In our tech-driven age, manufacturing automation is a powerful, essential strategy for any modern machine shop looking to increase production, reduce costs, and improve manufacturing efficiency. Automation presents an opportunity to stay competitive even when facing workforce challenges.
Let’s explore why automation is so critical, and how you can get started in adopting automated solutions in your shop.
Is Automation More Important Than Ever?
Faced with labor shortages, rising customer expectations, and growing competition, machine shop owners must find smarter ways to do more with the same resources. That’s where automation becomes a game-changer.
Think of automation not as replacing people, but as reallocating tasks so your team can use their time more wisely. When automation handles the monotonous, repetitive, and even unsafe work, your skilled employees are freed up to focus on high-value jobs that require the creativity, critical thinking, and precision that only a human (not a robot!) possesses.
The Case for Manufacturing Automation
Automation doesn’t just improve workflows— it’s a strategic solution for optimizing resources and controlling costs. It’s a tool that enables machine shops to:
- Add unattended run time to speed up production
- Reduce labor costs per part
- Increase throughput
- Maintain high quality
For today’s machine shops, these are non-negotiables that directly impact your bottom line.
In addition, automation can make a major difference on employee morale and productivity. Chances are, someone on your team enjoys their job but dreads the repetitive tasks that make up 20% of their day-to-day. Imagine you could adopt an automated tool that removes that unpleasant 20%. Not only would your shop boost productivity, but this team member would feel more fulfilled in their career. In a field where employee retention is absolutely critical, automation can be a game-changer.
Manufacturing Automation in Action: Real-Life Results
We can go on and on about how automation can make a serious impact in your shop, but we’d rather offer some examples that NTMA members have shared with us.
National Jet Company turns a manual process into an opportunity
Our friends at National Jet Company had an important but tedious task that required manually placing 3,600 microtubes into holes. This job was performed by a single person, taking 360 hours over the course of 45 business days. This employee was likely tired of this task after installing just 10 microtubes, only to realize he had 3,590 to go!
That’s when President and Owner Sam Griffith Jr. decided to invest in a robotic arm to fully automate this process. On its first run, the robotic arm completed the job in just 12 days, with only 24 hours of human setup time.
Though the robot’s cycle time was technically longer than the employee’s, it could run unattended overnight and on weekends, which multiplied productivity. In addition, this machine offered spectacular accuracy, with only two microtubes (out of 3,600) needing to be repositioned once the robotic arm was finished—that’s a success rate of 99.94%! As a result, National Jet’s original operator had ample time to perform much higher value-added tasks.
So, to sum up, the results were a happier, more efficient employee and faster production—sounds worth the investment to us!
Moseys eliminates strain and gains efficiency
In a similar vein, we recently talked to Bob Mosey over at Moseys Production Machinists about an automated solution they adopted to accelerate a task— and most likely prevent an employee from experiencing a long-term injury!
Previously, a team member needed to repeatedly lift and load a 34-pound part into a machine, a task that posed long-term injury risks. Moseys decided to leverage a robotic arm that could handle the heavy lifting to increase production efficiency, machining safety, and employee morale. Another win-win-win scenario!
These stories from National Jet and Moseys aren’t isolated examples; they’re proof that automation drives real, measurable improvements.
Getting Started: One Opportunity at a Time
If you’re unsure how to run a machine shop that strategically integrates manufacturing automation, our advice is to start small. Look for just one opportunity within your shop—a recurring bottleneck, an employee headache, a time-consuming manual task, and so on. Collaborate with your team to determine what tasks can be improved, and explore how automation could help.
But what about the automation skeptics on your team? The ones who think automation might either make their jobs more complicated or might even replace them down the line. These concerns are common, especially at machine shops adopting their first automated tools.
Our advice is simple: don’t just tell them how automation will help; show them! Once you bring in that first piece of automation and show its value to your team, even the most skeptical individuals on your shop floor will see just how beneficial automated tools can be. In time, these skeptics might come around and become advocates for expanding automation within your organization.
Don’t forget the front office
Automation opportunities aren’t limited to the shop floor. Cutting-edge office technologies in areas like quoting tools, CRM systems, and planning software can eliminate repetitive administrative tasks and give your team more time to focus on growth-driving activities.
Automation Requires Action
If you’re looking to improve your machine shop organization, manufacturing automation should be a part of your business strategy.
Not sure where to start? Tap into NTMA’s machine shop resources and get inspired by your manufacturing network. Don’t wait for the perfect time or the perfect system to come along—start with one small win, one single step. Then work from there.
As an NTMA member, you have access to thousands of businesses across your professional network that have successfully implemented automation. Check out similar conversations others have had on the topic on NTMA Connect to get the wheels rolling in your automation journey.