One element of robotization in a company may be the creation of completely new production lines, as well as the integration of new machines into existing lines. Implementation takes place after a thorough review of the characteristics of the work in question and the customer’s expectations, as well as the completion of individual projects. The assembly of production lines can be carried out largely at the integrator’s premises or entirely from scratch at the customer’s premises. We present the situations in which both of these options are suitable.
Production lines assembled by an integrator
In most orders, part of the work related to the assembly of devices is carried out by an integrator, i.e., an entity whose task is to automate the production line in a given company. There is no need for the end customer to receive machines that require assembly from scratch. Whenever possible, production lines are assembled at the integrator’s premises, and larger components are delivered to the company for which they are intended. There are several advantages to this solution:
- Easier installation – the integrator has on-site access to all of their resources, tools, and infrastructure,
- Testing and configuration – before machines are delivered to the customer, they can undergo more thorough checks and configuration,
- Safety – because production lines are assembled in better conditions, work is also safer, and in the event of any problems, specialists have greater opportunities to respond,
- Lower cost – a visit to the customer’s site involves not only transporting the production equipment itself, but also tools, as well as organizing professional technical teams, which also translates into the cost of the service. For the same reason, training conducted at the integrator’s premises may be cheaper than at the customer’s site,
- Confidentiality – the solutions used by integrators are protected by intellectual property rights, which means that some of the work must sometimes be carried out under conditions that ensure confidentiality. This ensures that information about how the production processes have been automated, does not reach the customer’s competitors.
Assembling production lines at the customer’s premises
Despite the above advantages, there are situations when it is necessary to assemble production lines at the customer’s site from scratch. Sometimes even complex, time-consuming solutions have to be implemented in this way.
Sometimes, the automation of production lines, which also involves integration with existing systems and machines, requires constant modifications that cannot be predicted during assembly at the integrator’s premises. The nature of the working environment also means that more accurate tests can be carried out directly at the customer’s premises, allowing the settings of the equipment to be better adapted to the requirements.
In some situations, robotization of the production line carried out entirely at the customer’s premises, including the assembly of equipment, is simply more cost-effective and time-efficient. This may apply, for example, when there are logistical difficulties associated with the possible transport of large modules. For some production plants, assembling production lines at the integrator’s premises could also result in a longer, more economically significant downtime than is the case when all systems and machines are assembled on site at the customer’s premises. In addition, the need to carry out work at the manufacturing company may be required by law, e.g., safety regulations.
Most of the assembly and installation work on production lines is therefore carried out in safe conditions at the integrator’s premises. However, the nature of the work or other specific details may make it necessary to transfer the entire process to the customer’s premises. It is important that the production line is professionally designed by qualified specialists, as this allows for the selection of the most optimal solution, both from a financial and purely practical point of view.