Assembly line automation requires equipment to handle tasks once done by employees. Business owners must decide which tasks can be automated without reducing quality, retooling the line, and increasing productivity. Testing and monitoring are crucial to avoid quality losses. Automation may require changes to the line’s flow and can increase production and revenue if it doesn’t cut corners on quality.
Assembly line automation is a process that requires the use of equipment to handle tasks along the assembly line that were once handled by employees. When considering adding some type of automation process to an existing assembly line, business owners and managers need to decide which tasks can be automated without negatively impacting quality, as the line may need to be retooled to accommodate the new equipment and what kind of impact automation will have in terms of saving money and increasing productivity.
One of the first things to remember when considering assembly line automation is to determine which tasks can best be automated, while avoiding the potential to reduce the quality of goods produced. While automation can often help increase line speed, that speed can come at a cost. This is especially true if the specific tasks and related steps are not carefully evaluated or do not match the capability of the equipment and software programs installed to handle those tasks. Testing of the equipment and comparing the results with units manufactured using previous line methods often reveal any quality losses.
In addition to quality monitoring, the task of assembly line automation often involves making some changes to the flow of the line itself. In some cases, tasks that were once performed by two people can be handled by a single piece of equipment programmed to quickly handle one and then the next task in the sequence. This can mean that the line can be reconfigured to take up less floor space, paving the way for the addition of an additional line that increases overall production.
With any move to engage in assembly line automation, the ultimate test is the impact the automated line has on revenue generation. While the cost of installing the equipment can be significant, recouping those costs due to increased productivity can be accomplished in less time than owners and managers realize. Assuming that the equipment helps increase the number of units produced without cutting corners on quality, this means that the company can fulfill customer orders faster, which will likely increase demand and sales over time. If automation doesn’t mean increasing production even if it ultimately reduces labor and operating costs, rethinking assembly line automation before full implementation may be in the best interest of the company.
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