![]() ![]() You can always implement this technique in stages instead of the entire plant, guaranteeing a return on investment for the automation process. ![]() As a manufacturer, you must consider the ROI on the cost of implementation. Implementing such a system is complex and requires careful planning and execution. While lights-out manufacturing can offer significant long-term cost savings, the initial investment in capital equipment and infrastructure can be substantial. Having a monitoring system in place is then very important. However, in a lights-out environment, a machine tool that has deflected off its path could continue to produce bad parts for an entire shift, resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost time and materials. With standard manufacturing, if your production line suffers a tooling break or starts producing poor quality parts, the machine operator will see this issue and stop the process before it chews up raw materials and wastes time. Dreaded Downtimeĭowntime is one of the biggest challenges for a manufacturer, and it’s certainly not limited to those who run lights out manufacturing. Most suppliers and automation integrators provide a very hands-on level of service because they want to make sure you experience success with your new project however, this will increase the total implementation costs. If no one at your company can do this, your supplier can help. If you have an engineer on the payroll who has the experience to lead this project, you’re off to a good start. While suppliers have made huge improvements in ease of use, you may still need a highly skilled team to install and monitor the process. One of the challenges of lights-out manufacturing is that much of the required technology is relatively new. With that in mind, here are a few common roadblocks to consider before going down the path of lights-out integration or unattended manufacturing. Each company will experience slightly different challenges depending on many factors, such as existing equipment and digital infrastructure, the skill set of its workers, and the footprint of the shop floor. Challenges of Lights-out Manufacturingįor all its obvious benefits, there are still challenges for any company trying to launch a lights-out manufacturing process, just like any other significant process integration. With lights-out manufacturing and automation, you don't need to automate your entire factory, instead choosing to automate the production lines and processes that will have the largest benefit for your company. Although the initial implementation process can be intimidating in terms of cost and the required digital infrastructure, implementing the technology in phases makes it a very attainable goal for most small and medium-sized manufacturers. But this is changing, and now manufacturers of all sizes can take part in the lights-out revolution. Originally, lights-out manufacturing was reserved for the largest manufacturers with huge capital investment budgets. It also allows manufacturers to run 24 hours a day to better meet customer demand or make a tight deadline for a major client. Lights-out manufacturing improves your productivity, efficiency, and lead times. This often requires various robots and other automation technology to perform tasks that human workers would otherwise do, such as loading machines and moving finished products to a staging area. Lights-out manufacturing refers to automating the manufacturing processes so the shop floor can run unattended. This article will explore some of the common challenges of lights-out manufacturing and how you can overcome them. While lights-out manufacturing has many potential benefits, any company looking to implement this sophisticated technology is bound to encounter a few hiccups. And thanks to the increased use of sophisticated digital production and project management software, lights-out manufacturing is becoming more accessible to companies of all sizes. Done correctly, this is a game-changing combination of automated equipment and digital infrastructure that increases efficiency and throughput while offsetting the impact of the current skilled labor shortage.Īt its core, lights out manufacturing is a simple concept-an automated environment that continues producing parts without human interaction. This concept means that factories continue operating after hours with automated production and few or no human workers. One of the most talked-about trends in the manufacturing industry, especially considering the safety precautions manufacturers put in place to cope with the Covid-19 pandemic, is the move to "lights-out manufacturing”. The modern manufacturing landscape is constantly changing, with new advances in technologies such as automation and Industry 4.0 being introduced at breakneck speeds. ![]()
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