June 16, 2020 Reasons Why Companies Automate Manufacturing Operations

Automation alleviates labor shortages, boosts productivity, enhances safety, reduces labor costs and helps produce a better product.

Manufacturers must stay updated on the automation advancements. Artificial Intelligence is advancing rapidly, and automation in manufacturing is bound to follow suit. AI will ensure that that automation is even more dependable and extensively used.

Why should manufacturers automate their manufacturing processes? First off, automation means performing tasks with minimal human participation. The functions or operations are programmed to be performed automatically.

The automated systems perform these applications on physical products within the factory. The applications include the following:

• Assembly
• Material handling
• Processing
• Inspection

Why Should You Automate Your Manufacturing Operations?

Some of the reasons why manufacturing automation is necessary include the following:

1. To Alleviate the Impact of Labor Shortages

Many manufacturing companies face labor shortages, especially for non-cognitive operations. Many of these operations involve repetitive tasks that are not popular with the human workforce.

Employee turnover has been a real problem. Automation helps to alleviate the impact of the labor shortage because it takes up the unpopular tasks.

2. To Boost Productivity

The production rate goes up since automation operates around the clock. Hence, the company realizes a higher output of labor.

3. To Enhance Safety in the Workplace

Your employees become supervisors and are no longer involved in the physical aspects of the applications. When automation takes over, especially the relatively dangerous processes, injuries in the workplace are eliminated.

The law expects companies to ensure the safety and well-being of their workers. Automation helps companies to meet the expected safety standards.

4. Reducing the Cost of Labor

Labor is expensive in most industries across the economies. You must reward your workers appropriately and meet the minimum wage standards. Also, there are bonuses, benefits, and other factors that dig into the company’s coffers.

Automation helps to reduce the costs of labor. If you replace manual applications in the workplace, you can reduce the human workforce by a significant margin. This will work wonders for production and, ultimately, the profit margin.

5. To Better the Quality of the product

Apart from improving production volumes, automation helps to boost product quality. Automation eliminates the element of error and produces consistently excellent results that meet quality expectations. As a result, your company will experience fewer rates of defects.

6. To Perform Operations That Must Be Automated

Many manufacturing operations cannot be carried out manually. This is because the operations’ requirements far exceed manual ability. These requirements include the following:

• Accuracy
• The intricacy of the geometry
• Miniaturization

Machines can only achieve these processes. Some of the parts to be worked on may be extremely small and delicate. The margin for error in such is nonexistent.

What is the Impact of Not Automating?

Failing to automate may be quite costly in the end. You miss out on tons of cost-effective benefits that could earn you a tidy amount in profits. For starters, automation allows you to compete effectively in today’s market.

Therefore, failing to automate leaves you lagging behind your peers. Some of the benefits you stand to miss out on include the following:

• Better quality products
• More sales
• Less product recalls (if any)
• A safer work environment
• A boost in your company image
• A boost in job satisfaction

Companies that fail to automate cannot be at the same level as those that do. They will lose the confidence of their consumers who will leave for the competition. They may even lose their workers, and the general public will view them with a certain amount of disdain.

Manufacturing Automation in the Future

The manufacturing of the future will be fully automated. Robots perform many of the manufacturing tasks today, with a few humans performing supervisory roles. Full automation does not mean zero humans within the facility.

Conclusion

The human presence is still required because they must look out for and prevent manufacturing failures. Artificial Intelligence may, however, enable machines to comprehend and execute more complex applications.

Hence, humans in the workplace may only come in for periodic checks to ensure everything is running smoothly.

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