Robots, are they an integral part of our industry or just a solution for the lucky few?

Key to success - Consider technical aspects for good robot implementation 

• In some cases, the added value of robotisation will be maximized only when the entire production line/process or even the entire production environment is considered. This increases the investment significantly, but also offers the greatest opportunities.
• For the successful integration of robotisation, everything must be considered in the long term, including product design. Any change to the product to be handled may affect whether it can be handled by the gripper or tool.

It is always important to determine "the job to be done." Determine for which part of the production you want a robot and which task needs to be robotised. Also take the 80/20 rule into account, bearing in mind that part of the operations can/will still have to be done manually.  

Key to success - Start small, scale up fast 

• If you have little or no experience in implementing robotisation, start with the low-hanging fruit. Don't bite off more than you can chew. Test the complex parts of the integration before you go ahead, e.g. Does the robot pick up your product? Or do adjustments need to be made to the gripper or product design?

• You will learn with every implementation. Increase the complexity of the implementation step by step so as to maximize the return. 

• Share your experiences and learn from successes as well as failures that will help you in future projects.

Key to success - Dare to invest, dare to start from scratch 

• Base yourself on the total cost of ownership and the increased resilience of your people instead of just return on investment. This gives a more realistic picture. 

• Deciding to implement robotisation is a strategic process that is given too little thought, especially in SMEs. 

Key to success - Surround yourself with the right partners. 

• Don’t be afraid to embark on robotisation. Surround yourself with the right partners and go for it!

• Choose a robot integrator who has experience in your application and agree on the requirements and wishes.

Key to success - Involve all stakeholders and share best practices 

• Involve not only the technical and project departments but also the operators and unions from the very beginning of the development of robotised production.  

• Learn also from other companies about their experiences with robotisation and share best practices with your peers.

Key to success - Invest in your people 

• The war for talent is a fact.

• Invest in lifelong learning. Do not underestimate the value of an operator's process knowledge.

Analyze the possibility of integrating the robot into the periphery IT systems, such as ERP and other software applications for production and maintenance, so as to integrate the robot smoothly into the existing IT environment.

Key to success - Persevere and keep an open mind 

• Don’t be disappointed if at first things do not go as you had expected