning jobs to emphasize areas where human skills are most valuable. Tasks such as quality control, equipment maintenance, complex problem-solving, and decision-making are areas where human judgment and adaptability shine. This shift allows workers to take on more engaging and skilled roles, making their work more meaningful.

This is the hardest part of the job. Designing a system that works with the existing system is why you should never ask a mechanic or industrial tech to figure it out. However if you bring in a 3rd party innovator you should include what your techs have to say because this will greatly help the innovators to design, engineer and start up a new system. Without this they are going in blind

Redesenhar o trabalho é crucial ao integrar a automa??o nos processos industriais. é necessário repensar fun??es para complementar os sistemas automatizados. Como engenheiro industrial, você deve automatizar tarefas repetitivas, perigosas ou que exigem alta precis?o. Paralelamente, redesenhe os trabalhos para focar em tarefas onde as habilidades humanas s?o essenciais, como controle de qualidade, manuten??o e tomada de decis?es. Essa abordagem n?o só melhora a eficiência, mas também aumenta a satisfa??o no trabalho, permitindo que os trabalhadores se envolvam em atividades mais significativas e qualificadas.

Selecionar a tecnologia certa é crucial para uma automa??o bem-sucedida. Avalie op??es n?o só pelas capacidades técnicas, mas também pela compatibilidade com o fluxo de trabalho existente e o impacto na for?a de trabalho. Prefira tecnologias fáceis de usar e que se integrem sem grandes interrup??es. O objetivo é escolher sistemas que apoiem os funcionários, promovendo um ambiente colaborativo onde humanos e máquinas prosperem juntos. Isso garante uma transi??o suave e maximiza os benefícios da automa??o, sem comprometer a satisfa??o e o engajamento dos trabalhadores.

Alignment with Workflow: Start by evaluating how different automation technologies will fit into your existing workflow. The ideal solution should complement your current processes rather than require a complete overhaul. This minimizes disruptions and ensures a smoother transition. User-Friendliness: Choose technologies that are intuitive and easy for your workforce to use. The easier it is for employees to learn and operate the new systems, the quicker they can adapt and integrate them into their daily routines. User-friendly interfaces and clear instructions can significantly reduce the learning curve.

Any industrial company needs Automation/Controls Engineers capable of talking to operators at their level. Engineering, in the industrial space, is about 50% projects/engineering/work and about 50% social skills (which many engineers severely lack). Utilizing your engineering skills is just as crucial as being able to reach out to your stakeholders to get them onboard with the wave of the future. With that social skill, engineers can fully utilize the resources available to them, which should lead to talking and discussions with boots on the ground just as much as the executives. Engineers who can talk to the people can help lead the culture shift and create trust between operations and operational leaders.