Currently, the manufacturing landscape is changing at a more rapid pace than ever before. It is because we are swiftly moving towards automation. Automation helps in minimising human intervention to improve the consistency and efficiency of any industrial process to meet difficult production demands. One of the biggest names in factory automation, Mitsubishi Electric India offers a range of products, from programmable controllers to collaborative industrial robots, and has been playing a significant role, supporting the transformation of the industries.
Automation, however, isn’t a singular concept. There are primarily two types. When you wish to automate a process, it is a choice between hard automation and soft automation. What are hard automation and soft automation? What are their benefits? Let’s take a look at them.
Soft Automation
Also known as flexible automation, soft automation is used when a manufacturer wants to alter the production as and when necessary. It’s called soft automation because only the software that automates machines needs to be upgraded and updated. Whether a manufacturer wants to increase production volume or change production quality, it can be done without physically altering the machines. Machines used in soft automation are designed to work in different modes. These are perfect solutions for assembling tasks and material handling as and when required.
Hard Automation
In contrast, hard automation is when physical changes need to be made to the machinery to change its mode of functioning. While soft automation requires reprogramming of the software, hard automation requires physical adjustment of certain parts for efficient mass production and continuous flow systems. Hard automation is mostly preferred by companies because it offers ROI in a short time, even when the upfront cost is high. This type of automation mainly helps in chemical manufacturing processes, paint and coating processes, transfer lines, material handling, etc.
From a business perspective, hard and soft automation can be highly beneficial with each having its advantages and disadvantages. However, given how it saves a tremendous amount for the company by reducing the production cost, boosting product quality, improving the work environment by decreasing machine interaction, and increasing productivity, the advantages certainly outweigh the disadvantages. You can explore Mitsubishi Electric India for sustainable, cost-effective, and efficient automation solutions for high quality products, perfectly suited for your application.
