Introduction:

The factory floor continues to be the epicentre of production innovation in which industrial machinery and human ingenuity converge for manufacturing products that support economies worldwide. However, there has been an ongoing evolution around these hallowed manufacturing halls, accompanied by an advanced age of automation. This report is going to delve into the key reasons behind automated assembly has been thriving on the factory floor paying attention to its impact on quality, productivity, cost reduction, control and occupational safety. In addition to that, there will be discussions relating to the implications of informed decision-making, the compatibility of automated systems and their capability of mitigating the shortage of labour. Moreover, coursework help online UK and the competitive benefits offered by automation in a rapidly emerging and globalized marketplace will also be discussed in this report. In today’s dynamic landscape, automated assembly not only remains a technological trend but also incorporates a fundamental transition in the industry processes. It plays the role of a catalyst for ongoing progress, a response to the ever-evolving demands for innovation, efficiency and sustainability in manufacturing. The journey of automated assembly on the factory floor continues to be a relentless innovation with being responsible for bringing a brighter more adaptable and efficient future for the global manufacturing industries.

The concept of automated assembly:

Automation is conceptualized as the mechanization of different processes. Automated assembly is the process of employing robots, machines and computer-supported systems to perform different activities in the production and manufacturing of products (Zhong and Ge, 2018). This approach is considered to be a substitute for manual labor in activities, such as online assignment help uk welding, assembling, quality control, material handling and packaging. Additionally, the concept of automated assembly is an integral part of advanced production and manufacturing which is responsible for offering a variety of key features such as robotics and machinery (Hottenstein and Dean, 2019). High speed and efficiency, cost reduction, quality control, data collection, data analysis, safety, flexibility, integration of Industry 4.0, competitive benefits and scalability. However, there is a range of automation employed on the factory floor (Ponis and Efthymiou, 2022). The kind of automation used by a production operation would be executed taking account into the goods being manufactured, the requirement of machines and the available resources (Stankovski et al.2019). In industrial automation processes, control systems, such as computers, information technologies and robots are used for handling various processes as well as pieces of equipment for completing a task. In addition to that it is implemented most readily for data collection, processing and conducting predictable physical works (Bock, 2016).

Different features and benefits associated with automated assembly:

Robotics and machinery:

Automated assembly processes generally include the application of a range of specialized robots and machinery armed with sensors and precision tools. Additionally, those machines and robots are capable of performing tasks incorporating an enhanced degree of repeatability as well as accuracy (Zhong and Ge, 2018).

High speed and efficiency:

Automated assembly systems are capable of working 24*7 without any fatigue or breaks, ensuring high-speed and consistent production of the goods, leading to enhanced productivity as well as minimized lead times, enabling the organizations to reach the changing demands of their consumers even more efficiently and successfully (Hottenstein and Dean, 2019).

Accuracy and precision:

Automated machinery and robots are able to perform repetitive activities with profound accuracy and precision, eliminating both the defects and errors associated with manual processes in the production process, resulting in adding value to the quality of the products while significantly cutting back on rejects (Ponis and Efthymiou, 2022).

Cost reduction:

With time, the initial investment in these emerging technologies has been leading to potential cost savings. In addition to that, automated assembly systems are capable of replacing human labour, downsizing the overall labour changes as well and reducing the risk of accidents or injuries in the workplace (Rao and Prasad, 2018). Nevertheless, automation is also responsible for leading to potential savings in the context of the usage of raw materials and energy consumption (Zhong and Ge, 2018).

Adaptability and flexibility:

The advanced automated assembly systems are developed to be adaptable as well as flexible. Therefore, cheap assignment help uk they are capable of easily being reconfigured or reprogrammed to deal with a large variety of manufacturing processes or products, enabling the manufacturers to promptly respond to the changing market demands (Stankovski et al.2019).

Data collection and analysis:

Automation allows for real-time data collection as well as analysis, serving valuable insights into the manufacturing processes (Rao and Prasad, 2018). As a result, the manufacturers are capable of monitoring the performance of the machines, identifying the potential bottlenecks and optimizing production taking into account informed decisions (Hottenstein and Dean, 2019).

Quality control:

Automated assembly systems are capable of incorporating a range of quality control measures, for example, sensors and vision systems in order to investigate and eliminate faults in the production processes or products in real time (Rao and Prasad, 2018). Therefore, this proactive approach to quality control helps ensure that the products that can meet the quality standard would only be delivered to the customers (Ponis and Efthymiou, 2022).

Elimination of the issues of skill gap and labour shortage:

In multiple areas, there has been a shortcoming of skilled and expert labour in the production industries. Be that as it may, automated assembly systems are responsible for helping bridge this gap by dealing with activities that typically are challenging to fill with human labour (Sull and Reavis, 2019).

Competitive benefit:

The organization that has invested in automation, at times ends up gaining a competitive edge in the industry in the context of the quality of their products, production efficacy, delivery speed and cost-effectiveness. Resulting in enabling them to secure their market share as well as maintain sustainability in the long run (Rocha et al.2018).

Scalability:

Automated assembly systems can easily be scaled down or up to meet the changing volumes of production which makes these systems compatible with both small-batch manufacturing as well as large-scale production operations (Simões et al.2019).

Safety:

Automation is responsible for adding a consistent value to the occupation safety of the employees by taking over the physically hazardous or damaging operations, which not only cuts back the risk associated with accidents and physical injuries in the work site but also facilitates a healthy occupational environment (Stankovski et al.2019).

Integration of Industry 4.0:

Automated assembly can be described as one of the key components associated with the fourth industrial revolution or Industry 4.0, which would include the integration of a range of advanced digital technologies such as robotics, data analytics and Internet of Things into the processes of manufacturing (Sull and Reavis, 2019). Be that as it may, this integration adds momentum to the overall decision-making abilities and efficiency of the manufacturing sectors across the globe (Calitz et al.2017).

Mobile-controlled automation in modern manufacturing:

Mobility is expected to be the future of the workforce of any manufacturing organization empowered by automated assembly. This is predictable in the enhanced interconnectivity between hardware and applications that are used in the day-to-day lives of people (Unhelkar et al.2018). Mobile control continues to become intuitive, influential and flexible and the concept has captured a large concentration within the manufacturing sector also a call be advanced industry-wide standards to get adopted has come from the engineering and research experts associated with automation across the world (Sull and Reavis, 2019). It is noticed that mobile apps have already been dependent as user-friendly and fast means of accessing industry information with a swipe of the hand or a tap of the finger (Simões et al.2019). In addition, access to mobile is responsible for saving substantially on labour, cost, maintenance and time, resulting in enabling the operational complexities to be discovered as well as identified remotely (Rocha et al.2018). Furthermore, mobile control of automation in production demonstrates a transformative switch in the way the manufacturing processes get monitored and managed. With the world increasingly becoming digital, the acceptance of mobile technologies has been imperative for global manufacturers (Calitz et al.2017).

Mobile control enables manufacturers to manage and access automation systems from anywhere using an internet connection, allowing for flexibility in sectors where on-site presence would not be efficient or feasible always (Morariu et al.2020). Additionally, mobile apps provide an intuitive and user-friendly interface, making it simpler for the engineers, operators and maintenance employees to interact with the automation systems, resulting in downsizing the barriers for entry with reducing the learning curve for employing advanced control systems (Gharbia et al.2020). Mobile apps are responsible for providing real-time access to vital insights and data relating to the production process, resulting in empowering the decision-making to keep an eye on manufacturing, track the KPIs and swiftly respond to any challenges that would arise. Furthermore, mobile control allows for remote diagnostics and troubleshooting (Saidy et al.2020). When any problem takes place on the factory floor, professionals are capable of accessing remotely the automation systems to identify and address the issues quickly, leading to reduced downtime and production disruptions. Additionally, mobile control continues facilitating coordination among the experts and teams, resulting in faster innovation and problem-solving (Morariu et al.2020). The implementation of mobile control in production is driven by the requirement for greater responsiveness, flexibility and efficiency in an increasingly interconnected and digital world. It remains an essential element of the emerging landscape of smart production and Industry 4.0, serving multiple advantages in terms of real-time information access, cost savings, global collaboration and safety enrichment. With the advancement of automation, mobile control plays an even more pivotal role in structuring the future of manufacturing (Saidy et al.2020).

Conclusion:

Automated assembly is one of the transformative aspects of the modern manufacturing industry that embraces machinery and technology in order to add value to productivity, efficiency and quality (Unhelkar et al.2018). Additionally, it continues to be one of the critical components associated with advanced production processes continually being evolving with the advancement of technology, making it a potential driver of innovation in multiple industries. In addition to that automated assembly has been thriving on the factory floor because of its capability to enhance scalability, safety, flexibility, quality and adaptability in the manufacturing processes (Rocha et al.2018). Nevertheless, automated assembly presents a futuristic area and continues establishing firmly itself as one of the cornerstones of advanced manufacturing. In this age of fourth industrial revolution and rapid digital transformation, the factory floor continues to experience a vast evaluation, which in turn redefines the way products get conceived, designed and produced, employing automated assembly technologies at the forefront of this continual revolution (Simões et al.2019). From the traditional approaches to mechanization to the cutting-edge technologies these days, automation plays a critical role in adding value to precision, adaptability and efficiency within the production ecosystem (Gharbia et al.2020).

References:

Bock, T., 2016. Construction robotics. Journal of Robotics and mechatronics, 28(2), pp.116-122.

Calitz, A.P., Poisat, P. and Cullen, M., 2017. The future African workplace: The use of collaborative robots in manufacturing. SA Journal of Human Resource Management, 15(1), pp.1-11.

Gharbia, M., Chang-Richards, A., Lu, Y., Zhong, R.Y. and Li, H., 2020. Robotic technologies for on-site building construction: A systematic review. Journal of Building Engineering, 32, p.101584.

Hottenstein, M.P. and Dean, J.W., 2019. Managing risk in advanced manufacturing technology. In Risk Management (pp. 223-237). Routledge.

Lesley, J., Albers, T. and Rao, P., 2021. How to use automation technology for remote operations: Automation technology for remote operation and plant maintenance is becoming more prevalent. Plant Engineering, 75(4), pp.23-26.

Morariu, C., Morariu, O., Răileanu, S. and Borangiu, T., 2020. Machine learning for predictive scheduling and resource allocation in large-scale manufacturing systems. Computers in Industry, 120, p.103244.

Ponis, S.T. and Efthymiou, O.K., 2020. Cloud and IoT applications in material handling automation and intralogistics. Logistics, 4(3), p.22.

Rao, S.K. and Prasad, R., 2018. Impact of 5G technologies on Industry 4.0. Wireless personal communications, 100, pp.145-159.

Rocha, H.T., Ferreira, L.P. and Silva, F.J.G., 2018. Analysis and improvement of processes in the jewellery industry. Procedia Manufacturing, 17, pp.640-646.

Saidy, C., Xia, K., Sacco, C., Kirkpatrick, M., Kircaliali, A., Nguyen, L. and Harik, R., 2020. Building Future Factories: a smart robotic assembly platform using virtual commissioning, data analytics, and accelerated computing. SAMPE 2020| Virtual Series.

Simões, B., De Amicis, R., Barandiaran, I. and Posada, J., 2019. Cross reality to enhance worker cognition in industrial assembly operations. The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, 105, pp.3965-3978.

Stankovski, S., Ostojić, G., Zhang, X., Baranovski, I., Tegeltija, S. and Horvat, S., 2019, March. Mechatronics, identification technology, industry 4.0 and education. In 2019 18th International Symposium Infoteh-Jahorina (Infoteh) (pp. 1-4). IEEE.

Sull, D. and Reavis, C., 2019. Tesla’s Entry into the US Auto Industry.

Unhelkar, V.V., Dörr, S., Bubeck, A., Lasota, P.A., Perez, J., Siu, H.C., Boerkoel, J.C., Tyroller, Q., Bix, J., Bartscher, S. and Shah, J.A., 2018. Mobile robots for moving-floor assembly lines: Design, evaluation, and deployment. IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine, 25(2), pp.72-81.

Zhong, R.Y. and Ge, W., 2018. Internet of Things enabled manufacturing: a review. International Journal of Agile Systems and Management, 11(2), pp.126-154.