A company is awarded a significant contract. While the requirements for monthly production have risen, the manufacturing facility does not have an increase in floor space or experienced employees. A second shift may help temporarily, but it could be a source of new labor and training, supervision, and quality control requirements.
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These situations reveal a very crucial reason for robot automation. Robotics goes beyond replacing people with machines. A good application could change the way in which manufacturers make use of their production capacity.
Have a look at the time that passes between the products
Inefficiency in manufacturing doesn’t have to be noticeable. Suppose an operator spends 15 minutes putting a piece of equipment in place after which another 10 seconds are spent applying material, and then a few seconds to transfer it to the next step. On one piece the difference appears to be insignificant. It’s a lot when multiplied by thousands.
It is the same with the waste materials. In the event of spreading a small amount extra coating or dispensing materials in a huge production run could result in a significant expense.
The companies that are considering robotic automation Australia will benefit from looking at these small routine losses before they decide on the best equipment to buy. ASA’s needs analysis is designed to find bottlenecks, quality issues, waste, and other process constraints that may affect an automation project.
Robots must be able to work with the system.
Robots are just one of many engineering options. Controls, guardings and tooling as well as conveyors, sensors and fixtures could also be required. Engineers need to consider the reach and payload of the robot while determining how the robot can move around its space and interact with the environment around it.
The ASA approach to FANUC robot automation encompasses concept development, system design as well as CAD Simulation and offline programming. Engineers can look at system configurations and estimate cycle times before the finished system is installed in the factory floor. This is particularly useful when space is limited or if new robotics require to be incorporated into existing production lines.
It is crucial to have repeatability in painting and dispensing
Certain manufacturing processes show the value of controlled movement especially well. Imagine coating hundreds of components. The goal isn’t just completing each component quickly. The movement, distance, rate, and even the application needs to remain controlled starting from the beginning of the production run to the point of completion.
Our specialists have experience dispensing and painting across various industries such as automotive and aerospace. In these environments, industrial robotic automation can provide repeatable programmed movement while also reducing employee exposure to physically demanding or potentially hazardous processes.
The elimination of waste and improvement of productivity can be accomplished by better control.
Installation of the system isn’t enough. It is still necessary to have people to take care of it.
Automation doesn’t substitute for manufacturing expertise. Automation alters the knowledge required for maintaining and operating the manufacturing process.
Employees must be able to recognize unusual behavior and resolve issues, and carry out the correct maintenance. The production needs can change in time, meaning that processes and programs will need to be adjusted.
ASA provides training on site in safe operation, programming and troubleshooting, in addition to electrical and mechanical maintenance. Additionally, the company provides maintenance and ongoing support to check the condition of equipment and address issues that may arise during the equipment’s operational time.
Capacity is greater than working more quickly
For Australian manufacturers, increasing capacity doesn’t necessarily mean buying a larger building or continually adding more workers to repetitive processes. The best question to ask is whether the current manufacturing process could be improved.
ASA has developed and integrated automation solutions in Australia since 2002. We also help with projects across the world. The approach is a combination of needs analysis, engineering simulation, FANUC integration, training and servicing.
The goal isn’t to automate for the sake of it. A system worth its weight in gold must be able to provide tangible benefits for the manufacturer, like greater reliability, higher quality manufacturing processes, and safer ones. It also means less waste.