Supply Chain Issues Seek Relief In Robotics

With the lingering problems of supply chain delays, can automation help prevent industry shutdowns long term?

Some learning experiences are more painful than others. For manufacturers and allied industries, millions of components, parts and even basic industrial and building materials are unavailable or in short supply. The pandemic is certainly one factor, but many other issues have contributed to the global supply chain being essentially broken. With very limited or no inventory, “just-in-time” manufacturing is now Standard Operating Procedures…for all the wrong reasons. It’s causing havoc in just about every industry. One example: thousands of recently-assembled new cars and trucks parked outside GM, Ford and other automaker plants awaiting computer chips. Everyone knows the situation is temporary, but how long will “temporary” last?

In some sectors, an increased flow of goods has already started. Every major port in the U.S. is experiencing increased traffic and container ships have been clogging harbors. What’s most problematic is the accordion effect of stopped traffic, rather than just a reduced flow. That’s one reason retailers are already predicting a shortage of holiday toys and other goods, largely manufactured in China and Pacific Rim countries.

As a manufacturer, there’s not much you can do to move the supply chain along, but internally the objective is to produce the products or components you can with the available materials and resources. It may involve switching production lines and workers, but if you’ve already invested in robotic automation, the process is much easier.

That’s one of the best things about robotic automation—the ability to transition production with no additional training and minimal downtime. Also, since robots work 24/7/365 with no coffee or lunch breaks, production can actually increase during challenging times. This abiding philosophy on improved efficiency (via robotic automation) is the foundation upon which Ohio-based integrator RōBEX is built. RōBEX is a certified integrator of automated systems that often include industrial & collaborative robotics, vision technology, and autonomous mobile robots.

Learn more by calling RōBEX at: 419-270-0770 or email automation@robex.us