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Adopting Manufacturing Automation is a Collaboration

What does it mean to thrive in today’s manufacturing environment? Even before the global pandemic, the demands were challenging: higher production levels at lower per-part costs; more high-mix, low-volume production; increased competition for customers and non-traditional customers; a shrinking skilled labor pool not being backfilled. Yet, when viewed through the lens of what automation can do to address these challenges, it’s all upside.

We say that because a survey of 160 North American manufacturers conducted by UNITED GRINDING revealed a critical opportunity: the obstacles respondents cited most often for slowly adopting automation all could be overcome. The most common perceived roadblocks were technical restrictions with existing machines, investment costs, and project complexity.

Yet each one of these – and a number of others – has a solution, which in turn can take a manufacturer to new levels of productivity and growth. To deal with the hesitancy to move forward, machine tool OEMs have become providers of choice for automation implementation, offering standard options with increasing functionality and flexibility for any operation. For example, UNITED GRINDING’s U.S.-based Automation Solutions offers a portfolio of industry-leading standard systems along with custom automations of specific equipment combinations from among the company's eight grinding machine brands.

The department provides complete support for complex projects from design through implementation, producing turnkey results that integrate directly into grinding machines from UNITED GRINDING brands. We test, integrate and perform runoff on our state-of-the-art production floor in Miamisburg, Ohio, so there are no surprises when the machine is delivered. And the options continue; for instance, machines can be retrofitted with automation interfaces ready for integration into gantry robots, palletized part loading solutions, and vision inspection systems. Post-installation, customer service and support is available 24/7.

For a graphical representation of the current state of manufacturing automation as seen from the eyes of the aforementioned 160 manufacturers, check out our infographic. There is an appetite – and a great need – for improvement, and there are resources to make it happen. 

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