Guide to Digitalising Your Factory

With the increasing integration of automation in industry, most factory floors are now dominated by robots and other machines. Today, digitalising the factory floor has become crucial for businesses that want to stay competitive in the market. Here is all you need to know about factory automation, its benefits, and the approach to integrating factory automation systems into your operations:

What Is Factory Automation?

Falling under the umbrella of digital transformation, factory automation refers to the integration of technology-based processes within manufacturing facilities to replace manual and human-centric processes. When processes are automated, businesses are free to reduce their labour resources or re-allocate them to focus on other value-added and strategic activities.

Types of Factory Automation

● Partial Process Automation: When an element of automation is integrated to automate repetitive tasks, but it is under the supervision of a human worker.

●  Single Automated Machines: When machines that are designed to carry out a specific repetitive task are integrated into operations.

● Automated Production Lines: A combination of automated machines, with specific tasks, is linked through a conveyor to automate the production process.

● End-to-End Automation: A fully automated set-up allows 24X7 production without requiring human oversight or input.

Benefits of Factory Automation

●        Enhanced productivity

●        Improved quality and consistency

●        Reduced waste

●        Cost savings

●        Safer working conditions

How to Approach Factory Automation for Your Business

Understand Your Goals

The ROI you generate post automation will depend on how it was applied. The automation of some systems will generate a stronger and more immediate ROI as compared to other systems. This is why it is crucial to first establish which processes on your factory floor should be automated in the beginning. Automation has a broad spectrum, so start by understanding which small steps, like starting with single automated machines, will generate the best ROI based on your specific needs.

Align All Stakeholders

After drafting an automation plan, it is important to ensure buy-in for the initiative from all the stakeholders across the organisation. The evidence that is in support of the automation strategy must be understandable for all involved parties. For example, if the board of directors has concerns about the cost of the project, they must be shown the downstream productivity improvements and profitability. On the other hand, the workforce may fear that this will lead to job losses, while effective automation strategies may actually result in better health and safety outcomes and upskilling opportunities for the staff, which will allow them to shift from labour-intensive work to more fulfilling job roles.

Evaluate Existing and Required Infrastructure

Put in some time to evaluate the tools and technology you already have and the tools and technologies you need to achieve the desired automation outcomes. It is easy to lose track and over-automate, spending way more that you were supposed to. To get the balance of automation right, it is crucial that you first have a thorough understanding of your existing manufacturing systems.

Measure Impact of Productivity

To ensure that automation strategies deliver on their full potential, it is important to invest in tools that can measure the impact of the changes that are being made in the organisation. For a comprehensive view of the ROI generated by the digital transformation, it is important that you measure the increase in productivity over time.

Mitsubishi Electric India offers a range of automation and software suite that can implement comprehensive digital transformation solutions that bring improved productivity, quality, and efficiency to your factory floor. Offering a wide collection of factory automation systems, Mitsubishi Electric India also ensures that customers have access to direct communication and comprehensive support through its extensive service networks.