Industrial automation has been around for more than half a century. As revolutionary as it was when it was first introduced, industrial automation continues to change manufacturing to this day. Technologies in motion control and robotics are becoming more advanced and more capable, and the costs of producing and implementing those technologies is getting cheaper.
The economical advantage of automation is one of the biggest driving factors in the advancement of motion control. It’s much cheaper to purchase an industrial robot for a one time cost instead of paying hourly wages to human workers for an indefinite amount of time. Industrial robots are often capable of replacing multiple workers, which makes automation that much more economical.
Another way that automation helps cut costs is the fact that machines are capable of working much harder than humans. Unlike human workers, robots can maintain a consistent maximum work rate for hours on end. Machines do not need to take hourly breaks, they don’t get tired, they don’t have to stop to eat, and they don’t require rest room breaks. All of these breaks add up over time, and when you consider that robots can operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, the cost advantages become even more apparent.
Amazon.com recently posted a noticeable increase in profits. According to the Wall Street Journal, Amazon attributed the the profit partially to the use of robotics and automation in their warehouses. While not exactly industrial automation, Amazon implementing robotics is a prime example of how automation can cut costs,regardless of the industry.
The benefits of automation are what made Indramat so successful in the past, and are the reason for why Indramat motion control systems are still used today. However many of those Indramat systems have been running for 20 or 30 years. It might be time to do a little maintenance or even repair some of those components. Give us a call to make sure that your machinery is running efficiently so you can keep enjoying the economic benefits of automation!