Automation will assist labour, not replace it

While manufacturing companies globally are changing the production game by adding more automation to the line, some are wondering if this is meant to replace the manufacturing employees. Rest assured that this assumption, though based on some merit, is completely untrue.

Electronics design and manufacturing companies, like Hetech, are set to update, improve and increase productivity through the use of automation. This automation is intended to assist, not replace.

While Australian SME companies are integrating into Industry 4.0, the development, addition and use of new technologies is unavoidable. In a sense, the introduction of automation into SME manufacturing companies helps to level the playing field a bit... but how?

Automation in manufacturing is simply this: the use of automatic equipment, that requires little human intervention and interaction, in a system of production processes. It has the potential to improve business for SMEs, along with making improvements in the labour force along the way.

The time and attention that is freed up due to automation will help businesses achieve a better level of productivity and labour force effectiveness. Automation is meant to enhance, not take over.

To put it bluntly, automation in Australian electronics manufacturing is becoming essential for the local companies to compete in the world manufacturing platform. Integration into Industry 4.0 is essential.

Manufacturing companies of all sizes are investing in and working towards Industry 4.0. Industry 4.0 encompasses the current automation trend and method of data exchange within manufacturing technologies and companies. Often referred to as the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Industry 4.0 includes cognitive computing, the Internet of Things, cloud computing and cyber-physical systems.

For manufacturing companies to succeed, it is imperative that they keep up with the integration rate. Manufacturing companies, like Hetech, are investing in a variety of automated machines. These include, but are not limited to, new SMT machines, conformal coating machines, inventory and asset tracking systems and optical inspection machines. These automated machines are fully intended to help our labour force operate at a smarter and faster level.

Automated machines can propel SMEs towards Industry 4.0 by reducing the risk, and encouraging existing labour to work faster, not harder.

For many SME companies, it’s imperative to receive automation funding. Thankfully, SME manufacturers can look to local governments for grants to invest in automation. These grants are meant to assist SMEs with becoming more competitive, allowing them to grow in the international market. With funding comes relevance.

Automation in manufacturing is giving SME companies the ability to succeed on a level of companies that exist on a much larger scale. The possibilities here are incredible, and paired with current labour, endless. These two components will work seamlessly together to push many SMEs closer and closer to Industry 4.0.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Sergey

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