Industrial automation in electronics manufacturing brings substantial economic advantages to manufacturers, big and small. In a dynamic world where technology is changing rapidly and the success of businesses is becoming ever more dependent on their agility and their capacity to adapt to shifting consumer preferences, the ability to streamline manufacturing processes represents a significant competitive advantage for enterprises.
Whether a company is in the business of manufacturing mobile phones, laptops, tablets, smartwatches, smart televisions, or other types of electronic products, they can be certain that better automation adoption will be able to deliver not just the economies of scale they require but also the improvements in quality and efficiency that they need to expand the size and reach of their business. Here are just some of the ways businesses can benefit from automation.
Increased productivity and throughput
All over the world, whether in advanced economies or in developing countries, the use of electronic products is on the rise. Estimates suggest, for instance, that there will be 2.5 billion smartphone users by 2019. This is not surprising, considering there are also now some 4.2 billion active users of the internet all over the world.
With the help of automation technologies, manufacturers will be able to meet increasing demands for smart products and electronic products in general. While machines and computers are not foolproof, their margin of error is much lower compared to human laborers, and they can complete manufacturing tasks much more efficiently and in a much faster manner.
More consistent product quality
Standardizing the production processes with the help of automation offers another meaningful advantage to manufacturers—consistency in product quality. Consider a pick-and-place assembly machine, which is a robotic equipment that enables the quick and efficient placement of surface mount devices on printed circuit boards. Because such a machine employs components like high-precision XY linear stages or gantry systems, conveyor belts, clamps, and nozzle assemblies, it can pick and place minuscule individual parts accurately and consistently throughout numerous production cycles.
Cost reduction resulting in increased return on investment
Automation equipment and robotic devices automate various processes within the electronics manufacturing floor, eliminating the need for manual labor in many areas of production. Furthermore, improvements in manufacturing efficiency and in the quality of output also means reduction of production errors and rejected products. Both of these can translate to significant cost reduction and better return on investment.
Protecting the health and well-being of workers
Deploying automation equipment on the production floor is also instrumental in the improvement of health and safety condition of workers in many electronics manufacturing facilities.
Since repetitive tasks can result in the development of musculoskeletal injuries and conditions, freeing workers from such cyclic and repetitive production processes can definitely help prevent them from developing disorders. Moreover, electronics manufacturing can also expose workers to dangerous chemicals. By implementing automation in the stages of production where exposure risk is the greatest, businesses can prevent such hazards from causing lasting and costly damage to the health of workers.
Improved business agility
With technological trends shifting at breakneck speeds, it’s important for electronics manufacturers to adapt to these changes accordingly. Automation allows them to switch quickly between different product features or variants. Moreover, automation allows enterprises to swiftly adjust their production according to the movements of the market, giving them an opportunity to capitalize on trends and fast-changing customer demands.
Increased capacity for innovation
With a company’s resources being focused on research and development instead of manufacturing and labor, it will be easier for them to discover more novel revenue streams and to develop a range of products that better address the desires and needs of the market. Moreover, in the interest of becoming more responsible corporate citizens, companies are also empowered to find solutions that will make their manufacturing more sustainable and environment friendly in the long term.
Industrial automation technologies can take the manufacturing capabilities of electronics manufacturers to a whole new level. These technologies represent not only an opportunity for them to improve their profits but also to improve the way they interact with the communities and environments in which they operate.
