Robots:Key to future success

Manufacturing is one of the fastest growing sectors of the UK economy. It is critical that it is - and remains - globally competitive. Here,Barry Weller of Mitsubishi Electric looks at the role robots are assuming in helping modern production reduce costs and become adaptable for future changes

The UK manufacturing industry faces a plethora of challenges in its efforts to regenerate, but without doubt one of the most significant is the need to operate in a high-wage economy yet produce goods that are competitive with those from low-wage regions of the world. As UK manufacturers cannot match the pay rates of some overseas competitors, the only viable solution is to reduce the labour content.

It's not too difficult to see that this means making the maximum possible use of automation. Just how that automation will be implemented must be carefully considered in the light of a second important requirement - the need for flexibility. It was once satisfactory to build custom-engineered automated production lines dedicated to a particular type and style of product. At that time there would be reasonable confidence that the plant could be used without major changes for five years or longer, time enough to recoup the set-up investment. Today's product life cycles are typically much shorter, so production lines in most areas of manufacturing must be flexible enough to adapt easily and inexpensively to the regular introduction of new products or redesigns.

Flexibility is one of the major benefits offered by industrial robots, as they are essentially general-purpose tools that can be readily adapted for new tasks simply by reprogramming them. It might be expected that robots would have been enthusiastically embraced by UK businesses; the reality has been different. UK manufacturers have been slow in their uptake of robot technology, lagging behind nations such as France, Italy, Spain and Sweden, as well as the more obvious examples of Germany and Japan.

There is, however, evidence that this situation is changing. A recent survey by BARA (the British Automation and Robotics Association) reports that in the first two quarters of 2010, UK robot sales grew by 55% compared with the figures for 2009.

Interestingly, BARA notes that most of this growth has come not from the automotive industry, where the use of robots is well established, but from the food and beverage and pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors.

BARA says robot sales are increasing in almost every country. Possibly this is incentive enough for those businesses that are striving to grow and to enhance their competitive position but are still hesitant about investing in robots.

Let's review the benefits modern robots, such as those in Mitsubishi's extensive MELFA family, have to offer. They combine speed with accuracy, making them suitable for use in even the most demanding of highvolume production applications. Unlike human employees, robots can operate 24/7 and never take holidays! Production lines incorporating robots can, therefore, be operated for whatever hours are necessary to satisfy customer demand.

Robots are not especially fussy about their working conditions. This means that, in many cases, big economies can be made on the amount of heating and lighting that would be required if humans were employed to carry out similar tasks. This not only results in lower energy bills, but also in reduced carbon footprint.

Compact design is another characteristic of modern robots; using them can save space on the factory floor. Often they can also be used in areas, such as those adjacent to fast moving machinery, where a human operator would not be allowed to work unless guarding and other safety features were provided. Today's robots are also suitable for incorporation in existing production lines.

Then there are the issues of reliability and consistent performance.Modern robots incorporate modern technologies such as brushless AC servomotors, have long service lives and require little maintenance. In addition, when used in conjunction with absolute position encoders, these servo systems ensure precise and repeatable operation. Scrap and reject rates are minimised.

Some companies have ethical concerns over the use of robots as they are seen as displacing human operators. In truth, however, robots almost always do repetitive tedious tasks for which it can be difficult to recruit human employees. Also, if humans are used for these menial tasks and receive even the most modest rate of pay, there's a high probability that the goods produced will be less competitive than those produced on robot lines. This could easily lead to the business shrinking, with a loss of jobs, rather than growth. There are, therefore, sound reasons for arguing that robots can help protect jobs rather than eliminating them.

If the UK manufacturing industry is to make the most of its current opportunities for growth, it must be prepared to wholeheartedly embrace the unparalleled benefits that robot-based automation offers.