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A small • Reduced material handling time. They know that he needs Automating production but
cutting tool makes running smaller batches software and accessories that also considering automating
factory much more cost-effective. will help him keep things ticking processes: One may not have the
relies on over without wasting time and business budgets to request tai-
every work- • Streamlining of existing pro- money reloading materials. lored solutions, but out-of-the-
ing part cesses and systems across box solutions are available that
being up the business. Approaching where to start can be used to manage invento-
to scratch Chances are there will be no ob- ry, integrate with ERP to manage
including • Elimination of mistakes in ma- vious trigger when it comes to job orders, and even pack ready
its people. terial management. adopting industrial automation. for dispatch. Many will work ef-
Automation Many smaller businesses won’t fectively with their existing pro-
removes • Automating in-process mea- have planned to develop the lev- cesses even if they have never
the risk surement raises the quality of el of automation they have. Some automated them before.
of human tool production and can near- may have started only after an Industrial automation can help
error, creat- ly eliminate waste, meaning increase in labor and setup costs focus on people: A small cut-
ing a safer more profit. forced them to look for ways to ting tool factory relies on every
working en- run more smartly. But that is ok, working part being up to scratch
vironment Standing on the giants’ one can build one’s automation including its people. Automation
that’s less shoulders solution piece by piece – as long removes the risk of human error,
likely to be Bigger companies indeed have as they have an agreed vision. creating a safer working environ-
disrupted. more buying power. When it It may be as simple as being ob- ment that’s less likely to be dis-
comes to industrial automa- servant and seeing which steps rupted. Furthermore, changing
tion, they have scope to ask for in one’s production process have government legislation is limiting
tailored developments to suit the greatest cost. Unlike other ef- how many hours employees can
specific needs or to make these ficiency drives, there is no harm work. Automation is the obvious
in-house adjustments. But as in approaching this piecemeal. solution to maximize machine
new technology and solutions One has to start by attacking the time when people are not present.
are developed in response to area of their business that will Applying industrial automation
these requests, the industry as provide them with the greatest solutions that connect one more
a whole will benefit. value. For instance: to their customers will allow
Just because a technology is off Looking for industrial automa- them to see in real-time what
the shelf, doesn’t mean it is ‘stan- tion solutions that reflect how they’re low on, what’s in high
dard’. Our industry is constantly one operates: At the smaller demand, or what’s coming up in
evolving as new solutions are end of the tool cutting market, their production that will suit
found and applied. While their there’s a good chance one is their requirements. This also al-
technology development may producing small batch lots and lows them to explore other areas
have been developed at the re- changing geometry multiple of production and manufacture
quest of a large customer, as soon times a day rather than leaving tools knowing with confidence
as it’s scalable it can be rolled the machine running constant- what their customers want.
out to suit most businesses. At ly making the same tool all day. Everyone can afford and benefit
ANCA, this includes many of its In this world, innovation is of- from existing industrial auto-
innovations including 3D sim- ten a secondary need to maxi- mation solutions: Automation
ulation software, its in-process mizing day-to-day productivity. can take the pain out of being
measurement system Laser Plus, For example, looking for solu- a small tool shop. A new facto-
and RoboTeach, which makes ro- tions that allow the operator ry of the future will be able to
botic loaders accessible and easy to step away from the machine produce multiple kinds of tools
to program. and carry out other tasks rather without getting bogged down
The addition of laser etching on than being there all day. Auto- in manual operations.
a Robot loader is another exam- mating geometry changes and We can all benefit from stream-
ple that has increased the func- existing manual material man- lining systems and processes.
tionality of the grinding ma- agement processes can make What is needed is focusing on
chine by including what would a real change to how much one’s specialty and leveraging
otherwise have been additional they can do elsewhere and help the technology that’s already
downstream steps in the pro- them maximize machine up- out there. There are better ways
cess of making tools. time versus setup time. Time, to use time. Grind the wheel,
Vendors recognize that a small after all, is money. don’t reinvent it.
tool manufacturer’s priority is
maximizing his factory’s efficien-
cy – machine uptime versus setup
40 | March-April 2021 Modern Manufacturing India
