24 n AUTOMATION September 2024 www.drivesncontrols.com Six tips for ensuring that your automation projects go smoothly Manufacturing has been one of the UK’s success stories, with an output valued at £217bn. But with Make UK revealing recently that we’ve dropped out of the top ten manufacturing nations for the first time – falling to twelfth place – our position is vulnerable unless we increase our level of automation significantly. The benefits of automation are myriad, helping manufacturers to increase their productivity, reduce waste, improve product quality and alleviate labour shortages. And as the only G7 country to sit outside the top 20 nations in terms of robot density (we are actually 25th in the IFR global robot league table which measures the number of robots per 10,000 manufacturing workers), accelerating our uptake of automation technologies is essential if we are to retain our place as a leading manufacturing nation. It is therefore important when designing a new product, planning a new production line, or upgrading an existing facility, to factor in automation from the very start of the process, not just as an afterthought. Not only does this keep costs down, but it also ensures that any automation installation will be right first time, minimising downtime, boosting productivity and resulting in a system that is fit for purpose. Below I have listed six design considerations that I believe are key to integrating effective industrial automation seamlessly. 1. Embrace the automation process It may sound obvious, but you need to keep at the front of your mind the fact that your product’s manufacturing processes will need to benefit from automation. This can usually only be achieved by incorporating automation into the product from the design stage – for example, by giving parts features that allow them to be picked up by robots, located or inspected by vision systems, or allowing access for a welding torch or fixturing. This mindset also translates to the wider production line. We often see products that have been designed using multiple materials, joining techniques and production methods that won’t necessarily all work together to produce something that is easily automated, but which designers are reluctant to give up. However, it can be better to take a hit on one material or process to make things easier to automate, thus reducing total production costs. 2. Prioritise parts Focus on methods for delivering parts within the process. Often, customers will come to us looking for an automated system, but with their component parts not delivered in an ordered way. Up to 20-30% of the cost of a project can be spent on getting parts located or fixtured and ready to process before the real automation can start. It makes more commercial sense to keep parts Embarking on an automation project can be a daunting prospect for many manufacturers. But by putting some planning and thought into the process, the journey can become much smoother. Oliver Selby, head of sales for Fanuc UK, outlines six factors that he considers to be key for integrating automation projects successfully. Incorporate automation into the design of your products, allowing them to be picked up by a robot, or located by a vision system, for example.
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