Automation
improves quality by reducing the variability of most processes.
Reducing variability has a ripple effect that can drastically improve a
manufacturing process. Using automation forces the quality of all feed
processes to be improved because even the best automation is generally
intolerant to large variations in incoming product. Automation also
indirectly improves quality by providing a stable process, which
creates a springboard for additional quality improvements.
Many times
automation is undertaken to increase capacity. A well designed system
can produce more product per square foot than any of the manual
alternatives. Automation also can produce the product with little or no
direct labor costs. Though no one wants manufacturing capacity to sit
idle, its much easier and cheaper to turn off an automated line, than a
line staffed by workers.
Automation
is an incredible productivity booster. No other solution can reduce
direct labor costs so dramatically. In addition, many newer automation
technologies can be reconfigured or redeployed to make a different
product.
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