The Competitive Edge of Automated Production

Automated manufacturing definitely proves to be a boon when it comes to handling large-scale production, especially in industries that require high degrees of precision and control over the entire process, or those that involve heavy manual labour on the shop/factory floors. They tend to minimise inconsistencies characteristic of labour-intensive manual processes, while definitely scoring higher on the speed and safety aspects.

Benefits of industrial automation include but aren’t necessarily limited to:

• Faster cycle times
• Repeatable operations with no compromises on quality
• Higher efficiency
• Enhanced safety

These and several other tangible and intangible benefits usually impact the performance and earnings of the business.

While heavy and automated machinery is inevitably a part of an industrial-class production facility that facilitates mass production, it is worth noting that moving work-in-progress or intermediate goods for the next stage of processing is critical for the entire production cycle to proceed without any glitches. Much depends on the choice of transfer systems that transport or convey material (raw material, intermediates or finished goods to their intended destinations) in an efficient, speedy and safe manner. They are, in fact, replacements for human labour employed to shift material on the factory floors or across assembly lines, and also helps efficiently address material handling in warehouses as well.

transfer systems

• Types and Options

An integral part of automated production, these systems are specific to both the industry and the type of machinery and equipment already in place. There are two basic types of transfer systems:

• Linear – these systems address the transfer needs of a line system – common transfer mechanism ideally being conveyors (driven by power or chain drives) or walking beam systems.
• Rotary – rotary systems, on the other hand, help change the direction of movement and direct the material to another handling system.

Both horizontal as well as vertical transfer solutions are also available and help transport or move material suitably to the next receiving machine or station.

Transfer cars, overhead mono rail systems, laser-guided or robotic systems are ideal for assembly lines and other discrete production units that require transfer of heavy material, pipelines, auto body parts, etc. from one stage of assembly or production to the next.

Transfer systems with rotary arms, lift and turn functions, rack and pinion/wobble stick mechanisms are a few other variations that help with seamless transfer of material across the production floor.

While it is very much possible to automate transfers or opt for a dedicated transfer line, there are limited possibilities of buffering material along the line. One faulty machine or equipment in such a system is likely to paralyse the production line.

Careful consideration of the exact needs and limitations of an existing production or integrated warehouse facility can help decide on a suitable transfer solution that can make a marked difference in productivity, safety and wastage, allowing manufacturing units to maximise the use of available resources. Extra care is required in selecting transfer systems for large-scale operations though.