Automation of production processes as a common and unavoidable phenomenon

In the era of Industry 4.0 there is a constantly growing tendency to automate production processes. It consists in replacing the work of human hands with the work of automated and robotic stations, whose aim is, among others, to increase production efficiency and improve the quality of products. This phenomenon seems unavoidable and has a number of advantages, but it raises concerns among production workers. They believe that it will lead to redundancies, but in reality the future is not painted in such dark colours.

Production automation and productivity gains

The development of technology and the systematic development of further machines makes them capable of replacing people in an increasing number of activities. The machines need no breaks and do not get tired. This speeds up the production process and increases productivity - e.g. activities that occupy a human being for 20 minutes are performed by the machine in 2 minutes. The automation of production thus directly contributes to a faster performance of certain activities and, consequently, with more goods produced. There is no denying that robots used in industry operate faster and more efficiently than humans. The incredible saving of time, as well as the monumental increase in the number of products created, will not only save money on the part of the entrepreneur, but will also increase profits. In this arrangement, the fear of the costs of robotisation can be overcome and replaced by optimistic hopes for the future.

Automation of production processes and increase in quality

There is no doubt that the automation of production processes owes its great advantage over people to the high reliability of most technologies used. A precisely calibrated machine is able to reduce the number of errors to a minimum and ensure repeatability of the result at a level not accessible to people. Making mistakes, on the other hand, is an indispensable human characteristic, and their occurrence is only a matter of time. In addition, production automation makes it possible to set a uniform standard for products and maintain their quality at the same level.

Automation of production processes and control

Manufacturing companies place great emphasis on the control of their products, and they are assessed throughout the entire manufacturing process. At present, inspections are carried out through visual evaluation of quality departments. Thanks to advanced vision systems, the production process can gain artificial eyes that can control the quality of the product at every stage of production. This helps to significantly reduce costs resulting from faulty products - complaints or product service.

Automation and safety

One of the great advantages of implementing robots on production lines is the possibility of entrusting them with tasks that are dangerous to the health and life of workers, as well as those that are simply difficult for humans to perform. This is an unquestionable investment in people, which is confirmed in places where workers are affected by poisonous fumes, noise or temperatures that are not suitable for health.

Automation and the risk of total displacement of the human factor

In times of demographic decline and increasing demand for new products, it is a miracle that companies are finding skilled workers. In this case, industrial robots are a natural way to make up for the shortage of staff and, at the same time, an investment in maximising labour resources. Despite these advantages, the automation of production processes meets with unjustified resistance from production line workers. They are afraid of losing their jobs, as well as the vision of changing to another position. An important role in the whole process is played by area managers, who should skilfully manage the change. However, such a situation is beneficial for the employee due to the opportunity to acquire new skills, which brings with it increased job satisfaction. In the coming years there is no indication that the human factor will be completely withdrawn from production processes. Production automation is still considered an innovation that is still being improved, and the example of the Tesla car factory (https://innovatingautomation.pl/tesla-motors-problem-automatyzacji/ ) shows us that we will always need people at the beginning and end of the process.

Improvement and automation of production processes

We deal with the improvement and automation of production processes. If you believe that there are production processes in your company that require improvement or automation, please contact us.