Manufacturing automation has risen in the recent past, with most company owners moving from manual business operations to automated processes. That could be due to the numerous benefits of automated company processes.
Most people think that manufacturing automation is for big companies only. However, SME automation is taking shape in most countries because many have witnessed the advantages that automation brings to a business. The SMEs invest in automation because they realize they can reap big-time from automating production processes. This article explores the significant benefits that automation brings to a business.
Benefits of Automating Manufacturing Processes
Automation is crucial for business growth. The following comprises some benefits a business can gain by automating its manufacturing processes.
1. Enhanced Product Quality
Automating manufacturing processes enhances product quality. Quality is vital if you are to fetch high market prices and develop loyalty among customers. Quality products also can increase a business’s market share as the existing customers market your products by word of mouth to family and friends.
The quality of production increases because automation reduces the margin of error. For instance, cobots operate through software programmed with required product specifications. They are precise and produce exactly as programmed. The high product exactness ensures that the product is of high quality.
Quality products fetch high prices. Most consumers are particular with what they purchase and will not have a problem paying more for a product that meets their standards. Hence, a company can generate more revenue through the enormous sale of quality products. Also, quality products mean less material goes to waste during production. Less wastage implies fewer losses to a business.
2. Diminished Labor Cost
Transferring tedious and repetitive tasks such as packaging, loading, and offloading to the robots or cobots relieves employees of these jobs. The repetitive tasks are expensive in the long run as a company must regularly hire numerous employees who charge per hour to do the job. However, with automation, robots and cobots take up such tasks and perform them satisfactorily, without your parting with a dime.
Although its initial investment is high, due to high purchase and installation costs, the robots and cobots are worth investing in at the end of the day. The labor costs a business saves from automating its processes can be reinvested into the business and increase company productivity.
3. Increased Labor Productivity
Automating Manufacturing Processes operations increases labor productivity. Automated systems accomplish tasks more effectively and efficiently than manual processes. Automation involves the transfer of tedious, dangerous, and monotonous operations to robots or cobots.
The robots taking over the tedious jobs frees employees to focus on other sectors of the business that they have a specialty in and can perform better. That way, the workers become more productive as they have enough time to focus on activities they enjoy and contribute to company profits.
For instance, often overlooked, marketing and customer care jobs are responsible for business growth. Committing enough time to serve customers and market company products increases company sales and profits. That translates to high labor productivity.
4. Increased Workplace Safety
Manufacturing involves processes that can take away somebody’s life or cause severe injuries. You must have witnessed countless incidences of workers that burned to death in the workplace or others that got sick, injured, and incapacitated due to exposure to harmful work processes and environments. Exposure to dust and toxic chemicals can cause an employee to develop respiratory illnesses.
Employees that get sick, injured, or die at the workplace have the right to compensation from the employer. That is a huge burden that can drain a company of its finances. You can avoid all that by automating business processes. Automation involves the transfer of life-threatening, tedious, and monotonous tasks from the human workforce to robots or cobots. That makes the workplace safer for employees.
5. Increased Company Productivity
Company productivity determines a business’s survival rate. A company that cannot break even means operating on losses and can only survive a short time in the already competitive market. Automation increases production speed, meaning businesses can meet their targets and take up any job that comes their way, regardless of the timeline.
Also, automation allows a business to operate 24/7. Robots and cobots can work round the clock without tiring or taking breaks. Hence, a company achieves high productivity and can meet the rising demand for its products.
Automation ensures production consistency. That way, a company meets its market demand whenever. Also, with the reduced margin of error, products are consistent, meaning minor damage in the production process. That contributes to high business productivity.
6. Avoid Higher Costs of Not Automating
Automation saves numerous business costs. For starters, there is the cost of damaged goods. Human workers are prone to error since they get tired, forgetful, and sick, which interferes with their efficiency in carrying out company operations.
The products produced by human workers can differ in product specifics, interfering with product quality. A product that does not meet market requirements is damaged, which is a considerable cost of doing business when a company fails to automate its processes. Automation ensures consistent and high-quality products, thus saving the company the costs related to damaged goods.
Also, automation ensures faster production. Robots and cobots operate at high speeds and can work 24/7. They do not take breaks or get sick. The only time they are not running is when they are undergoing maintenance. Hence, that saves a company much time, as operations can continue round the clock without any variance in product quality.
Moreover, with automation, a company can meet the market demand and retain its customers. If a customer wants a product and you cannot provide it when they need it, they will find another company to buy from. That can lead to lost company sales and lost customers. Automation ensures you can retain your customers and increase your customer base.
Conclusion
Automating manufacturing processes means transferring some business operations to robots or cobots, incredibly repetitive, tedious, and dangerous tasks. A business that automates its operations gains a lot from doing so. Product quality increases, labor costs reduce, the workplace becomes safer, labor productivity increases, company productivity rises, and a business can avoid several costs of not automating.
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Source@techsaa: Read more at: Technology Week Blog
