In today’s fast-paced industrial landscape, manufacturers and engineers are constantly seeking ways to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and stay ahead of the competition. One solution that has gained significant traction is the investment in custom automated machinery.
From reduced costs to greater productivity, there are many reasons why companies are continually investing in automated factory equipment for their manufacturing plants. Rather than relying on internal teams, many manufacturers have found that it’s more beneficial to partner with a factory automation company like Steven Douglas Corp. (SDC) to solve manufacturing challenges. We have three reasons why you should partner with a specialized automation company like us to tackle your manufacturing challenges.
Let’s talk about how to start the conversation.
The first step in investing in custom automated machinery is to assess your current manufacturing needs. Some things you should consider include:
- Identify the bottlenecks in your production process and consider how automation can address these issues. For instance, if manual inspection processes frequently slow down your production line, an automated inspection system could significantly boost efficiency.
- Consider the scalability of your operations. If you plan to expand your production capacity, investing in scalable automated solutions now can save you time and money in the long run.
One critical factor that can prevent you from making the decision to invest in automation is not knowing what your budget is.
Budgeting is a critical factor when investing in custom automated machinery. Custom solutions can be more expensive upfront compared to standard machinery, but they often deliver higher ROI through increased efficiency and reduced labor costs.
Start by determining your budget and comparing it to the potential savings and benefits of automation. This analysis should include not only the initial investment but also ongoing maintenance and operational costs.
Working closely with your finance team to create a detailed cost-benefit analysis will help you make an informed decision. Consider factors such as reduced labor costs, increased production speed, and improved product quality when calculating your potential return on investment.
A Well-Versed Team for Custom Automation
Designing and building custom automated equipment requires a high degree of technical knowledge that can be hard to develop in-house. Rather, working with an experienced machine builder allows manufacturers to leverage diverse teams of technologically advanced engineers and technicians to develop projects while eliminating excess labor, time, and in-house engineering costs.
SDC offers a diverse team including mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, programming, machine building, and more. With the completion of over 1,000 automation projects for various industries like automotive, medical, consumer products, aerospace, alternative energy, and more, we have the knowledge to tackle manufacturing challenges and provide automated solutions.
The Top 3 Reasons:
- Partnering with an automated machine builder transfers the weight of designing, engineering, and building this machine to a company with an experienced foundation already providing these solutions. This relieves your resources, saving you time and money.
- There is no need to start from scratch. An experienced automated machine builder should already have pre-engineered platforms and a technical advantage that eliminates the guesswork. Our team is familiar with working hand-in-hand with top suppliers, creating a library of equipment, tools, and methods that contribute to a successful machine.
- Continual support. Once delivered to your facility, we can provide support. Our team stands behind the machines we create and can help you not only train your operators to run the machine, but also set up maintenance schedules, spare parts to keep on-hand, remote technical support, and in-person support for your machine needs.
Food for Thought – Reduced Costs
Designing and building an automated machine in-house can be costly to manufacturing companies whose budgets may already be burdened by increasing labor and production costs. By partnering with a specialized automation company, companies can avoid costly equipment challenges and project delays. In return, you’ll benefit from projects being completed correctly the first time. SDC has proprietary and proven automated systems that have been developed and enhanced over many years, allowing us to offer expertise without a huge price tag.
Choosing the Right Automation Partner
Many companies decide to automate a manufacturing process because of the increased productivity, capacity, and quality control that automated systems can offer. Oftentimes, companies that try to complete automation projects in-house end up putting it on the back burner, as more pressing issues arise and other projects take greater precedence.
When you partner with a specialized automation company, you’ll have a dedicated team, solely focused on your project, allowing your in-house teams the ability to focus on other projects within your organization. For every project, SDC provides our customers with a dedicated and experienced project team and project manager who keeps the project on schedule. By having all resources (e.g., parts, assembly, quality assurance, programming, etc.) under one roof, we can further streamline the process to completion.
There are vast benefits to partnering with a factory automation company like Steven Douglas Corp. As the largest and most capable engineering company in Northeast Ohio, we design, engineer, and build creative and innovative systems and machines to solve complex manufacturing challenges. Contact SDC today to start a conversation, and in the meantime, check out some of our past projects.
