How can you use automation to improve manufacturing?

The evaluation and implementation of automation to any manufacturing facility depends on identifying clear opportunities and designing the right workflow and plan to execute and integrate the new processes into existing frameworks while maintaining regulatory standards and compliance. With the right automation technology implemented, apart from achieving increased productivity and efficiency, we are able to engineer consistency and standardization through real-time continuous tracking and data collection. This ensures faster response times in critical processes, gaining a competitive edge with faster delivery times and structured operations, thus improving customer service and satisfaction levels.

Automation the new King? There is nothing new it has been with us for hundreds of years. Many of the gains nowadays can be marginal at best, that doesn’t mean there are no exceptions. Some of the previously mentioned gains. Improved quality! Increased efficiency and productivity! Before getting all excited about these enhancements to our processes and products DO NOT get ahead of yourselves. Everything has a cost and many of these are missed through oversight caused by the euphoria of finding the golden nugget, “automation”. There are many considerations other than the new Whiz bang, self learning AI profit generating Winker Tuca Rue. Potentially many thousands more upgrading existing systems/equipment to accommodate the new technology.

It all begins by understanding the requirements followed by identifying and implementing a process, or series of process steps, capable of performing to those requirements in a repetitive manner with efficiency and accuracy. Often overlooked is the need for proactive process monitoring and scheduling of preventive maintenance.

One thing that often is assumed when automation is implemented, is that it will be perfectly consistent in its processing of whatever the job function is. While the automation itself will be nearly perfect, there will still be hiccups, small changes, actuating components wearing out, vision lenses getting scuffed, I/O boards starting to fail; there will always be something that changes within the umbrella of automation. So expect results, but plan for the unexpected. The small margin of change within the automation umbrella, still offers far superior quality than the new employee who got 1 hour of training before being put on the shop floor, the employee who is jealous over another co-workers pay, or the guy who shows up 3 days a week.

Process automation is crucial part of process , it is important to choose accurate and reliable products to measure process variables and transfer this signals to the Control system efficiently. Human machine interfaces also play a vital role in process automation to define the settings, control methods, feedback signals and outputs. However robotics and AI technologies will further improve the process automation efficiency and security in the coming years.

Today, it's the age of A.I. & M.L. So, automation in manufacturing sector can't be averse to this. There are several challenges in using AI technologies for manufacturing vis-à-vis:1)Quality of the available data,2)Interoperability of AI tech with the existing tech,3)Availability of skilled workforce,4)Leadership vision & commitment (or lack thereof) etc. Now, among these, the first one is related to the technical detail of the AI. As it is known to all, AI/ML is heavily dependent on bulk data. But, even though any manufacturing industry generates lots and lots of these data, the issue or cause of concern is, the quality of that generated data. By quality what is meant is: data that is accurate, complete, consistent, relevant and timely.

Long term value for including automation at a basic scale for medium scale industries is still a challenge that the industry faces even in such a rapid growth environment for machine learning algorithms.

A challenge of automation is understanding the actual long term value proposition of eliminating the human side of a process. Not considering a dangerous, unhealthy environment, severe requirements & motions,… in my mind, & with some exceptions, a qualified & trained human operator provides maximum flexibility generally allowing for immediate adding of personnel (more capacity), replacement (illness, PTO, etc.), reassignment (change of priorities) to another process, with all due respect; almost like a set of specific Lego blocks) whereas an automated system may not allow for separation & reorganization in that manner. In some cases the answer in automation is to shut down the system until needed or retool with downtime & investment $$$$.

The biggest challenge in automation is the difficulty of changing the mindset of the existing workforce wanting to maintain their status-Quo, as they are afraid of job cuts and it will be hard to get information to get information from them. In automation, initial investment is high, so you need to check the feasibility & break even point as well and need to conduct lots of training to upgrade existing workforce. In automation, if any system malfunction then it can stop full production, which will be a huge loss for the company.

Human labor is displaced, as it may take time to transition into the required skillset for the new technology. In the initial stages it may be costly, also considering the rapid changes over short periods of time. If not carefully approached, organizations may be caught in a dynamic environment of always catching up. This affects capital invested too.

Generative design is another helpful type of automation where design tools are given constraints and are free to automatically complete design according to the set rules. It’s especially helpful in cases where there is a lot of flexibility for implementation.

In modern manufacturing, automation extends beyond mechanized tasks. Today, real-time asset data is pivotal for transformative maintenance. Envision machinery sending operational metrics to a centralized system. Instead of merely recording data, this system proactively analyzes it. Upon detecting irregularities, it autonomously triggers preventive maintenance alerts, ensuring problems are addressed before causing disruptions. Such setups offer enhanced accuracy by automating meter readings, enabling immediate responses to deviations, and facilitating comprehensive downtime analysis. This revolution in maintenance automation doesn't just boost uptime but redefines excellence in production.

Replacement for high risk operations regarding health for human operators (nuclear, chemical, toxic environment). Replacement for repetitive and low complexity operations made by human operators.

Beyond the automation: The Olympic Motto is “Citius, Altius, Fortius”, which means Faster, Higher, Stronger. As a manufacturing person, my interpretation of that motto is faster production, higher precision, and stronger components. These are exactly what automation brings in. Manufacturing sectors have embraced automation for many years, benefiting all mankind by providing better products. In 2021, a new word, Communis, has been added in, which means together. This is exactly the challenge and direction of the next generation automation. If we could let machines communicate with each other and forming teams in a dynamic and organic way, manufacturing can achieve higher utilization, faster delivery and stronger flexibility.

Machine automation can offer various benefits beyond just the potential for job loss. 1. Job Enhancement: Automation can augment human capabilities, making jobs safer, more efficient, and more interesting. 2. Higher production rates and better resource utilization. 3. Automated systems can consistently produce high-quality products or deliver high-precision services. 4. Enable greater customization of products and services, meeting the specific needs and preferences of consumers. 5. Efficient resource utilization, potentially reducing waste and environmental impact. 6. In hazardous environments like mining or firefighting, robots can perform tasks that would be dangerous for humans.