More manufacturing leaders turn to end-to-end automation practices to level up their processes. Considering that end-to-end automation can double or triple output, it’s easy to see why. What’s more, end-to-end automation — sometimes referred to as hyper-automation can lower costs and even improve workplace safety.
For the past several years, Summit Engineered Automation has helped make a difference in the growth of scores of companies by providing end-to-end automation consulting services. The path to end-to-end automation is connecting your independent machines to a single network. In most cases, this is a combination of robots and custom machines such as flexible electronics printing or vision inspection stations.
For instance, software can provide you with real-time factory floor insights through machine learning and predictive analytics. By analyzing this data, you’ll extract significant intelligence that will reduce errors, streamline production and help reduce supply chain problems down the line. Finally, the more automation you incorporate into your production lines, the more time you’ll have to focus strategically to grow your business.
What is an Industrial Automation Consultant?
An industrial automation consultant is an individual who works directly with you to help your business set up, integrate, and manage your industrial automation services.
Exactly what is offered will depend on the scope of your needs, the company you’re partnering with, and the consultants themselves. However, you should expect most to do the following:
- Work with you to document your processes so that they can be used to develop automation workflows in the future
- Get you prototypes for proof of concepts as needed
- Set up reporting systems that can track what’s going on, making it easier to see which workflows are working optimally and which could use adjustment
- Provide access to regular, reliable expert advice gleaned from years of solving problems similar to your own
- Make sure you’re aware of other beneficial automations you may not have been previously aware of
- Support you in the way you need, from global remote diagnostics to good old-fashioned preventative maintenance
What Can Automation Consulting Services Can Do For Manufacturing Companies?
As manufacturing companies rely on automation to extract more value from their factories, the options can become daunting and confusing. Yes, automation can mean higher productivity and lower costs but the path to realizing these benefits isn’t the same for every manufacturing business.
The surface-level benefits of hiring a manufacturing automation consultant are plenty: efficiency, speed, and expertise to name a few. While important, these benefits aren’t the only difference the right consultant can make.
Here are four more in-depth bonuses that come from a partnership with an industrial automation consultant:
1. Your automation consultant will help you spot early risks before they become problems later.
Automating your business, whatever the industry, can be an intimidating prospect. It involves looking very closely at how you’ve been doing things so that you can document those processes and automate them for the future with the help of technology and strategy. The right industrial automation consultant will be able to help keep things running smoothly if they’ve been trained in agile risk management. This type of risk assessment training allows them to see through complicated processes to the potential pitfalls within. That way they can point out small problems so that they’re fixed before they become big ones.
2. They’ll keep communication flowing so you don’t have to.
If you’re in charge of helping keep an industrial business running, you’ve got enough on your plate. Great industrial automation consultants can take unnecessary stress off your shoulders by taking charge when it comes to keeping dialogues open and making decisions that support common goals to mitigate risk throughout your timeline.
3. They can take the effort out of explaining things to the boss.
One of the most valuable skills an industrial automation consultant can have is their ability to understand and break down even the most complex of processes into easy to understand steps. This helps when you’re trying to sell automation expansion or adoption to someone in your company who has purchasing power but not as technical a mindset.
4. Your automation consultant already has the base knowledge to help you choose exactly which solutions you’ll need for optimal integration.
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: the automation solutions that work for your business will be unique to you. Maybe you’ll end up using robots, or maybe it’ll be PLCs, sensors, testing systems, conveyors, adhesives, or another technology altogether. The right consultant will walk you through the pros and cons of integrating each solution in direct relation to your company and its needs.
The good news is automation consulting services can help you consider all the factors that influence your path. The following are six benefits that will figure into your calculus of adopting end-to-end automation.
6 benefits of end-to-end Industrial automation
- Increase productivity
Compared to factories with few automation systems, end-to-end automation can double or triple production. Automation also allows your equipment to operate for more extended periods during the day. - Improve safety
Automation takes over the more dangerous and dirty jobs within your facilities, which results in a safer workplace. You’ll experience fewer accidents and a healthier workforce. - Lower costs
Compared to manual labor, automation can significantly simplify complex fabrication and reduce production costs, ultimately increasing your profitability. - Reduced error rates
Automated processes within your factory will reduce error rates, especially if they are coupled with lean manufacturing methods, which help ensure your processes are measurable and predictable. - Improved predictability
End-to-end automation gives you more control at every step of a production process, making it easier to predict production efficiency, unit-by-unit costs and just-in-time inventory management issues. - Improved Scalability
Employing end-to-end automation processes gives manufacturing leaders the ability to scale production to reflect customer demand.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION CONSULTANTS
Different consultants may be able to bring different things to the table. The easiest way to guarantee that you’re picking the right one for your industrial company and its unique needs is… by talking to them.
Ask them to back up their claims. When asked, the industrial automation consultant you’re considering working with should be able to provide you with references or sample metrics. Look for ones that can show you examples of how they’ve helped increase sales and efficiency for other clients. This will show you that not only do they have and value hard data, but that they’re comfortable enough with their expertise to explain to you how it works.
Are you interested in learning more about what working with an industrial automation consultant can do for your company? Contact the trusted industrial automation consultants at Summit Engineered Automation today. Let your next project become our next project as we work together to develop a front-to-back automation solution curated just for you.
Reimagine Your Operations With an Automation Industry Expert
If you’re a manufacturing leader who’s transforming your operations to end-to-end automation, you’ll find it to be a cost-effective investment. That’s where Summit Engineered Automation consulting services can help you take the friction and risk out of reimagining your operations. We’ve been helping manufacturers for over 20 years.