With these 5 tips from Arnoud de Kuijper, commercial director at Cellro, we want to dispel some of the misconceptions and provide answers to the most frequently asked questions.
- Is automation only suitable for standard products and large series?
- Is automation expensive or is it a smart investment with high return on investment?
- Will robotisation make my employees redundant?
- Is investing in automation just as tangible as investing in new CNC lathes or milling machines?
- I hear contradictory messages about automation and that makes me doubt. It makes it difficult for me to take the first steps in the field of robotisation/automation.
Automating production of single pieces, small and large series
In the top 5 of most heard statements, the assumption that automation is only suitable for standard products and large volumes is at the top. In recent decades, the manufacturing industry in particular has put a lot of effort into standardising production processes. In recent years, however, a turnaround has been visible. More and more production companies have started to distinguish themselves by certain specialisms and in the area of flexibility and variation. Besides the machining companies that focus on larger series of production work, we see more and more companies that focus on making single pieces or products that have to be produced in small quantities. In short, at Cellro we are presented with automation issues by metalworking companies that all have their own strategy and philosophy. This challenges us to offer a suitable solution for each strategy. In our opinion, the threshold should be as low as possible and the automation solution should be easy to expand over time. The flexibility and modularity of our hardware and software are especially ideal for production of smaller series.
Automation pays for itself faster than you think
When considering investing in automation, the cost aspect plays a major role. Unlike the purchase of, say, a CNC turning or milling machine, spending money on automation is often less tangible for many entrepreneurs. The questions ‘what’s in it for me’ and ‘how quickly will I earn back such an investment‘ immediately come up when we talk to existing or potential customers. When we discuss the Return-Of-Investment (ROI) with them, we look not only at the cost price, but also at the earning potential, which we can quickly increase through smart automation. What does it mean if you can also produce at night and in the weekends? How can you achieve considerably more capacity with the current staffing levels through better employability? Is it really necessary to invest heavily in extra CNC machines if the use of the existing machine park can be significantly increased through automation? When weighing up the pros and cons, it helps to have us take a fresh look from the outside and to spar freely with Cellro’s automation specialists. Your doubts about the costs and benefits of automation can be removed based on facts using a ROI calculation. After an inventory of your specific automation needs, we will neatly lay out all cost aspects for you. This makes the decision a lot easier for you.
Much more efficient use of your personnel through robotisation
All our customers who have been familiar with robotisation for many years now know all too well that it is no replacement for the well-trained professionals in their company. In fact, because a lot of time-consuming, physically demanding and repetitive work is done by robots, your employees can focus much more on specialist work. And on optimising the machining processes. Literally taking a step back from the machine provides useful new insights that improve the quality of the unmanned production process. As a result, your people’s core qualities will be optimally utilised and they will derive even more satisfaction from their work. This also has a positive effect on the working atmosphere, productivity and innovative strength in your company.
That is what you call a win-win situation that makes every entrepreneur and employee happy.
Make automation tangible, simple and effective
The abstract and intangible nature of automation is a recurring theme in the conversations we have with entrepreneurs at Cellro. We understand that. Especially when there is no experience with robotisation/automation, it is perhaps less tangible. Whereas specifications for a new CNC turning or milling machine are often clear, it is challenging to define them in advance for automation. It helps you to hold on to your goal of automation and to link up with partners who supply proven technology. You already have all the ingredients (employees, machines and attractive clients) and automation must be an additional factor in that. In order not to make it unnecessarily complicated and expensive, we offer a simple and effective solution, based on our inventory that allows you to quickly experience the benefits of robotisation/automation for yourself. Experiencing it yourself is also the best way to make it tangible.
Let’s see how you can get started with automation
In summary, we at Cellro feel a responsibility to help people make the best use of the automation solutions we offer. People remain central to our philosophy, now and in the future, and it is always our challenge to provide an automation solution that is 100% suited to the latent needs in your business. Investing in sustainable and appropriate automation starts with awareness. Let yourself be convinced of the added value of automation and take the first step towards discussing the concrete implementation. We would like to help you look at all the components that determine the configuration of the hardware and software needed to achieve your objectives.
Cellro will gladly help you on your way!
In order to guide you through all the steps above, Cellro has created a comprehensive roadmap. This allows companies to make a good start, from the entry level – with a cobot – to an integrated production approach with optimisation planning and smart logistics solutions. Would you like to know more about automating CNC machine tools? Contact us now!