Industries try to automate their production processes as much as possible. In order to achieve greater efficiency and product quality. However, do we know exactly what automation is? And to what extent can its application be beneficial? We tell you about it in our post today along with 7 benefits of industrial automation.
Automation consists of the use of technologies and methodologies with the aim of automatically performing all those tasks that are repetitive without the need, or with very little, human intervention. In addition to providing all the necessary information so that the systems can self-manage and be accessible if external intervention is necessary.
Due to the ease of being implemented in the most repetitive processes, one of the best-known forms of automation is the use of robotics in production lines. However, many other technologies such as PLCs or Databases are used to manage information, and in recent years with the rise of Industry 4.0, the use of Computer Vision and Deep Learning.
Automation encompasses a large number of technologies and methodologies, using what can be implemented in the production process. Due to this reason, it is a changing field in which new technologies can be used as they are improved by time.
Some of the most commonly used today are:
Robotics: Surely one of the best known. It consists, in most cases, in the use of robots in production lines to carry out assembly or picking tasks. In recent years, the use of collaborative robots has become popular, which thanks to its smaller size and security measures can be used near or with operators without danger.Computer Vision: Through the use of vision cameras, images are taken from which information is extracted. This information can be of various kinds, from detecting defects in pieces, to determining the actions to be taken based on the object found, or simply reading codes. It is also common to use Deep Learning for the detection or classification of captured images.
AGVs: The use of autonomous vehicles is common today, especially for use in transporting material or maintenance. Its use in combination with robotic arms and computer vision is common.
Information Management: Another important point of automation is being able to carry out communications between the different teams as well as being able to store and access said information easily. For this, it is common to use databases that allow keeping a record of the elements and how they are related to each other.
These are just some of the possible technologies used in automation. It should be noted that in most cases it is not enough to apply only one of them to automate a process. So it is necessary to use a combination of 2 or more of the mentioned technologies.
Although we have already mentioned what automation consists of and what methods it uses, is it worth applying automation? Next, we explain 7 benefits of applying automation to an industrial process.
Automating tasks allows not only greater efficiency in the process by being able to perform various tasks more quickly, but also production can be maintained 24 hours a day.
Automating tasks allows not only greater efficiency in the process by being able to perform various tasks more quickly, but also production can be maintained 24 hours a day.
Although automation can involve an initial investment, it also allows great savings. This is due to several reasons, such as fewer errors, which makes the product more cost-effective, and decreases the amount of waste produced by errors.
An automated system allows the collection and storage of a large amount of information regarding the process. This makes it easy to perform analyzes that can help further improve the process and make it more efficient.
By automating the most difficult tasks, people are prevented from being put into dangerous situations. In addition, automated systems have great security measures that prevent accidents from occurring.
By having greater control of the systems, they can more easily adapt to different situations. As a greater amount of work, or the introduction of new elements in the production.
Once the system is validated, the appearance of problems in it is very rare, and in case of situations, the systems are prepared to notify them. For this reason they need less supervision of their operation.
As explained, the automation of industrial tasks can bring many benefits. There will continue to be tasks that can only be performed by people due to their complexity. But in the most routine tasks, the application of automation in any of its versions can offer great benefits and advantages for everyone.
Do you want to apply Automation in any of your Projects? Contact us!
Having industrial automation is an obvious must, but when it comes to counting the advantages, there’s a lot of grey area. And a big part of that grey area comes down to how well a facility’s automation is set up. Just because a facility has automation technology in place, that doesn’t mean it's good enough for their processes or their goals.
Having industrial automation is one thing, but having it done well can be a game-changer. Here are five benefits that come along with good, high-quality industrial automation.
How can we do more with what we have? When it comes to boosting production rates, it’s beneficial to look at the whole system design, find bottlenecks, and work to overcome them. A good automation system addresses those things.
A simple example of a production bottleneck is in how ingredients are metered. Say you have a product that is made up of ten different ingredients, and the current system meters each ingredient individually. An automation system that meters all ten ingredients at the same time will increase the speed of every single production run.
With your current automation system, how long does it take to identify a failure or fault in the system and remedy the situation? Oftentimes, increasing productivity means reducing downtime, because when you’re down, you’re not producing. With a properly setup automation system, a fault or failure can trigger a notification to pop up and let your facilities manager know there’s an issue. A good automation system can also run diagnostics and troubleshoot solutions too. Solving production issues before they become problems can significantly increase productivity.
What are your product tracking metrics, and how much waste material is produced during production? A good automation system keeps track of all the different materials, ingredients, or commodities moving through the system and monitors waste. This data can provide insights into opportunities for more efficient material use.
How consistent is your output? Today, product quality has a lot to do with accuracy and repeatability. If your metering is inconsistent over time, product consistency will suffer. A good automation system will help you guarantee product consistency on a daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly basis while monitoring for faults or failures in product quality and consistency.
Are you keeping your people at a safe distance? Industrial automation systems play an important role in keeping employees out of harm’s way. A lot of the processes that have been taken over by automation technology used to be done by hand by employees who had to get close to moving equipment. The more you automate, the more you’re keeping people at a safe distance and allowing conveyors and hoppers to fill grinders and mixers with the material.
Of course, there is the reality that more sophisticated industrial automation has a greater upfront cost. Whether or not that cost is worthwhile is going to depend on which benefits and advantages provide the best conditions and return on investment. Talking with an industrial automation expert at our company can help you determine what ways your current automation could be made more efficient in the ways listed above and in additional ways too. Get in touch today.