4 Benefits of Adopting Automation in Manufacturing

In today’s fast-paced global economy, it can be tough for manufacturing companies to keep up with increasing consumer demand. As manual tasks continue to grow more complex and labor-intensive, it’s essential to adapt the latest technologies to gain a competitive advantage. One such technology comes in the form of automated systems, which have taken the industry by storm. Due to their ability to mass-produce high-quality products quickly and reliably, it’s clear that investing in them could yield several benefits for your business, including the following:

1. Higher Productivity

Automated systems can allow manufacturing companies to produce two to three times their usual output in the same amount of time. Additionally, these systems can be left running for long periods, sometimes even overnight, without requiring an operator to step in after each completed task. Removing lag time between jobs can mean many hours saved per day, resulting in more finished batches. More importantly, though, automation frees up your employees’ time, allowing them to focus on more productive pursuits such as developing ways to improve efficiency on the floor or tweaking processes to maximize each production run.

2. Better Accuracy

While workers are more prone to forgetting a step or struggle to replicate results, machines can more quickly and accurately carry out the same tasks repeatedly with the same quality of output. Depending on the type of equipment used, these machines can execute incredibly complicated tasks with a low margin for error. Using automated systems ensures that not a single step is missed or executed in the wrong order. These can also detect and alert workers as to whether inputted data is incorrect or incomplete, resulting in fewer production mistakes. Additionally, these systems can be tweaked and improved over time, allowing you to eventually perfect each stage of the process.

3. Lower Overhead Costs

By adopting automation, companies do not need to hire as many people in order to keep things running. Instead, they can focus on hiring people who can oversee and improve their system operations, as equipment with sensor and transducer technologies can function on their own with minimal human input. Sensors can detect physical changes such as heat, force, speed, and position. Based on these inputs, the machine can then carry out an appropriate action using actuators. In addition to speeding up production processes, sensors can also help detect whether your equipment is in need of maintenance or repair, reducing periods of downtime while saving on scheduled maintenance costs. Optimization of these systems could also lead to less wasted material and lower energy consumption.

4. Safer Workplaces

There are many manual tasks in manufacturing that are so dangerous that one wrong move could debilitate an employee for life. The same goes for repetitive manual labor that puts a lot of physical strain on workers’ bodies, which could result in serious injuries called cumulative trauma disorders (CTD). Should these employees lose their capacity to work, providing appropriate compensation could prove to be very expensive for the company. By implementing automated systems that can safely execute these tasks, however, employees will no longer have to put themselves in risky scenarios just to get the job done.

By allowing your business to achieve increased productivity, accuracy, workplace safety as well as reduced production costs, adopting automation is essential to staying one step ahead of the competition. However, it’s not only the machines themselves that will lead you to success. As with any business, it is still necessary to invest in the right people. Though some machines may have the ability to operate on their own, companies still require human input and oversight to be able to make the most of these technologies. Though initially setting up automation may seem like a large expense at the start, it provides a quick return on investment and will prove to be an essential asset for your business in the long run.