Feature

Prepare to automate: Six design tips to futureproof your production

Manufacturing is one of the UK’s success stories. With an output valued at £224bn, we are now the eighth largest manufacturing nation in the world. But our position is vulnerable unless we significantly increase our level of automation.

29/05/2024 16:52:57

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Helping manufacturers to increase their productivity, reduce waste, improve product quality and alleviate labour shortages, the benefits of automation are myriad. As the only G7 country to sit outside the top 20 in terms of robot density (we are actually 25th in the IFR global robot league table), accelerating our automation uptake is essential if we are to retain our place as a leading manufacturing nation.

It is therefore important that when designing a new product, planning a new production line or upgrading your existing facility, automation is factored in from the very start of the process, not just as an afterthought. Not only does this keep down costs, but it also ensures that any automation will be right the first time, minimising downtime, boosting productivity and resulting in a solution that is fit for purpose.

Here, Oliver Selby, Head of Sales for FANUC UK, outlines six key design considerations for seamless automation integration…

Read the full article in DPA's June 2024 issue

Written By Sophia Bell

Sophia Bell is the Group Editor of DPA, Connectivity, and PBSI. She joined the team in 2020 as Assistant Editor after achieving a First-Class Honours BA in English Literature and Film Studies from the University of East Anglia. In her current role, she leads the editorial strategy, driving digital growth and ensuring each title continues to deliver trusted, relevant insight for engineering and manufacturing professionals.