Mar 3 2011
The UK Manufacturing Industry needs to operate in a high wage economy but still produce goods that could compete with goods coming from low wage regions in the world and this is possible only if there is a reduction in labor and implementation of automation technologies, in other words usage of robots.
The major benefit offered by industrial robots is its flexibility, as by reprogramming them they could be adapted for new tasks. They are thus an ideal option for the modern automation systems and hence should have been accepted by the UK businesses with gusto.
Currently, the situation seems to be changing as depicted by a British Automation and Robotics Association (BARA) report, which reveals that in the first half of 2010, sales of robots in the UK grew by 55% in the food and beverage sector and in the healthcare and Pharmaceutical sector. The report says that many other countries are also showing increased sales with a 27 % growth in South East Asian countries.
Mitsubishi has an extensive MELFA range of robots. Currently, robots combine both speed and accuracy for use in high volume production processes. With a 24 x 7 working capacity, the robots could be incorporated into production lines for time periods customized to suit the client’s needs and thus get the best returns on their investment. Robots could also be used in environments, which cannot be tolerated by human beings leading to huge amounts of savings in lighting and heating costs. With highly compact designs, these robots could be utilized even in areas where high speed machinery operates. Consistency and reliability issues are also a plus point with robotic operations leading to cost- effective rates and increased efficiency rates.
Some companies are still hesitant to use robots, as they would displace human operators. But robots only perform those repetitive and tedious tasks which human operators do not find rewarding. Furthermore most robots are easy to install, cost- effective, versatile, efficient and dependable and hence suitable for a wide range of manufacturing operations in any sector. Experienced companies such as Mitsubishi are ever willing to offer support and application advice.
Source: http://www.mitsubishielectric.co.uk/