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Using Robots to Create a
Lean Manufacturing Operation
by Kapyoung Choi
 Program Manager
FANUC Robotics America, Inc.
There's no question that industrial robots
are here to stay. Why are manufacturers adopting robotic
technology at rates of more than 10,000 robots per year?
What prompted the significant increase in robot sales in
2003 (RIA estimates of 12,367 robots)? One answer is that
manufacturers have realized that robotic automation will
contribute to a leaner operation.
A good example is the Metal
Forming industry facing strong competitive pressures from
low cost labor markets. After searching for competitive solutions,
many shops have discovered that embracing technology is the
secret to gaining a competitive advantage. By adopting the
principles of lean manufacturing, it's obvious to the sheet
metal forming industry that robotic technology has become
a requirement for successful lean implementation.
Lean is
the endless pursuit of eliminating waste; in other words,
optimizing the use of capital and labor. This is achieved
by eliminating non-value activities associated with cycle
time and labor. When robots are used for manufacturing, machine
utilization is increased, and workers are redeployed to more
value-added tasks. Reallocating workers from mundane and
potentially dangerous jobs such as press brake part handling
helps companies reduce employee-related expenses due to injury
and absenteeism.
Eliminate Waste
No company would want to knowingly
waste resources, but many manufacturers prefer to stick to "the
way it's always been done," and purchase
the same machines they've used for years. If they realized
how affordable and efficient robotic automation has become,
and how underutilized those machines are, purchase considerations
would change. In an effort to maximize output, the economic
impact of underutilized machinery is often not considered.
According to "Becoming Lean" by Jeffrey Liker, "lean thinking
is a paradigm that reflects and informs thinking about
production."
Much of today's literature about lean manufacturing
places the elimination of waste at the heart of lean. Most
lean books site seven major forms of waste. The following
list appears in Lean Manufacturing,
A Plant Floor Guide by John Allen, Charles Robinson, and David Stewart.
Defects - producing parts that fail to meet product specifications. Waiting - people or operations waiting because of lack of material, equipment, or information. Motion - the movement of material, equipment, or personnel that does not add value to the product. Over-Processing - performing operations not required to manufacture or assemble the product. Over-Production - making more product than the customer demands.
Inventory - excess raw material, work-in-process, or finished goods inventory. Inefficiency - people wasting time, efforts, or ideas. Equipment waste in capacity, or using more material than is required to complete the job.
These definitions of waste will act as measurements
for companies attempting to eliminate activities that are
non-value added, as well as maximizing the use of labor and
technology.
How robotic technology contributes to
lean manufacturing:
Using the seven steps to measure manufacturing
waste, metal forming shops are ideal candidates to evaluate.
For metal forming shops operating with manual labor to tend
sheet metal equipment, waste is created in the form of motion,
waiting, defects, less than optimal production quantity,
and having to deal with operator preferences. All of which
lead to building idle inventory and an inefficient use of
budget.
In the long run, it's nearly
impossible for a single operator to match the pace and
performance of a robot. Downtime is primarily related to
operator breaks, absenteeism, and machine breakdowns. Companies
that try to stretch the capacity of a manual operator to
match increases in machine cycle times run greater risks
of operator error. The faster a human is forced to work,
the more likely it is that fatigue will lead to more instances
of scrapped parts and machine breakdowns caused by miss-loaded
parts. Robots offer predictable cycle times and throughput
because they never take breaks or call in sick. Robots with
six axes of coordinated motion can load/unload a machine
and perform value-added tasks such as de-burring and gauging.
Metal
forming shops that have adopted robots to tend machines
have realized increased machine utilization. With manual
labor, machine utilization rates are approximately 50% to
60%. But with automation, utilization rates are approximately
75% to 90%.
Conclusion
Robots continue to contribute to
advancements in lean manufacturing. More creative and leaner
job shops use robotic automation as a sales tool to attract
new business opportunities. They combine their manufacturing
capability, experience, and understanding with the advantages
offered by robotic technology. They realize higher quality
and reduced overall manufacturing costs, which helps them
remain profitable and competitive. If more can be produced
with the same or fewer inputs, the cost of goods and services
is reduced. Robots cost much less than just a few years
ago, while their features and functionality have increased
significantly. As more companies embrace robotic technology,
they will be better positioned to meet the challenges of
global competition.
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710
Remington Road 
Volume
14 Issue 2 -
December 2004