Flexible Automated ManufacturingSteve Ellis

Automation and manufacturing are being redefined by a new type of robotics technology, one that is flexible, cheaper, and easier to use for manufacturers of all sizes

As more companies continue to realize that traditional methods of offshoring production is no longer as cost-saving as it used to be in the past, they begin turning toward automation of much of their production efforts

So while more manufacturers are working toward automation, the problem for them lies in traditional industrial robots not being apt for the new type of consumer demands that exist

Such demands require high-mix operations while conventional industrial robots were designed for speed and higher volumes, rather than flexibility

These robots were large, so they were hard to move to any other part of a supply line, and regardless they were usually designed to perform a single task over and over again

Identifying this problem, solutions are beginning to emerge within the world of robotics

Collaborative robots, which are well suited for what their larger industrial counterparts are not, are starting to emerge even in smaller production plants around the world

In fact, many robots are showing up in plants that had never employed robots before

These collaborate robots are less expensive than traditional manufacturing robots, easier to program and easier to deploy around a plant

These collaborative robots can handle a wider variety of jobs in a safe manner

For a long time, one of the many obstacles encountered by manufacturers seeking to automate has been actually doing so for plants that were high-mix and low-volume

This means, they produce a larger variety of products but in smaller quantities as opposed to high-volume and low-mix operations (where traditional industrial robots are a better fit)

For high-mix production, robots that can be fitted for multiple purposes are a great start toward overcoming automation obstacles

Steve Ellis

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