Now that you know a little more about automation let’s talk about why you should consider automated loading, assembly, and packing solutions for your FMCG production lines. The automation of manufacturing processes can greatly aid a business in achieving higher levels of productivity and efficiency.
And it simultaneously increases product quality and even profits. The beauty of automated manufacturing is that minimal human interaction is needed, so safety is increased greatly. Often, the only involvement is loading the materials to be manufactured into the final product and overseeing the process.
Automated systems can handle a variety of roles, from assembly to processing, inspection, and handling of materials.
Here are eight reasons why you should consider automating your FMCG production process:
- Increased Workplace Safety
- Reduced Labour Costs
- Increased Productivity
- Fewer Manual Tasks
- Makes Impossible Manual Tasks Possible
- Enhances Product Quality
- Avoid Higher Costs
- Reduced Manufacturing Lead Time
As mentioned above, automation requires minimal human interaction. Since the Occupational Safety and Health Act was enacted in 1970, employee safety and health have become top priorities. Thanks to the introduction of automation, far fewer workplace accidents now occur, as machinery handles jobs formerly handled by people.
It goes without saying, but you’ll require a much smaller workforce by automating much of your processes. This effectively insulates your business against rising labour costs. And there’s no trade-off in productivity, either.
Automated systems can handle the jobs formerly handled by people with greater speed, accuracy, and efficiency. As a result, labour productivity increases when you automate your processes. This is especially useful with Fast-Moving Consumer Goods that must be produced fast and sold quickly owing to the shorter shelf life.
Many of the roles now carried out by machines on assembly lines are repetitive, tiring, tedious, and better suited to a machine than a person. A machine’s quality won’t be affected the way human operators might be.
Human hands cannot even accomplish some tasks. For instance, rapid prototyping through graphic modelling, utilising complex surfaces with Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC), or numerical controlled systems and integrated fabrication of circuits. Such processes can only be controlled by machines as they have special requirements for miniaturisation, geometry, and accuracy, which cannot be accomplished manually.
Through automated loading, assembly, and packing, exceptional levels of quality can be maintained. Automation lowers the fraction defect rate. Automated operations are performed with much more conformity and uniformity than manual processes. Repeatability is a key advantage here, as hundreds, thousands, or more of the same product can be produced quickly.
This might sound odd, but you risk higher costs by not automating. Well, maybe not so odd when you consider the additional labour costs. Plus, you can achieve higher sales, better quality, improved productivity, and a much better bottom line through automation. This is because of higher efficiencies and an improved company image.
You could be trailing the competition if you do not automate your processes.
And this last benefit also plays into the previous one – reduced manufacturing lead times. Through automation, there’s less elapsed time between the customer placing their order and the product arriving. Less time spent waiting translates to happier customers.
