Efficient Plant May 2022 - 9

feature | automation strategies
HMLV needs flexible optimization when deploying
automation technology to improve all production
runs, not just one.
HMLV PRODUCTION
In applying automation technology
solutions to improve HMLV production
environments, the impact is greater when
considering the plant's whole manufacturing
portfolio, instead of defi ning it by a
single application. A path for your digital-transformation
strategy is to develop a
framework to automate using the following
production model:
1. Optimize machinery by grouping part
families, i.e., parts requiring similar machining
operations, to reduce cycle times. Invest
in fewer dedicated machines to handle those
parts and automate this area.
MAY 2022
2. Create a repeatable, high-quality manufacturing
process to eliminate uncertainty.
Add value by using automation to minimize
unnecessary moving parts.
3. Improve fl ow by automating and standardizing
routines such as part handling,
setup, loading, and fi nishing. It's important to
base your fl ow defi nition on what is ideal, not
existing soſt ware and processes.
4. Prioritize continued automation and fl ow
through all levels of manufacturing. Th is
means assembling all personnel involved,
from the enterprise level to the factory fl oor.
Robotic systems and intelligent manufacturing
lines employing a variety of PLCs, will
connect to " edge " computers, HMI terminals,
and SCADA systems. Th en they connect to
various higher-level soſt ware: ERP (enterprise
resource planning), MES (manufacturing
execution systems), fi nancial systems soſt -
ware, and even CRM (customer relationship
management) soſt ware.
5. Consider quality and reliability areas.
Product reliability in the fi eld is a top priority
and a key selling point. Automation technologies
can be deployed to perform predictive
analytics and remote maintenance on
machinery to increase uptime and limit disruptions
to operations. A manufacturer can
establish remote access to monitor product
health and build predictive models, using fi eld
data to optimize the operation while improving
maintenance effi ciency/eff ectiveness and
ultimately reducing downtime.
IMPLICATIONS OF
DEMAND VOLATILITY
Especially in current times, determining
demand can be challenging due to high
volatility and unpredictability in production
and the supply chain. Th ese challenges
aff ect production planning, inventory management,
and staffi ng decisions. Automation
technology, such as IIoT platform connectivity,
generates pertinent data-driven
demand prediction and provides manufacturing
leaders more insight through
statistical algorithm models. Connecting
production demand forecasts from external
data sources to the plant level (either
on-premise or in an off -premise data center
through cloud connectivity) could allow a
manufacturer with soſt ware connectivity
and algorithms to estimate product demand
based on raw materials forecasts.
MANAGING
PRODUCTION VARIABILITY
High-complexity, low-volume production
comprises more product variants, diverse
production tasks, and close collaboration
between manufacturing, engineering, IT,
maintenance, procurement, and sales/
marketing groups. In production systems,
establishing secure remote access through
automation technology connected to IIoT,
vision systems, and robotics sets up an environment
that allows operators to interact
safely while improving decision-making
support for resolving complex production
variability.
Th e versatility of various robots (articulated,
SCARA, Cartesian, cobots) off ers the
most appealing benefi ts for HMLV work. A
manufacturer could show customer-specifi c
requirements on displays and robotic
operator interfaces, increasing effi ciency
and better decision-making on production
lines. It is also critical to recognize the
importance of vision systems and end-ofarm
tooling in deploying robots.
ACCELERATING
DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
A signifi cant hurdle in deploying automation
technology is determining where it's
most benefi cial to deploy systems. HMLV
needs fl exible optimization to improve all
specifi c production runs, not just one. Manufacturing
decision makers can accelerate
digital-transformation eff orts on their production
fl oors by considering the following
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Efficient Plant May 2022

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