Having units to watch materials in inventory or at a workstation can reduce downtime as a result of working out of inventory. With the ability to see tools run instances is perhaps enough to scale back downtime by adjusting workflow to cut back changeovers, or point out the place an investment in more automation would yield a optimistic ROI.
Different rheological properties that must be thought of for micro-dispensing embody the material’s density and weight, whether or not it has abrasive fillers, and whether or not it’s safe to dispense or combustible. The fluid’s properties can also be modified by the dispensing technology course of itself. For instance, heating the air within the dispensing system can change the viscosity of the fluid, as can the fluid strain and line pace. How the fluid is saved may affect rheology. Is it stored in chilly storage? How is it warmed? The properties of a fluid change as temperatures change and as the fabric itself ages.
Theo Saville doesn’t believe that these concepts around automation and knowledge are revolutionary. In his view, industrial revolutions come much less ceaselessly, usually each a hundred years, are life-changing, and ship efficiency benefits which can be orders of magnitude. He suggests that much of these so-known as “Industry 4.0” rules are merely tweaks or extensions of Trade 3.0, the “computer and digital” revolution that began many years in the past and continues to ship incremental profit. That is evolution, not revolution.
Manufacturing flexibility for lean methods is also a key requirement for remaining aggressive in today’s marketplaces. “If you look at robotic automation, the flexibility that you could have with robotics to react to constant shifts in demand for manufacturing capacity requirements is happening every day,” Abdo notes. “People are using JIT methods of operation, and in case you take a look at it from the automotive standpoint, in lots of circumstances, they want to construct cars on demand by getting an order on the dealership and in three days, a automotive comes off the end of the line. That means you can’t actually simply device your line to build just one type of car and run production, you have to be able to switch.