The 21st Century is the age of machines and robots. Mankind has come a long way. From the invention of the wheel to designing spaceships, we keep on pushing forward, and the manufacturing industry is no exception to this. Although these inventions and automation have provided significant results, a steam engine would not have evolved into a bullet train if we had been stuck with the same methodology. These advancements have been possible thanks to continuous monitoring of automation and striving for continuous improvement. Similarly, automating a factory is just a first step, and won’t yield the best output until and unless it’s complemented with an Industry 4.0 technology like production monitoring.
Manufacturing automation is the skeletal system and body of an industry, whereas production monitoring is the heart of automation. It makes sure the automation is running according to the desired outcome of the industry.
Let’s get into why production monitoring is so important after implementing manufacturing automation.
The Concept of Manufacturing Automation
Manufacturing automation is using robots or automated machines in the production process. It is done to reduce costs, increase profits, production quality, and quantity. This automation is done to reduce the workers’ workload and also helps in using manpower for more productive work. Automation can take over repetitive tasks and let workers perform more skillful work.
Automated factories have revolutionized industries to another level. The industrial revolution has come a long way, from using steam for power generation to using automation in industry 3.0. The beacon was passed on and enriched by the introduction of technologies like smart monitoring systems in manufacturing automation, giving way to what is known as Industry 4.0. This took the benefits that manufacturers gained from industry 3.0 to a whole new level. Industry 4.0 gave manufacturers a sense of connectivity, more insight, and real-time data for their industries. This made them even more competitive. Real-time connectivity helps manufacturers keep a close eye on their production pattern and analyze it. It results in many advantages, and some of which are:
Manufacturing Automation and the Industry 4.0
The main question that arises is how to gain the most out of manufacturing automation in terms of production with Industry 4.0. Quite simply, the answer is a production monitoring system. It allows real-time access on floor process monitoring, which runs automation to its maximum efficiency. Production monitoring involves tasks like:
The boost in the production rate that comes from automated production makes it difficult for humans to keep track of all the data, analyze it in real-time, and produce performance reports. The fact of the matter is, even though humans can be quicker, they cannot match the speed and accuracy of an automated process. This is where a real-time production monitoring system can benefit manufacturers by automating the monitoring tasks and completing the automation of the factory. This way, the labor force is free to work on more productive tasks. There are various real-time production monitoring systems present on the market. One of them is Clariprod.
There are even more benefits to implementing a real-time production monitoring system than automated data collection and report generation:
As per studies, a real-time production monitoring system can increase the throughput of the company by 25% and, in some cases, even double it.
Thus, it makes evident that manufacturing automation and production monitoring systems are complementary to each other. Both are equally necessary for the growth of the industry. Manufacturing automation helps run the factory at maximum speed and production monitoring systems help automation run with minimum interruptions. A Production monitoring system is the best way to get maximum efficiency out of manufacturing automation.
And the path to becoming a smart factory starts with a Clariprod.