Who Else Wants an Effective Implementation of Advanced Automation
Who Else Wants an Effective Implementation of Advanced Automation
As with any high technology solution, which is what an advanced automation installation is, there is a need for thinking and planning before any purchasing, tooling, drawing, training, or other activities are done. The thinking and planning for your company to install advanced automation should take the form of specific steps if you want the result to be a world-class installation of advanced automation that will result in everything that your company needs in manufacturing.
When there is the definite necessity that your company should approach moving your current production processes into a state of advanced automation, there should be a period of strategic information gathering for automation. This during this period information about the strengths and weaknesses of your company as it relates to advanced automation should be determined. Data about assets such as technical potential of the employee population, the ability of the company to adjust positively to change, and the ability of management to direct the company during new technology implementation should be gathered. Quantification of characteristics about these assets is important for decision-making. This period should also be used to evaluate new market opportunities that could be available to the company. These opportunities could either be market expansions or possible movement into new markets. Usually the main impetus for your company feeling the need to automate comes from pressure in the market place. This usually will take the form of higher demands for your goods that are not met by current production levels. There could also be an emerging market that would have high yield for marketing efforts from your company. Your plan should quantify these market potentials.
An extensive business plan for automation should be developed using the results gathered in the early phase of information gathering for the process. The business plan should compare current production levels to potentials that could come from an automation scenario. The plan should give a true picture of what the differences are between the two. Realistic data should be used to for supporting both current or automated production levels so that management can weigh the decision-making process correctly. This is an excellent tool for making a productive decision about whether or not automation is a realistic option for your business. The business plan must include the cost of purchasing equipment, installing equipment, and the associated expenses to get the total picture.
A management review of all data comparisons should be done to decide if there is significant benefit in making the step toward automated production. Once there is significant proof of benefit from automation it will be necessary to create a technology plan to direct the automation efforts that are recommended in the business plan. This plan will detail the types of equipment that should be purchased to perform the step toward automation. It is a good idea for your company to appoint a line operations manager to ramrod the success of the automation of the business. This individual will have the authority to make decisions for the best interest of the business in regard to the implementation of the automation.
The management individual that becomes the "champion" of the automation process should be involved heavily in project management. The tasks this would include are the organization of project teams, the decisions about automation task elements, setting and managing project budgets, setting up and monitoring project benchmarks. If the automation to be done is significant in size project teams for the different sections of automation might need to be formed. For instance, there may need to be a team for packaging, a team for palletizing, and a team for labeling. Each team would be responsible for meeting benchmarks and managing the budget for its area of responsibility. As the automation is accomplished there may be a need for employees training or the addition of new employees if the automation plan calls for that. Further down the time line of the automation, there will be a need for testing devices as the automation comes on line. There should be consideration concerning the integration of new technology in the existing processes. It will necessary to plan for the integration process to make a smooth changeover from previous operations. At or near the end of the automation project there should be a phase when the full automation process goes through an audit for accuracy. Any problems should noted and corrective steps should be taken to get the automation working as expected. The entire process of automation should be documented fully so that any needs for modification or upgrade can be done in the future without problem.