Industrial automation is a term coined for facilities to operator virtual without the need for human interaction. The process is still developing, but more and more facilities are turning to these systems for its presented benefit.
The list goes on and on. The idea of full automation is still under-development and there are still activities that require human attention until the industrial automation process is a well known standard.
Originally the purpose of automation was to increase productivity due to integrated manufacturing facilities able to function twenty four hours a day, and reduce cost associated with human operators. However, the quality of production has been a focal point for competitive industries and utilizing automation for validation and verification tests has grown considerable. The idea of a flexible manufacturing process has given rise to the lights-out facilities as the production can be generated based on when the order is received and reduce the volume of standing inventories.
Full on industrial automation is expensive and requires large amounts of resources to convert any facility. The best idea is to build a facility from the start with complete integrated control systems for an automated manufacturing facility. First thing to understand is when considering automation is to reflect on current operations and develop solutions that this idea could be used for. Here are the main reasons for utilizing automation are reducing cost, improving quality, reducing inventory, and improving response time.
Reducing direct labor is a primary to reducing cost. Eliminating direct labor results in reducing cost only if the manpower costs more than the automation operational costs. The reduction in manpower decreases cost along with indirect cost associated with employees. Reduction of in-process inventory is another savings that happens when replacing batch operators. Another benefit is scrap reduction based on automated inspection conducted by the machinery. Cost of training is essential reduced with less manpower.
This is done through machinery inspecting parts and the use of in-process testing. Often industrial automation will verify that the product is of good quality before having it sent out. Also the added benefit of elimination of piece part rejects. The sorting of quality goods will improved for finished production. When automation is used to validation products, the parameters must be quantified in order for the products to be accepted or rejected. This eliminates operator error, which is presented with manually inspections.
Reduction of inventory with industrial automation is similar in manner as lean manufacturing. Since production flow is based on station to station activity, instead of piling up at each operation, the work-in-process is reduced. Additional, finished goods inventory is reduced because automation allows you to make products when they are as needed.
Response time is related to manufacturing cycle time and is based from the point when an order is received to the final product shipment. Manually operators usually sit on products waiting for added value work to be performed. Automation will improve response time through each operation. Sub-assemblies can be integrated into the automation line to eliminate individual workstations. Automation can handle surge orders and improve response time through programmable changeovers.
Industrial automation has several advantages that make it ideal for the next stage in manufacturing. With so many features that allow it to perform precise and accurate tasks, the dedication and engineering going in it must be extensive and difficult.
Industrial automation is making existing manufacturing companies more competitive. Many companies are realizing that there is great benefit for manufacturing facilities and partners that are closer to home. Foreign pricing, higher transportation costs, and lack of intellectual property rights in outsourced countries is shifting corporate thought in manufacturing outside their own country. Industrial automation is making that a very real possibility. But, with industrial automation’s competition growing the need for better quality automation equipment is on the rise.
The need to produce quality automation products is even more obvious with the industry expanding and more and more competitors joining the race. To set your company apart from other emerging companies demands for more modern solutions that can help aid in product development and make a smooth transition between the mechanical and electrical engineering perspectives involved with all industrial automation equipment.
Developing a proper schematic that is easily incorporated into the mechanical features of the automation equipment is essential to keep things aesthetically pleasing and functional. Documenting and designing electrical controls, servos, and wiring diagrams is important to keep everything in order and readily available for production. Last thing you want is errors occurring within the finished product that is not able to handle the power load or terminals that are not properly registered on the schematic diagrams.
Making sure that schematic design are tailored for electrical engineers to accurately build real-time rule checks with preventative programming to ensure that no errors ever occur. Last thing you want to do is run through pages and pages of wiring diagrams trying to find errors that is causing a malfunction. Improving design time will build a solid foundation for making the in-house electrical design process more competitive.
Making life easier for your electrical engineers will show in the long-run that better software or equipment will improve accuracy and production, just like the industrial automation that you are trying to supply to your very own consumers. Making the design process less stressful is the best way to improve response time, productivity, and lost time recovering from mistakes/errors.
Being able to virtually represent your work is the best means of seeing the interconnections between all components involved in the product. Most companies have this capability, but the problem comes in when you need to represent physical space between two separate department designs. This is usually because many CAD programs on the market are dedicated to either electrical or mechanical CAD. Show the relationship between the component developed for the circuit panel and the housing developed for multiple components can be difficult to virtually represent.
Allowing engineers to display panel layout in relation to other mechanical components can have its weight in gold. What happens when component designs are finalized and after manufacturing the components have interference with one another. This means that deadline pressure and productivity would halt until the matter was resolved. Meaning that time is wasted on finding a solution for the issue, rather than completing it.
E3.series provides a comprehensive solution for design and documentation for complex electrical and electronic solutions. It has a massive multi-component library, unique circuit diagram representations, producing accurate, error-free documentation with simultaneous manufacturing and support.
This software offers features that can make industrial automation engineering easier with less hassle. It provides support features for schematic design, with E3.schematic, to provide an easy user interface for electrical engineers. This includes easy-to-use solutions for designing and documenting electrical control systems, servos, terminal plans, and PLCs. It provides an intelligent design to understanding the operators work with help eliminating errors, improving quality and reducing design time.
A feature called E3.panel provides easy component layout and snapping point capabilities that makes designing the layout easier to use. It virtually represents the electronics within the mechanical apparatus for space awareness. It is fully integrated with E3.schematics so the items can be navigated in either feature. Signal logic is directly transferred from the wiring schematics and implemented in the virtual CAD in the E3.panel feature. They provide the following benefits.
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E3.SCHEMATIC |
E3.PANEL |
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Device Duplication Prevention |
Drag and Drop Panel Model |
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Short Circuit Prevention |
Dynamic Links to Schematic |
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Automatic Parallel Connections |
Slot and Mount Functionality |
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Intelligent Components Library |
Automatic Wire Routing |
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User Defined Attributes |
Wire Segregation |
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Ensure on Valid Part Usage |
3D Visualization |
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Online Cross Referencing for Connections and Devices |
Integration with CAM machinery |
E3.series provides much more including E3.Cable and E3.Fluid features.
Did you know we offer a free Trial version of E3.series and a totally free online training?
Overall
Industrial automation requires an immense amount of time designing and developing. In order to remain competitive in this growing industry is to gain the competitive edge. Engineering for industrial automation should be as sophisticated and precise as the machine you're designing.
How did you improve your design time for better response time? Leave a comment on what has happened in your project, how you overcame your challenges or what could have been done better?