Professionals in the energy, utilities and building sectors may have industrial clients who want advice on reducing resource consumption while achieving higher efficiency levels using automation. Strategic applications can go above and beyond in meeting those goals, enabling high investment returns for decision-makers who pursue automated technologies.
Streamlining Processes
A good starting point is for manufacturing leaders to know which workflows use the most energy or are the best automation candidates. One straightforward option is to document specific processes and their relevant statistics, such as how long they take and the estimated energy used.
However, there may be a more precise and faster way due to numerous advanced technologies that can connect directly to equipment and assembly lines for better accuracy. For example, Internet of Things sensors gather real-time data and send it to the cloud or specialized dashboards for review. They prevent people from needing to collect the information manually.
In one case, researchers at a Chinese electric vehicle factory used Internet of Things (IoT) sensors to obtain data about factory processes and created a digital twin. After comparing 10 baseline models, the group developed another to achieve the desired improvements. Estimates suggested it would cause production efficiency improvements of four percentage points compared to counterparts.
Even if leaders cannot feasibly move forward with all the recommended enhancements, they could use the digital twin and sensor data to see which changes would cause the biggest payoffs.
Pinpointing Process Repeatability
Examine repeatable processes within facility operations. Consult with employees who specialize in the plant’s critical equipment. They can offer insight into daily tasks and resource utilization, helping leaders understand where opportunities for automation and efficiency lie.
Making processes smoother with automated equipment that can tackle repetitive motion may shorten cycle times and reduce waste. For example, many semiconductor factories use XY stages for wafer positioning tables. Those products enable frictionless motion without mechanical contact, helping workers inspect chips more efficiently.
Using specialty tables allows factories to automate the necessary movements, allowing inspectors or assemblers to focus on their tasks. Semiconductors and other high-tech components can support faster, uninterrupted process flows. Additionally, such automated solutions could prevent worker strain since the product does most of the moving.
Improving Operational Oversight
Leaders are more likely to understand the impact of automation on manufacturing operations if they investigate options that give them more visibility into overall performance. Automated robots are an efficacious start. One advanced industrial robot service was able to reduce machine energy usage by 30% while demonstrating optimized performance.
When planning upcoming investments for a facility, decision-makers need to have a thorough understanding of their current processes. Automated tools can offer valuable insight into opportunities for improvement. They can help demonstrate the potential impact of application changes, overloading or incorrect component sizing, which can make machines less efficient. These tools enable teams to determine which processes, settings and equipment are necessary for the best, most efficient results.
Manufacturing decision-makers should also invest in specialized platforms that can give them in-depth details about up-to-the-minute happenings in their plants. A building automation system (BAS) can provide greater visibility and control — advanced solutions enable facilities to collect thousands of data points, schedule equipment start and stop times and automatically adjust settings for optimization.
These insights are incredibly useful for improving overall efficiency and cultivating a more energy-conscious manufacturing operation for future sustainability and growth.
Finding Efficiency and Success With Automation
Identifying the best ways to automate manufacturing plants while minimizing energy consumption and maximizing production efficiency can take time. However, these considerations will give concerned professionals numerous possibilities to explore
