When it comes to incorporating automation into their operations, manufacturers have several options. The ideal conceptual approach to automation implementation is to begin with the product and work backwards through the automation process. The manufacturer's choice of hard (fixed) or soft (flexible) automation is determined by the kind of product being manufactured and the volume of production.
Hard Automation
Hard automation is the employment of specialised equipment to automate a predetermined sequence for processing or assembly processes. Each operation in the series is typically basic, comprising either a simple linear or rotational motion or a basic mix of the two. Changes in product design are generally difficult to accommodate in hard automation.
Hard automation is utilised for a specific manufacturing objective with set procedures. It is ideally suited for automated equipment that produces high-volume items with minimum changes or changeovers. This sort of automation, most often, automated assembly line equipment, involves a large initial investment and high output rates.
Advantages:
- Low per unit costs
- Material handling automation
- High output rates
Soft Automation
Flexible automation is a subset of programmable automation. A versatile automation system can produce a wide range of components with little to no downtime for changeovers from one component style to the next. There is no downtime involved in reprogramming the system or changing the physical configuration either.
Soft automation can be utilised to produce a wide range of components with almost no downtime required for component style changes or for making several small batches of a single product. When reprogramming the system, no production time is wasted. The benefits of soft automation include continuous manufacture of varied product combinations and the ability to adapt different product designs. When compared to hard automation, the disadvantages include a medium output rate, high long-term production expenses, and a high per unit cost.
Advantages:
- Constant manufacturing of various product mixes
- Adaptable to changes in product design
As both hard automation and soft automation systems have their own set of advantages to offer, due research at the time of integration is essential. The stage of the product life cycle (that is to be automated), market competitiveness, your production requirements, etc. are some factors you should consider when choosing an automation system.
