Purchasing Automation
Other significant advancements are the company’s Dual Check Safety (DCS) capabilities and its embedded iRVision functionality, which allows visual error-proofing, now included with all FANUC robots, Johnson added. “DCS is allowing customers to decrease the size of the cell safely, decrease the use of safety equipment, and work in more collaboration with the robots,” he said. “Certainly cost and return on investment is a concern, but there are other issues that buyers face. A robot will do precisely what you ask it to do. If you have had quality issues, it can be a benefit.”
Managing the Automation
Along with getting ROI in a reasonable amount of time, buyers should be concerned with being able to support the automation after delivery and installation, said Kevin Heise, vice president of sales, Liebherr Automation Systems Co. (Kempten, Germany, and Saline, MI), a supplier of palletized automation systems, robotic solutions and gear-manufacturing
equipment. An important factor, Heise noted, is whether buy- ers have the technical resources to support the automation system’s controls technology long-term.
“Astute companies base their investments in automation on increasing throughput and a reasonable payback period, not their gut perception of the price tag.”
“A key question is what controls decision is going to be made? For instance, we sell to Ford, and this is not a ques- tion for them, because they have the ability to take owner- ship and support that equipment,” Heise stated. “But let’s say I’m selling something to a company in Iowa or Wyoming. Do they have the resources to support flexible manufac- turing? Do I have the staff in place there to take over that
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