Automation technology isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution, though many hardware vendors have presented it as such. Because each company and industry has different interests and needs, individual companies need automation equipment that’s been customized to their needs. In that respect, each solution should be as unique as the organization investing in it.
That’s why efficiency experts are increasingly recommending that automation tools be trained in the situation they’ll work in. This represents a huge paradigm shift since, typically, it’s the hardware companies that do all of the programming before firms ever take shipment of their systems. Having custom automation solutions from the ground up gives owners and managers the freedom to construct workflows that make sense for the kind of business they’re in.
Training An Automation Tool
Conventional programming can only do so much. Years ago, artificial intelligence researchers admitted that it was probably impossible to write a raw algorithm that works anything like a human brain. However, they did believe it might be possible to develop an empty neural network and train it to behave in a matter that’s at least broadly consistent with the way that humans think.
Manufacturing experts can train a machine to perform the same tasks over and over again in a specific environment that’s unique to their factory space. Instead of having to modify the environment to fit the needs of the tool, training them in this way makes it possible to change up the tools to better work in their new environment. Researchers were able to use this kind of alternative programming paradigm to teach a robot arm to catch a ball. Imagine what it could do in your own organization. Companies that have to pack and ship small products will especially appreciate this because they can specify exactly how much pressure a machine can place on boxes before running into a danger zone.
Professional Customization Options
Supervisors who’d like to invest in customized automation tools can select basic options from a menu of choices. This makes shopping for robotic equipment almost the same as buying any other type of power tool someone might need for a manufacturing enterprise. Once they have everything picked out, hardware providers assemble them together and ship them in a relatively neutral state.
As soon as they have all of the hardware, technicians can assemble it right on the job site. Companies that don’t have much interior space or have to deal with other restrictions can fit their automation tools in wherever there’s enough room. Putting together a little station for them isn’t difficult when staffers don’t have to make complicated decisions about where to place a particular workpiece.
In some situations, the configuration process will only take a few hours. Complex use cases are understandably going to be a bit more difficult, but even then, most supervisors won’t have to put up with a long process. Though it might seem like a bit of work to get everything in place, having your own customized automation tool will more than make up for it by saving a large amount of time in the long run.