For a long time, automation in manufacturing was viewed as a “nice to have” for several manufacturing companies. Automating a portion or the entire manufacturing process offered advantages like increased productivity along with improved quality, as well as cost reduction. But it wasn’t necessary to run a profitable enterprise.
The current manufacturing is changing. No longer a”nice to have,” manufacturing automation is today an essential “must have” for those trying to compete within a very competitive industry. With the escalating shortage of workers and demands for quality increase manufacturing companies can’t afford to sit in the shadows.
As the industry of manufacturing has changed, so has automation technology. In recent years, there’s been a rise in accessibility to inexpensive, user-friendly, and affordable technological advancements in robotics and automation systems. Manufacturing companies that previously considered the technology unattainable are now able to take advantage of industrial automation technologies and enjoy the advantages that larger companies have enjoyed for a long time.
In this article, we’ll talk about automated manufacturing, the advantages to your business, how to begin with it, and the top technology you need to know about.
Is it Manufacturing Automation? Manufacturing
Automation, also referred to in the context of “industrial automation,” is the application of machines, technology, equipment, and systems that improve the efficiency of manufacturing processes. The purpose of automation in manufacturing is to simplify operations and reduce dependence on laborers, and ultimately boost the overall profitability.
Manufacturing automation includes a vast range of disciplines, which includes:
- 3D design: using digital models to create machinery, industrial machines,s or robots.
- Robotics: Employing robots to accomplish tasks like welding, assembly, palletizing, and much more.
- Programming Code for controlling machinesand toautomatingrocesses.
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning: Making use of AI to design generative designs, motion control, analysing data to improve processes, identify anomalies,s and increase the quality of control.
- Remote monitoring: Making use of cameras and sensors to track the health, performance, equipment, and other processes in real-time.
Manufacturing automation projects range in terms of complexity. Certain involve the automation of multiple interconnected processes. Others are focused on tasks that are simple,r such as transferring boxes from one location to another. However complex the integration of these technologies can make a huge difference to a company.
What are the Advantages of Introducing Manufacturing Automation?
With the current shortage of workers, as well as rising costs for labor and growing demands for quality The moment to automate is now. In transferring human workers away from dull, repetitive, low-value, and risky tasks to higher-value ones, both workers and businesses benefit.
Here are seven major advantages of introducing automation into manufacturing:
- Improved productivity: Work continuously, without interruptions, resulting in higher productivity and improved labor productivity of labor.
- Quality improved: Reduce the chance of human error and guarantee higher consistency and precision during manufacturing.
- Cost reduction: Reduced costs Cby completingrepetitive and labor-intensive tasks more efficiently than human employees and reducing waste through optimizing the use of resources.
- Reduced time to market: streamline production processes by decreasing the amount of time needed to transport items from order to delivery.
- Increase workplace safety and security: Improve worker safety by automating dangerous and physically challenging tasks.
- Abatement of labor shortages: Take care to address the issues posed by shortages of labor, especially in sectors in which skilled workers are hard to locate.
- More retention rates for employees. Build a more committed,d efficient workforce through automation of repetitive and routine tasks. In this way, employees can concentrate on more strategically-oriented and valuable actions.
Each company is unique and has a unique motive to introduce automation. Many companies use a combination of these advantages to justify the cost.
What are the Different Types of Automation in Manufacturing?
There are two main methods of manufacturing automation, which are flexible automation and fixed automation. Each method has distinct advantages and is suitable for certain kinds of applications. Knowing these advantages is essential for companies looking to improve their processes and remain ahead in the ever-changing industrial environment.
Fixed Automation
Fixed automation, also referred to by the name of hard automation,n is systems specifically designed to carry out the same set of functions with limited flexibility to change. They are usually employed for the production of large quantities of standard products. For instance, a servo motor ice cream machine is a fixed automation program since it isn’t able to be reused for various jobs.
Flexible Automation
Flexible automation is a term used to describe systems that are designed to handle a variety of products and tasks. This allows for more flexibility in response to the changing demands of production. Many applications that make use of collaborative robots (cobots) are an example of flexi-automation because they can be used for many different tasks. They are also easily programmable and easily reprogrammable.
What Industries make use of Industrial Automation?
Industrial automation has seen wide acceptance across a variety of manufacturing industries. In particular, it has changed processes involved in metal machining, plastics and rubber manufacturing,g as well as the production of wire manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and healthcare,e and consumer goods manufacturing, ng along with food processing, packaging, and other.
Automation in the Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
Manufacturing of pharmaceuticals, also referred to by the name lab automation, involves the completion of repetitive tasks with absolute accuracy,y which makes it a perfect option for manufacturing automation. Robotic systems are able to replace manual tasks like dispensing, pipetting, sample preparation, and assay development, which significantly speed up workflows, streamlining processes and boosting production.
Sunset Resources, a Vention Automation Partner,r is a top automation and biotech firm that is leading the way in modern robotics solutions tthe pharmaceuticalal industry.
Automation in Automotive Manufacturing
In a time where many industries are becoming familiar with automation technology, the auto sector has been aautomatedfor a long time. Nearly every stage of the production process for vehicles has the presence of at least one robot working on tasks like welding, assembly, coating, and painting. Automation systems (without robotics) are also used for inspection and quality control and supply chain management.
Automation in the Manufacturing of Aerospace
The aerospace industry demands automation in manufacturing to develop modern technology for aircraft and turbine engines. Robots can assemble huge and complicated parts, like wings, fuselages, and tail sections that require precision and accuracy. To ensure that they meet the highest quality standards Automated vision systems perform precise inspections.
Automation in the Food Processing Industry
Food processing is a preferred method for ensuring consistent quality, increasing the safety of food products, and boosting production. Automated and robotic systems can effortlessly handle repetitive tasks like sorting, peeling, picking,g and cutting to improve efficiency and consistency. A very sought-after industrial automation option is robotic palletizing. It’s specifically designed to improve the process of stacking and arranging products on pallets.
Sager Foods, a Vention client, makes use of two Vention cobot palletizers in order to reduce repetitive, manual work at their bottling facility for food oil.
What are the Applications of Robots in the field of Manufacturing Automation?
Robot arms, as defined by the manufacturer, are mechanical devices that can be programmed to mimic human arm movements. They form the basis of industrial automation equipment as well as production processes that are automated. They can automate repetitive and labor-intensive tasks with speed and precision and significantly cut down on the time to production and the cost of labor.
There are a variety of robot arms you need to be aware of. To ensure that you choose the correct type of robot, learn how they’re utilized for manufacturing automation.
Robots that Collaborate (cobots)
Collaborative robots, sometimes referred to as cobots, are known for their capacity to work closely with humans. Built-in sensors and safety features permit close human-robot interaction with no need for security enclosures. They are easily programmed and can be swiftly used for various tasks, and offer lower costs when compared to traditional robotic systems,s which makes them perfect in medium and small-sized companies (SMMsthatch have to be able to adapt to demands for production.
Cobots are the most popular choice for flexible automation solutions. They are utilized in a variety of industries that include logistics, manufacturing, as well as healthcare,e food and beverage, and much more.
Industrial Robots
In comparison to cobots, industrial robots can provide a larger capacity and speedier cycles. That makes them an ideal solution for heavier and more massive materials like the ones used in large-scale manufacturing,g such as automotive manufacturing. In contrast to cobots, industrial roboticrequiresre a protective enclosure to be safe around people alacksack the flexibility to adjustthe different tasks. Manufacturing AutomationManufacturing AutomationManufacturing Automation out highly precise and constant tasks such as welding, painting, or assembly. Programming and re-programming may be complicated and time-consuming. Industrial robots are commonly used in fixed automation solutions.
Gantry Robots
Gantry robots,s also referred to as Cartesian robots, are a form of robotic automation device that works on a three-axis Cartesian Coordinate system. They have linear actuators that allow the robot to move in the Y, Z, and X axes. As compared to industrial robots, gantry machines are renowned for their huge space, large capacity payload, and high rigidity. They are widely employed in areas that require large-scale materials handling, automated assembly lines, logistics, manufacturing for automobiles, and warehouses.
How can I begin using Manufacturing Automation?
With all the technological advancements in the past few decades, manufacturing automation is becoming increasingly accessible for SMMs. But the process of implementing manufacturing automation is daunting. There are a few key steps to take to ensure the success of your automation project and to establish the foundation for success and gainful results.
Kickstarting your Industrial Automation Journey
In order to assist manufacturers with their first automation project, Vention experts with years of experience designing,g programming, developing, ng and deploying automation projects have put together a comprehensive guide to getting started on your industrial automation journey. This guide will help you set goals that are clear, choose an official with technical expertise, start with low-risk initiatives, secure top-down assistance, and much more. Follow these guidelines to make sure you have a smooth and successful automation.
Decidingon the Manufacturing Process you want to first Automate
One of the toughest tasks for any manufacturer who is starting their journey to automation in manufacturing is deciding on which procedure should be automated first. There are a myriad of options, each vying for the increase in production and effectiveness that the automation could offer. It is important not begin with any type of process on your factory floor. You need to choose the one that’s just right. Read this guide on the manufacturing process you want to automate first, and the most important aspects to think about.
Building an Advanced Manufacturing Team (AMT)
AMT can be described as an internal department focused on driving industrial automation efforts within at least one manufacturing plant for the business. While the reliance on external system integrators will likely remain in the future for automation projects that require advanced process knowledge, AMTs are best suited to lead entry-level and intermediate projects where flexibility and a budget that is limited budget are required to make an impact. Find out five advantages of setting up an AMT.
Structure of the Advanced Manufacturing Team for manufacturing automation
An AMT offers benefits in faster speeds, less CAPEX investment, and worker upskilling. To design an effective AMT for robotics or automated industrial processes, there are several ideas to be considered, such as creating a team that is cross-functional and establishing an organizational framework for project management, as well as investing in simulation and testing, and so on. This article offers comprehensive guidelines on how to design an AMT.
Calculating the Return on Investments (ROI) for Industrial Automation and Robotics.
The calculation of ROI is essential to demonstrate the long-term worth of a project in industrial automation and to secure the approval of management. However, making the most accurate calculation of ROI may be difficult due to the various factors that are involved in these projects. This guide will outline the key elements required to calculate ROI and outline how to utilize Vention’s Vention ROI Calculator.
What is the complete Automated Manufacturing Workflow?
Although each project for manufacturing automation will be different, there are four main steps to the process from start to finish that every manufacturer should be aware of: design, automate, build, and run.
It is the Manufacturing Automation Platform (MAP) was designed with a specific goal: to guide users through the entire process of developing automated equipment. This powerful, yet simple platform seamlessly blends engineering software and modular hardware into a single digital space, closing the gap between the physical and digital worlds.
MAP can help manufacturing professionals of different levels of expertise, from beginners in automation to experienced integrators, which allows them to effectively automate factory operations and profitably.
Designing
Once you’ve completed every step in the “Kickstarting Your Automation Journey series, it’s now time to start the first step of an automation project: designing. In MAP, you’ll find MachineBuilder, it is which is a 3D CAD program designed exclusively for factory floors. This AI-powered tool allows the creation and development of robotic cells and tools right within the browser on the internet. MachineBuilder is completely free and is designed to accommodate makers of all experience levels.
Automating
Each design that is created within MachineBuilder produces an electronic twin, a nearly perfect digital replica of the actual machine. Digital twins playana important part in MachineLog, inc whics users can create and simulate automation sequences. For those who are new to automation, there’s an easy no-code interface, which is an alternative to the traditional PLC or robotics. Advanced users can benefit from the native Python integration to address more complex programming requirements.
Deploying
After the design and programming are confirmed through simulation The next step is to deploy it in MachineCloud. Due to the rigorous verification that occurs during the simulation phase, the process of deployment is made more efficient by a single click. Users are able to effortlessly transfer their programs and machine settings from the digital twin to the physical machine, all via the internet browser.
Operating
When the physical machine is set up and in full operation, now is the time to start making money. MachineAnalytics increases the uptime of your machine and improves performance by utilizing live remote monitoring. Follow the machine’s performance through analysis and data, as well as watching it running live using RemoteView. In case of unexpected downtime or malfunction,n NS Remote Support is accessible 24/7 for assistance with troubleshooting issueues resolution.
With these four stages of automation integrated into a single user-friendly platform, companies are able to push automated industrial projects to the next level. By using the self-help capabilities MAP gives manufacturers, they can cut costs on labor and reduce projectimelineses in order to be able to automate 3 times faster and at as much as 40% less expense.
What is AI utilized for in the field of Manufacturing Automation?
The application of AI has seen rapid growth over the past decade. Automation in manufacturing, AI has been used for many years to analyse the data gathered from supply chains, improve processes, and carry out quality control and maintenance.
Recent advances in AI, specifically generative A, have created new opportunities in manufacturing automation. We’ve classified them into three main trends:
- Co-piloting in programming using Prompt-based programming to allow natural-language commands, improving the efficiency of communication. This can be accomplished using models like ChatGPT.
- Real-time adaptive path programming: Operating robots with a minimum of human intervention to achieve optimal programming accuracyand theycann adapt. It requires machine vision and mission-based programming to succeed.
- Artificial training for robots utilizes Virtual environments to aid in the learning and troubleshooting of robots. A reliable digital twin is essential to recreate scenarios, spot problems early, a nd develop quickly, which leads to improved precision during deployment.
NVIDIA, a pioneer in AI, has recently announced a partnership with Vention to produce accurate digital twins that are much faster so that manufacturers can evaluate their designs before investing. The areas of research include the creation of generative designs for robot cells,s the copilot program, simulation based on physics, cs as well as autonomous robotics.
What are the Dangers Associated when you Automatize Manufacturing? What can you do to Mitigate these risks?
Automating manufacturing has many advantages, but as with any other procedure, it hrisksisk. These risks are typically classified into two areas that are: process risk and technology risk. Understanding these risks and reducing them is essential for the long-term success of implementing automated manufacturing in the production process.
Technology Risk
Risks to technology are the issue of successfully integrating all elements in an automation project in order to get the desired level of performance. One way to be sure that a robot’s cell can perform as expected is to buy all the elements, design and build the robot cell, and later test the robot cell. However, often it doesn’t perform as planned, leaving the manufacturers with large operational and financial risks.
Recent technological advances mean that there are ways to reduce the risk of technology. Certain manufacturing and industrial automation robotics companies now provide “out-of-the-box” solutions. These are already designed with pre-configured configurations, and sometimes even pre-assembled. This means that they can be put to immediate deployment with little installation or modifications. The shift towards production-oriented automation of manufacturing will result in more robust machines that are easier to maintain.
Process Risk
Process risk is the ability of a particular technology to continuously perform at the required levels despite large differences in inputs from one unit to the next. The management of process risk has been a difficult task since traditional systems were not capable of coping with large fluctuations in the processes. Additionally, committing the process to CAPEX without the capability to verify a system significantly affects SMMs.
Recent years have seen robots in the cloud,d and Ahasve greatly reduced the risk of process failure. The creation of highly precise digital twins,s as well as the virtualization of design for machines,e s makes it possible for manufacturers to reduce the risk of automation projecbefore to taking any CAPEX investment. Through integrating digital twins and virtualization, along with the capability to reuse and share manufacturing applications as well as programming functions and libraries, companies don’t have to begin anew with each project.
Real-life Stories of real factories that are thriving by Implementing Manufacturing Automation
Automation in manufacturing is strong enough to alter the course of the factory floor. It can increase productivity, increase the quality of production, nd reduce lead times, enhance worker safety, and so on. Automation is crucial for companies, from big to small. Find customer experiences from actual manufacturers who experienced tangible results following the introduction of automation.
Safari Sun
Safari Sun is a family-owned and operated clothing manufacturer. They wanted toautomatee their manual hat-picking procedure because of the small available space on the floor and picking errors. From a basic design, Safari Sun and Vention created an automated gantry system in only eight weeks. The system was developed using MachineBuilder and was self-programmed using Python within MachineLogic. This solution, Safari Su,n minimized its footprint and reduced the number of picking errors and trained employees to perform better-equipped tasks.
Edwards Vacuum
Edwards movedinto ao brand new location and needed to furnish it with ergonomic and modular industrial equipment. With a lead time of just one week, Vention deployed over 165 items of industrial equipment, making sure Edwards’ new facility was fully up and running in time. Utilizing MachineBuilder to create the equipment and work together, Edwardscano rapidly upgrades and alters existing equipment, rather than decommissioning it.
Classic Woodwork
Classic Woodwork is a bespoke woodworking company that wanted to improve efficiency but had difficulty recruiting new employees due to the labor shortage of labor. They also believed that you could not automate the manufacturing of custom-made products. With Vention, Classic Woodwork had a fully functional robot sanding machine that was equipped with the Universal Robots UR10e, which is mounted with a Vention 7th axis timing belt within just 10 weeks.
Sager Foods Inc
Sager Foods, a food processing company, was looking for an approach to get employees off palletizing, which is a very labor-intensive and physically demanding job. To overcome this, they put in two cobot palletizers that served the three lines of production. After a two-day commissioning process and instruction period,d they were functional, and Sager Foods could start earning its one-year ROI.
The future of Manufacturing Automation
The outlook for the industry of manufacturing automation promises to be bright. According to a study by Persistence Market Research, “the demand for industrial automation is expected to grow by 9.3% per year to reach USD 307.7 billion in 2030, a significant increase from the 2023 value of USD 165.1 billion.” This information indicates that automation in the industrial sector is not just going to be around forever, but it is also expected to see an exponential increase in the coming years.
Trends that are emerging, like the platforming and productization of automation in the manufacturing process, in conjunction with AI as well as machine learning, transform manufacturing processes and make them more efficient, connected, and interconnected, and easier to access. Robotics is increasingly integral to increasing productivity and ensuring safe and flexible work settings.
As automation technology becomes more readily available and adaptable, manufacturing companies from a variety of sectors are poised to take advantage of these advancements to attain unprecedented amounts of productivity, scalability,y and competitiveness on the global marketplace.