AUTOMATION/SMART FACTORY FANUC
Busting the automation myths
Carl Patrick, robot sales manager – machine tool automation at FANUC UK, explains the seven reasons to embrace robotics
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n order to remain competitive, industrial companies need to produce more goods, to a higher quality and in less time. Since the
fi rst industrial revolution through to the current fourth iteration, automation has been proven to boost productivity. Yet whereas the UK was once the world leader in its adoption, we now rank a lowly 24th in the world for robot density, with 111 robots per 10,000 workers. Germany, the leader in Europe, boasts 397. There are some signs of improved take-up,
however; installations of new robots and automation systems were 56% higher in the UK in 2021 than in 2015. But the productivity gap persists and reluctance to invest in automation is still a major challenge, especially among SMEs. Much of the lingering reluctance is around a long-held fear of automation, largely based on myths that are well past time for busting. Here, we counter seven of the most popular misconceptions around robotics and explain why there’s never been a better time to make the move to automation.
MYTH #1: AUTOMATION SOLVES EVERYTHING
Automation is not a magic bullet. If a manufacturer is looking to solve a bottleneck, then automating the process will just mean parts arriving at the bottleneck faster, exacerbating the issue. And nor will problems with quality and consistency be solved simply by installing a machine. Instead, factory owners should seek advice
24 October 2023 Irish Manufacturing
www.irish-manufacturing.com
from an automation expert, such as FANUC or one of our system integrator partners, about their exact needs and what they want to achieve. We can help to identify problems with existing processes and advise on how best to employ automation to deliver the required objectives: greater effi ciency, shorter cycle times, more consistency and higher quality, leading to improved competitiveness and profi tability.
MYTH #2: AUTOMATION IS TOO COMPLICATED It really doesn’t have to be. Businesses can start small, with simple functions such as a palletising/ depalletising cell, and progress from there. Our
automation experts can help identify where manufacturers can get a good return, quickly. When it comes to operation, this doesn’t
have to be complicated, either. FANUC’s user- friendly software tools – such as FANUC Ladder III, FANUC PICTURE and C-Executor – feature command systems with drop-down menus and choice paths that look comfortingly familiar, making them extremely user-friendly.
MYTH #3: AUTOMATION WILL REPLACE VALUED EMPLOYEES The right automation solution will replace tasks, not people. The best way to approach a robotics project is to look at what is happening already
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