DETROIT – In reviewing current industry trends, it is evident that automation efforts will be accelerated within the next 3 years. In recent engagements of both a plant-based products manufacturer and a leading consumer products company in the printing industry, there was a need for agility, flexibility, and reduction of internal costs in order to grow the top line cash flow and increase brand and market share growth. Adding automation can and should be accompanied by efforts to be nimble as supply chain, labor force and economic disruptions continue.
In addition to various other industries reaping its benefits, the integration of automation, robotics, computer vision, machine learning, and AI has significantly transformed the landscape of cannabis businesses too. The cannabis automation solutions allow them to effectively enhance their production methods, minimize wastage, and elevate the standard of their products.
Gaining Key Wins With Automation
There are several key wins companies can obtain that provide automation nimbleness:
- Labor re-balancing, reductions, and more predictable operating costs
- Consistency and quality of products from shift to shift
- Optimization of manufacturing time to deliver planned and new products
Manufacturing companies should be on the lookout for ways to capture agility and flexibility in their automation usage, including the following:
- Aligning Technology With Short and Long Term Goals
- Operating model and supply channels (what are the required product formats)
- Lifecycle of customer products
- Sustainability goals – packaging and shipping materials (bio-degradable, recycled, PCR, e.g.)
- Labor reduction and optimizing throughput (cost savings and product material optimizing)
Takeaway: By reviewing both short and long term goals and how they intersect with automation technology, manufacturing companies can be better positioned should the need to pivot arises.
- Leveraging Modular Systems vs. Traditional Fixed Position To Control Manufacturing Inputs
- Material variances
- Known operator skills level variances
- Product variances
- Overall process control variances
- Re-startup mode with no time delays back to the committed efficiency goal
Takeaway: Modularity should be considered within the constraints of a piece of equipment or broader manufacturing line being adaptable and flexible to reconfigure quickly (under 5 minutes). Achieving this construct requires all the former inputs to a manufacturing line to be in balance.
- Technology Systems Allowing Consistency And Reliability After Installation/Start-Up
- Systems using robotic single system, multi-axis system, gantry system, or autonomous vehicle technology
- Systems that maximize the available manufacturing – production time frame
- Systems that communicate well together with data and status throughout the shift at the HMI
Takeaway: These abovementioned examples keep manufacturing operations nimble as they can be used to adapt to changing production line variables and environments.
The use of modular systems designed for lower TCO and predictable maintenance schedules have been proven to have the greatest impact on the manufacturing environment. However, companies should be aware that not all systems are equal. There is still a need to do due diligence and testing of these systems to understand what the overall TCO impact is, and this goes beyond the initial price tag. Be sure to leverage systems that do not require an expert outside the internally trained maintenance staff, as this added cost can quickly erode any long-term cost savings. In addition, try to stay away from black box technology unless it operates at 99.5% efficiency hands-off.
Exploring modular systems for automation while keeping in mind these potential wins can help make the automation decision a bit clearer, and provide a path to a more nimble manufacturing process.
Be sure to read other articles in this series from Robert:
Transitioning and Sustaining Automation
Byline: Robert Champion is technical visionary leader with nearly three decades of manufacturing engineering and management experience, including technical business development. As founder and president of InnoFlex Solutions, he and his team guide manufacturing plants in how to gain operational efficiencies on the production floor.
