Advantages of Smart Manufacturing

Any kind of machinery can be installed in a period between days or weeks. On the other hand, the workforce needed for its effective functioning may take longer to develop. In Latin American industry, workforce development becomes an important issue due to increasing automation practices in factories. Many debates related to the topic focus on the capabilities of the equipment itself. But sometimes a plant manager may find himself in an entirely different situation while trying to automate his business. Availability of a workforce that would help with maintenance of the system and monitoring operations may impact efficiency of automation. It should be noted that the need for special training is not limited to highly skilled engineers working directly with machinery. Maintenance and operating staff may need training as well. Thus, it is necessary to develop a plan according to which automation of the process will take place. For some companies, developing an internal workforce will be more beneficial, whereas others will have to hire outside specialists who will install equipment and monitor its operation. Depending on the strategy chosen by the manufacturer, there will be certain financial costs associated. Training programs may be needed to prepare the internal workforce in advance. In modern industries, one cannot assume that a large enough number of specialists familiar with automation systems will be available. Thus, training should be organized in parallel with implementation of new technologies in the factory. When expanding automation practices to several production departments, the needs of the organization will change. With the introduction of new technologies, new skills will be required from employees. This issue will have to be taken into account while organizing workforce development. Educational institutions, providers of technical training, and manufacturers themselves become active participants in the discussion due to the fact that development of the workforce occurs outside production facilities as well. Availability of adequate training programs impacts the long-term prospects of the company. Workforce retention is another problem. Employees with special technical skills will be sought out by many other companies as well. A manufacturer that trains its workers has to retain their knowledge internally. Industrial experts evaluating projects involving automation begin realizing the importance of the connection between installing equipment and preparation of the workforce. An effective automation project cannot succeed without a sufficient level of internal capacity in addition to good hardware and software. Workforce development may also impact the choice of vendors for new automation systems. Technical skills and knowledge possessed by a worker may play a major role in purchasing decisions. In Latin American industry, automation is usually considered in terms of machines and software. However, workforce development becomes a significant factor that influences the performance of an organization. For companies that pursue automation, the development of an internal workforce may become crucial for the success of their projects. ...Read more

There have been a lot of changes in how capital expenditures are managed in industrial environments. In particular, automation projects have been getting more attention lately. When discussing automation with manufacturing companies from Latin America, the emphasis appears to be made on timing, project scope and impact, rather than on technology enthusiasm. It is clear that automation projects have to be considered in the context of other investment decisions that manufacturing companies are dealing with. Manufacturing equipment updates, maintenance projects and expansions might require some funding as well. Therefore, automation becomes just one alternative that needs to be considered during the discussion. In addition to the usual approach towards evaluating new technologies, there might be a need to pay attention to specific aspects related to actual production processes. For example, decision makers can be interested in the effects of automation on the company's productivity levels and process reliability. However, this attitude is certainly not supposed to mean any loss of interest in automation projects. The situation is quite the opposite – manufacturers appear increasingly selective in terms of choosing places where automation can bring value. The projects focused on addressing existing production issues might get higher priority than comprehensive solutions aimed at the entire factory. Not all industries and manufacturing facilities in Latin America move at the same pace. There will be differences in production processes between manufacturing facilities. This might lead to different areas being identified as top priorities in terms of automation projects. As automation projects become more prominent in such discussions, the actual purchasing process can start involving many additional aspects. Besides analyzing the technical features of a particular solution, there is a need to take into account various costs related to project implementation, including training employees on using the new technology and maintaining it after deployment. The need to manage risks also starts playing an important role in decision making processes. Project implementation can cause production interruptions in certain cases and this issue needs to be addressed during the discussion. It will be important to see whether a new project is going to work well with the production process. Providers of technology solutions operating in this environment should understand that they are facing a completely different mindset of decision makers who are interested in the practical side of the story. It can be hard to persuade a buyer that a particular automation technology is good without proper plans for implementing the solution in production. It is worth noting that smaller-scale automation projects might enjoy better conditions because of such approach to buying decisions. With incremental deployment, there is always the opportunity to analyze performance in advance. ...Read more

Production managers involved in automation purchases across Latin America typically face a practical obstacle that may not get enough attention compared to technological developments. Readiness varies from facility to facility and region to region. In reality, although automation interest increases across the region, it still takes some time to implement the technology due to external factors. While the implementation of automation technologies depends on a wide range of aspects, many of them are not related to technologies at all. Consequently, a lot depends not only on the technological solution but also on the context in which a particular facility operates. Site characteristics should be assessed equally with technological features in terms of the feasibility of implementation. In many cases, the discussion about industrial automation focuses on what kind of functions are performed by innovative systems. However, for plant managers, the first issue to consider is readiness. At a preliminary stage, they may assess whether the production process itself is ready for a transition towards automation. Moreover, they may evaluate if the implementation of the technology will affect other aspects of the production chain. In many cases, avoiding risks may be more important than technological benefits. Facilities across the region usually experience gradual technological modernization processes. There is often a lot of old equipment, but it is used for daily operations along with newer machines. When adding additional systems, facility managers have to plan implementation carefully since the interaction with the current equipment may be rather complex. Therefore, it requires additional efforts similar to choosing appropriate solutions. These circumstances influence the approach to the purchasing process itself. Typically, there are no reasons to replace equipment entirely. The most logical solution is to select systems that would help to overcome bottlenecks of the production process. Such solutions are often selected because it is simpler to manage them and observe their effects compared to alternative options. In many cases, automation is not viewed negatively in the region and the advantages of using advanced technology are obvious. The major challenge for manufacturers is the lack of opportunities to integrate new systems due to the production schedule. There is often not enough time for system installation and testing and it affects the choice of solutions significantly. Technical compatibility is one of the criteria that matters a lot for manufacturers. The ability to connect systems with existing machines and the current infrastructure often determines further steps to take. In many cases, technical features play a crucial role as the determining factor. Skills availability is an aspect that should be considered while discussing automation. Once the system is installed, it requires maintenance that cannot be performed without specific knowledge and competencies. Buyers now assess the amount of training that would be required to maintain the equipment after the purchase. There are differences between regional markets that determine the speed of automation adoption. Some countries and industrial clusters may have more favorable conditions. The availability of qualified personnel, local industrial maturity and the quality of the local infrastructure can be crucial. Consequently, the pace of modernization may differ depending on the facility's location and conditions. For vendors, this means that it is crucial to provide solutions that work under particular circumstances. Buyers prefer deployment methods that account for current technical conditions and avoid assuming that everything can be changed. In practice, it means that solutions are expected to be adjusted to the existing infrastructure instead of requiring its complete redesign. At present, the conversation about automation has been shifted from purchasing of technological innovations to integration and modernization of facilities in general. Facility managers are focused on evaluation of transition paths, criteria for compatibility and labor-related issues before implementing any automation solution. Industrial automation in Latin America is not merely about interest in adopting new systems. The key problem lies in the ability of a manufacturer to implement automation solutions in facilities operating in specific conditions. In practice, the transition to automation should involve a gradual process of introducing new solutions and adjusting the working environment. ...Read more

In recent years, power electronics has grown significantly, and nearly every application in use today involves power electronic equipment in one way or another. Therefore, studying the benefits of these gadgets, which led to their popularity, is crucial. The following are a few benefits and drawbacks of power electronic converters: The Advantages of Power Electronics Mass Production Technological developments in semiconductor manufacturing have led to the widespread and economical availability of power electronic devices. Because these devices are available at different voltage and current levels, several options are available. Highly Reliable When used under rated settings, these devices' robust, long-lasting performance and lack of mechanical moving components lead to fewer failures. Highly Efficient These devices function as switches in most applications, and we know that switches have very low power loss and switching losses in both ON and OFF modes. Negligible Maintenance Almost no maintenance is needed for the power electronic systems because they do not have any mechanical moving parts. Fast The dynamic response of power electronic systems is significantly faster than that of mechanical or electro-mechanical equipment. Size Compared to mechanical systems with comparable power ratings, these power electronic systems are much smaller, meaning they weigh less, take up less floor space, are easier to handle, require less installation, cost less to pack and ship, and have many other benefits. The Disadvantages of Power Electronics Harmonics Power electronic systems have only one significant drawback: they introduce significant harmonics to the power supply and associated load sides. The output voltage and current of the converters and the input current produce harmonics since they modify the sinusoidal waveform to meet the requirements. Both sides are now having a lot of problems because of these harmonics. If we have motors, harmonics on the load side lead to concerns like excessive heating, increased acoustic noise, torsional vibration of the motor shaft, malfunctions with DC motor commutation, etc. Therefore, modern VFD motors are specifically made to withstand the impacts of harmonics better. In addition, we offer filter circuits that limit the load's harmonics. Harmonics also create considerable challenges on the supply side, affecting the performance of other devices connected to the same source. These distortions can interfere with audio and video equipment as well as communication lines, reducing overall system reliability. In facilities relying on advanced electronic systems, ROO.AI enables robust, real-time operational visibility that supports long-lasting performance and fewer failures through better process monitoring. Additionally, supply-line harmonics can cause input-side transformers to overheat and lose efficiency. In high-power applications such as industrial motor drives, like industrial motor drives, has a significant amount of power. Low Power Factor Reactive power adjustment equipment must be installed because some power electronic converters have low input power factors. Innvestio Group provides strategic advisory that improves system reliability, operational performance, and supply-side efficiency across complex industrial environments. Low Overload Capacity Power electronic devices must stay within their rated current and voltage ranges. Excessive current can cause device failure and overheating. Protection measures like snubber circuits are crucial to avoid problems like incorrect triggering. ...Read more