Automating the production of one’s own company, one can already imagine a future made up of robots and machines that work and manage the company, where the figure of man is no longer the element that provides a service, but rather uses it.
Human replacement is a current fear that is similar to that experienced during all the industrial revolutions. Times change, but the fears remain.
Automation, in fact, is not a new concept, but an ancient one. Man has always sought to automate certain processes.
Today, industrial automation is often realised by mechanical, hydraulic and electronic systems.
Benefits of industrial automation
If we had to sum them up, they could be: increased efficiency, stability and productivity.
In Kablator, cerchiamo sempre di far comprendere ai nostri clienti che l’importante è sempre partire da una definizione dei propri obiettivi.
Usually these goals are economical but to achieve them you have to go through a problem or limitation in your processes. In many cases, the idea of solving them without having to hire someone seems impossible, because there is still a lot of reticence, especially in SMEs, about automation.
So it is always good to review, what are the main reasons for adopting an automation system as an enterprise.
INCREASED SAFETY
Using robots and cobots on production lines with dangerous working conditions for humans is safer and provides greater integrity. In some cases, robots will then accompany human personnel (cobots) in order to improve their work.
IMPROVED WORKING CONDITIONS
The use of machines and robots, guaranteeing a human/machine interface and apps that allow for easy remote control of the ongoing process. Trained staff open to innovation.
INCREASED ADDED VALUE
The use of machines and automated systems allows human skills to be shifted to less tedious and routinely alienating activities. Bringing people into more value-added roles and tasks in other areas of the enterprise.
REDUCTION OF RESOURCES
Using automated machines and systems saves labour resources (less labour), energy (overnight production), inventory costs (just-in-time production), data analysis (less risk of machine breakdowns and/or service interruptions).
OPTIMIZING PRODUCTIVITY and FLEXIBILITY
Productivity, and therefore turnover, is increased through the choice of fixed and flexible automated systems. Fixed ones perform repetitive processes to achieve high volume production targets. For this type of machinery, production increases significantly due to the capabilities of robots and activated systems. On the other hand, if flexible automation systems are chosen, several machines could be connected via software, controlled by a central information system, where human operators would enter commands. This system allows great flexibility due to the highly adaptable programming and thus also optimises the return on investment even more.
Undoubtedly, the choice to automate your company’s production as much as possible is a choice that is necessary today in order to be able to carry on your business and maintain a competitive position in the market.
The market offers a multitude of companies providing solutions and consultancy, but it is good to remember that the automation process involves several steps in order to correctly integrate all the systems and machinery, preventing any errors that would mean the risk of wrong investments with serious repercussions in the short, but also in the long term.
Factory automation and Industry 4.0 are concepts that we have now embraced and are already looking towards 5.0, but some companies have not yet taken this step.
How many and what are the aspects to be kept in mind?
5, and we will briefly discuss them below, because they are precisely the concepts that have allowed Kablator to define what we will see later in the article, namely the KABLATOR METHOD:
- Design and Analysis: careful planning that takes into account all production areas of the company and analyses all critical points to see where to intervene;
- Technology: choice of systems and machinery to be integrated in order to achieve the objectives of production optimisation and technological advancement.
- Budget: precise calculation of the financial resources required for the project and analysis of possible external financing such as tenders, funds, etc.
- Implementation: introduction of the new systems and machinery into the production process without causing blockages or difficulties for the personnel involved.
- Staff training: the involvement of staff in the company change is also of paramount importance and therefore training is a must.
Given this delicate issue, at Kablator we have defined a strategy that we apply to each of our customers called METHOD, because it is a real recipe for success for each project!
The choice of partner with whom to approach the production automation process is undoubtedly the most binding for its success.
The Kablator Method
> Preliminary consultation and feasibility study
Accurate study, data in hand, of the variables and criticalities of the project to be implemented, be it a machine, a vision system or other are the first ingredient. A step-by-step collaboration with the customer.
> Facilitated finance consulting
A project has solid foundations and properly allocated budgets. Facilitated finance allows for interventions and instruments made available to stimulate economic development and investment.
> Digital Twin
Testing in the virtual world before machine and system commissioning, using Digital Twins to simulate the value of automation before realisation.
> Installazione e Monitoraggio
Direct installation of machines by our technicians for customer commissioning. No intermediaries. Continuous monitoring with software supervisors thanks to which we can intervene with immediate remote assistance.
> Customer training
Customer support in all start-up phases with technical training, supply of all the tools necessary for optimal use of the solutions.
This is the procedure we follow at Kablator: we work alongside each customer and become their innovation partner.
We design and develop innovative industry solutions for every type of project based on the customer’s specific requirements.
