Automated technology, from the first assembly line to the sophisticated robotics used today, is made to speed up operations. Efficiency may be defined as increasing process speed, minimizing unexpected downtime, or optimizing equipment uptime.
Bulk material handling automation can be used for a wide range of manufacturing steps and commodities. Here are some examples of how automation might increase the effectiveness of managing bulk materials.
Due in large part to Amazon and the discussion around drone deliveries for online purchases, the last mile idea, and businesses who specialize in making those deliveries seem to be receiving all the attention these days.
However, many manufacturers are aware that optimizing the “initial mile” is equally as valuable as optimizing the “final mile.” Every company’s whole production process and supply chain depend heavily on indoor material handling.
Reasons for Material Handling Automation
Similar to other processes, technology is used to optimize the first mile, but to completely enable automation in your manufacturing, you need the correct tools. To put this concept into effect, advanced tools (such as Autonomous Mobile Robots, or AMRs), as well as the Industrial IoT (Internet of Things), are essential.
Advanced manufacturers are aware that the way materials are received, stored, and moved as soon as they reach a plant should serve as the starting point for automation and the first mile.
Manufacturers are under constant pressure to produce goods more quickly and inexpensively (but never at the expense of quality). Of course, any technological investment made to achieve these objectives needs to have the right ROI.
Benefits of Using Material Handling Automation Technology
The advantages of automated material handling technologies for businesses are numerous and quantifiable, including lower operating costs and higher material throughput, but they also go beyond that. Here are five more instances of how the first mile might be enhanced by manufacturing automation technology.
- Improved manufacturing KPIs
The plant’s connected technology enables real-time data access. When enabled from the start, data collected and exchanged in the essential first mile enables benchmarking of the entire manufacturing lifecycle and the establishment of more thorough KPIs.
- More Effective Labor Management
The advantages also include improved human resource management. One benefit of using AMRs is that staff members can be transferred to higher-value positions that call for more complicated or specialized abilities. Manually moving materials from storage to the line side is typically not a high-value-add task. Manufacturers are less vulnerable to the effects of labor shortages or high turnover that are typical of such jobs when this capability is provided by an AMR.
- A Connected Factory
Additionally, “islands of automation” within the factory might be connected by technology in the first mile. Just-in-time production is made possible by the collection and sharing of data through sensors, which enables other portions of the plant to better plan and anticipate delays or modifications.
- Flexible Manufacturing
Due to the capacity to provide supplies in advance to the precise location where they are required, the ability to exploit complete data also enables on-demand flexibility throughout the manufacturing process.
- Enhanced Client Experience
Utilizing automated material handling to streamline the first mile can boost business profitability and customer happiness. The first mile is crucial in the equation for timely manufacturing, which is the first step in providing excellent customer service. Companies can offer more reasonably priced products because of the cost savings and improved operational efficiency that come from automating the first mile, and better delivery performance is made possible by the predictability surrounding production completion.
- Warehouse Tracking
First-in-first-out utilization is crucial when accepting commodities into a warehouse to avoid spoiling. However, as fresh shipments are frequently stacked or heaped on top of the old, this can be difficult to manage.
The location of the earliest materials on the selection list can be determined by an automated system, which will aid in process improvement. Employees can quickly determine which bag, box, or bin should be utilized next when your routing, tracking, and control systems interact.
- Coordinating Run Time
The capacity to synchronize processes and machines is one of the automation in bulk material handling main benefits. You can synchronize the controls and automate each procedure to run concurrently. This could involve a variety of tasks, including filling, grinding, dispensing, weighing, and mixing. Your facilities will be optimized for optimal effectiveness.
Cycle times, filling times, weighing times, and other factors should all be taken into account while coordinating each procedure. This frequently takes into account, not just the length of the process itself but also the time needed for the materials to fill, settled, and discharged.
For instance, if it takes 30 seconds to fill, measure, and discharge each ingredient in a mix of 10 ingredients, it will take 300 seconds to weigh the material on the scale as a whole, which means the mixer may need to wait for the weighing procedure to finish. It will be idle for half the mixing time, which is only 150 seconds.
You could utilize two scales, one with five ingredients each, to handle this issue as quickly and effectively as possible. These operations will operate in unison thanks to automated machinery and controls, starting and terminating at precisely the proper times.
Wrapping Up
Efficiency improvements for handling bulk materials with automation are numerous. Think carefully about your operations and pay particular attention to any idle equipment, inaccuracies, or shut-down situations. Automation advancements will probably have the greatest impact here.
Manufacturers are aware that there can be no final mile without a good first step, yet the importance of the last mile in the supply chain will never be underestimated. Utilizing the appropriate material handling technology results in quantifiable cost reductions and an instant return on investment.
These are just a few advantages you can get from automated material handling systems. If you are searching for top-notch meat handling lines and automated meat handling lines, then it is the perfect time to turn to Vega India.
Check out their website and get in touch with their expert teams today!