Supporting manufacturers to increase automation ambition

THERE ARE thousands of quotes from famous (and not so famous!) people stating that whilst you are standing still, you are actually falling behind. Whether that’s in relation to local, European or global competition, it’s my firm belief that the UK needs a wake-up call. We must start investing in our future production capability and then scale for capacity. This runs true for nearly all sectors of manufacturing, and whilst we’ve seen some level of automation, especially in those early adopter markets like automotive, we are now falling further behind our European and global competitors because of a lack of investment.

I was recently asked what three factors support a higher rate of automation adoption. I immediately looked to those companies that are already deploying best practice and answered Ambition, Culture and Skills.

Risk management

Having the ambition to automate allows for growth and company development. It proliferates goodwill around investments within a firm and supports a more open risk appetite. The risk that new technology presents to a company as an early adopter can be managed with support from the equipment supplier, as well as internally with the right training and upskilling. These de-risking and risk management processes come in different forms and require different skills.

In particular, there are three technologies or strategies that I believe will rise in value within engineering and procurement teams for future equipment adoption:

1. A wider use of VR Simulation and Analytic Tools for discrete event simulation and upfront technical de-risking. The ability to prove out the multitude of possible scenarios before production planning is invaluable, especially in high-speed production situations. Identifying potential bottlenecks prior to committing to a project is a huge win and ensures a much higher success rate when meeting OEE

2. A broader range of off-the-shelf specialised automation and robot solutions. As manufacturing sites look to move towards common solutions, there will be a shift from traditional capital purchase to more rental or leasing options that better reflect operating expenses

3. A move towards Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) vs. Payback Return on Investment (ROI). This will support longer term capability levelling with European and global competition, increasing capacity and generating value for UK GDP.

Skills development

Inspiring a culture of continuous improvement within a firm is paramount and will lead to calculated risks being taken on future production capability and capacity. However, by committing to education and skills development across their internal stakeholders, businesses will be better placed to manage these risks. From shop floor operators and maintenance and engineering teams to sales and leadership departments, it is vitally important that everyone understands automation and how it affects them and their business. A strong business rarely reduces headcount through automating; instead, they will be best placed to continue developing new products, bringing new ideas to market or winning more business.

I hope that Automate UK and BARA can help by becoming more visible to those manufacturers looking for the knowledge and best practice to improve their production. Some of the de-risking tools that will prove so useful are already in development, so keep connected with BARA and Automate UK to benefit from these throughout the coming year.

www.automate-uk.com/our-associations/bara/