Pros & Cons of Automation in Manufacturing
Published on : Sunday 16-02-2020
Replacing human workers with machines comes with its fair share of pros and cons, writes David Madden.
Industrial automation is quickly taking the manufacturing industry by storm as companies look for cheaper, more reliable ways of manufacturing their products. Experts estimate that 1.2 million industrial robots will be deployed by the year 2025, and 86 per cent of companies say they plan to apply advanced robotics to their operations in the coming years. But replacing human workers with machines comes with its fair share of pros and cons. Learn more about the positives and negatives of industrial automation and how this new trend is changing the manufacturing industry in more ways than one.
Pros of Industrial Automation
- Less Human Error: Automation reduces human error by having machines complete the same task again and again in exactly the same way. Companies don’t have to worry about their products looking dissimilar, wasting precious time or having to throw out products and materials due to an unforeseen human error during the production process. Whether it’s measuring and stitching fabric, getting products ready for shipment or picking items off the shelf, when humans operate machines or perform manual labour, there’s always a chance they might make a mistake. Automation gives facility managers more peace of mind that everything is going according to plan.
- Reduced Labour Costs: Replacing employees with automation also reduces labour costs. These machines typically run using a motor or electricity, which means as long as they have power, they can continue working 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 365 days a year without taking a break, requesting time off, taking a sick day or requesting health benefits, all of which can add to the cost of production. While these machines will need to be repaired once in a while, managers can schedule machine downtime during slow periods to make sure any repairs and upgrades have a minimal effect on the company’s operations.
- Offsets Labour Shortage: For some facility managers, finding and retaining top-quality talent can be a challenge, especially if the facility is located in a rural area, far from major population centres or public transportation. The US manufacturing industry currently faces a two million worker shortage, largely due to a growing skills gap. Investing in automation is a quick, reliable way to fill these open positions without having to worry about hiring and retaining talent.
- Safer Working Environment: Implementing automation also makes these facilities safer. These machines rarely, if ever, make a mistake during the production process, reducing the chances of workplace accidents. Any remaining employees working in the facility can go about their business without worrying about potential hazards, such as spilled materials, improper storage of materials and other crucial errors that can put lives at risk in certain situations. Facility managers also don’t have to worry as much about potential lawsuits, incurring government fines and putting their employees in harm’s way.
- More Efficiency and Higher Throughput: Companies can also increase workplace efficiency and throughput by switching to industrial automation. Again, these machines can work around the clock, so managers don’t have to deal with unexpected delays and errors that can slow down the production process. These machines typically complete routine tasks much faster than human workers, boosting efficiency. A human may take several minutes to complete a certain task, while a machine can complete the same task in less than 60 seconds. Even if a machine can shave just a few precious seconds off a crucial task, this can lead to huge gains for facility managers in terms of operational efficiency and throughput. Managers can run their facilities like well-oiled machines, calculating their output with the utmost precision.
- Faster Order Fulfilment: Speed has become the name of the game in the manufacturing industry. Companies need to get orders out the door and deliver them to their customers as fast as possible if they want to get ahead – and stay ahead – of the competition. Industrial automation can speed up the order fulfilment process by reducing the amount of time required to manufacture the company’s products, so managers can get these products out the door and deliver products to customers in record time. Machines can automatically retrieve and sort different products, prepare them for shipment and hand them off to the carrier much faster and with greater accuracy than a human. Cons of Industrial Automation
- Putting Employees Out of Work: As companies replace America’s workforce with industrial automation, it’s inevitable that many workers will lose their jobs. Some argue these machines are being used for low-skill jobs such as packing, sorting and product retrieval, and this trend will only lead to new, higher skill jobs, but there are bound to be winners and losers on all sides. According to a recent Pew Research Center survey, 48 per cent of industry experts think automation will displace a significant number of blue- and white-collar jobs by 2025, while the other 52 per cent predict these innovations will result in new skills and industries.
- Rigid Working Conditions and Less Versatility: Machines are typically programmed to do a certain task or tasks without deviating from it. This may be true of some employees, but humans always have the freedom to help out in other ways if the occasion calls for it. A manager might ask one of their employees to sweep the floor, make a call or assist with other tasks if they have some downtime or during slow periods. This is not true of machines. A robot that’s responsible for packing shipping containers and sending them out for delivery cannot start sweeping the floor on command.
- High Costs: Industrial automation isn’t usually cheap. While prices tend to vary greatly based on the machine’s functionality and the manufacturer, the cost may be too high for some companies. These machines will lower labour costs and increase efficiency, but it may take several years for companies to reach RoI. In some cases, this may be seen as a risky investment that can deprive companies of precious capital in the short-term.
- Is Automation Right for You?
Industrial automation isn’t right for every company, but this trend isn’t going anywhere any time soon. Companies should keep these pros and cons in mind as they consider investing in automation.
David Madden, Founder & President, Container Exchanger, is an efficiency expert. His passion and business is to save companies money through the use of used reusable and repurposed industrial packaging such as plastic and metal bulk containers, gaylord boxes, bulk bags, pallets, IBC totes, and industrial racks. He holds an MBA as well as a certificate from Daimler Chrysler Quality Institute for completion of six-sigma black belt training.
