UK manufacturers are used to working in competitive markets as a result of Political events at home and overseas the UK faces a period of economic uncertainty.  It looks likely businesses will see raw material and component costs rise and the challenge will be delivering the same high quality products at a price the customer will pay.  Optimising product design for manufacture and assembly is a key contributor to managing costs and gaining a competitive edge.

As a manufacturer of machined aluminium parts we encourage our customers to involve us early in the design process.  It is well known that, although design costs consume approximately 20% of the total budget for a new project, typically 80% of manufacturing costs are determined by the design of the product¹.  However, the days of product design taking place in a vacuum are long gone!   Concurrent Engineering, a method of designing and developing products, in which the different stages run simultaneously, rather than consecutively, is the key to achieving a design suitable for cost effective manufacture and assembly.  Here are a few key points to consider²:-

Simplifying the design

Reducing the number of parts increases the probability of a perfect part, and reduces costs.  Fewer fabrication and assembly steps are required which gives the opportunity to integrate processes and reduce lead times.

Standardise and use common parts and materials

To minimise the level of inventory in the system and standardise handling and assembly operations.  An example of this in action is the VW Group³ chassis system which is used across a wide range of vehicles.  Known as the Modular Transverse Matrix (MQB)⁴ it is the standardisation of vehicle components and production processes and enables different models and brands to run on the same assembly line.

Design for ease of fabrication

Select materials compatible with production processes.  Working closely with Procurement colleagues can result in optimum material selection and sourcing at the best price.  Design for ease of fixturing and avoid unnecessary part features that involve extra processing effort and/or more complex tooling.

Design for easy and ‘mistake-proof’ assembly

By ensuring that the assembly process is unambiguous.  The ideal scenario is components that can only be assembled one way!  Threaded fasteners such as screws, nuts and bolts are time consuming to assemble and difficult to automate.  It is worth considering the use ‘snap-fit’ attachment methods.

Design for automated production

By ensuring that the product is easily assembled manually.  Automated production is less flexible and considerations vary depending on whether flexible robotic assembly or high speed automation is to be used.

As usual we would love to hear what you think?  Are you working closely with your designers?  Have your raw material and component costs risen since Brexit?  Please give us a call on 01865 883508 or e mail us at sales@prestoeng.co.uk.

For more information about Presto Engineering please visit our website here and if you would like to discuss a project with us please call us on 01865 883508 or e mail Julian at sales@prestoeng.co.uk.

References   

¹Claudio Favi, Michele Germani, Marco Mandolim, 2016. Design for Manufacturing and Assembly vs. Design to cost: toward a multi-objective approach for decision-making strategies during conceptual design of complex products. [pdf] Available at: http://ac.els-cdn.com/S2212827116305741/1-s2.0-S2212827116305741-main.pdf?_tid=18f28f0a-ed44-11e6-a391-00000aab0f27&acdnat=1486478921_9a20816b1f8c938f9ffd5d9556be447f [Accessed 8 February 2017].

²NPD Solutions, 2014. Design for Manufacturability/Assembly Guidelines. [online] Available at: http://www.npd-solutions.com/dfmguidelines.html [Accessed 8 February 2017].

³Dr James Moultrie, University of Cambridge, 2015. A holistic view of design for manufacture [pdf] Available at:

http://www.ifm.eng.cam.ac.uk/uploads/News/2012/15_Feb_Design_Icons_event_comes_to_IfM/DfMevent15-2-12.pdf [Accessed 8 February 2017].

⁴Volkswagen UK, 2016. Modular Transverse Matrix MQB [online] Available at http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/technology/modular-transverse-matrix-mqb [Accessed 8 February 2017]

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Is the future of UK Manufacturing in Robotics and Automation?

In 2012 the UK was ranked 19^th worldwide in terms of Robot density in the manufacturing sector with a level barely above the global average.  As an example the UK automotive industry is functioning with half as many robots as used in Germany, often cited as the European gold standard bearer for automation¹.

How has the UK been left behind?  It boils down to a lack of investment compared to other developed economies and the Office of National Statistics (ONS) has stated that the UK’s lack of improvement in post war productivity is “unprecedented”².

Germany and Japan are highly automated in manufacturing and if the UK were at the same level it is estimated productivity would increase by as much as 22% and long term employment by 79%. BMW’s Mini Plant in Oxford and Jaguar Land Rover’s plants at Solihull and Halewood are examples of soaring productivity as a result of heavy investment in robotics and automation³. But they are not the general rule in UK manufacturing.  Bearing in mind this technology is open to all markets what must we do to increase our global competitiveness?

In this article the terms ‘Robotics’ and ‘Automation’ are used interchangeably as businesses will utilise the most effective technology to achieve their goal.

In late 2015 Barclays issued a report, ‘Future-proofing UK manufacturing’ based on economic analysis conducted on behalf of YouGov.  It includes results of a survey of UK and German manufacturers and, by the use of economic modelling, shows the potential future impact of investment in Robotics and Automation¹.  The ‘top line’ suggests that if the UK invested £1.24bn in robotics and automation over the next 10 years it could add £60.5bn to the economy¹.  But how do those statistics impact an average UK manufacturing business and what has stopped them investing in automation?

Some key barriers to investment identified are:-

• Lack of funds for short and long term investments
• Prioritising other capital investment projects
• Concerns over the level and time of ROI
• Lack of support and advice about making the decision to automate

The size of business impacts the number investing, for example:-

• 71% of businesses with a turnover >£10m have invested in Robotics and Automation
• 21% of businesses with a turnover <£1m have invested in Robotics and Automation

Finally the type of business impacted the level of investment.

Sample business sectors with higher levels of investment in Britain:-

• Heavy Industry
• Medical Devices
• Building Products
• Automotive and transport

Sample business sectors with lower levels of investment in Britain:-

• Printing and Packaging products
• Textiles and clothing
• Wood and paper products

The trend is for businesses to increase investment in the next 2-3 years with the focus on improving efficiency and output.  This includes reducing production time, improving quality and plant flexibility which can result in a 20% increase in productivity³. However, overcoming the barriers to investment and implementation can be a challenging prospect in addition to the daily demands of a manufacturing facility.  Businesses want good technical support from their suppliers throughout the process from knowledgeable and responsive staff.

For smaller businesses the dilemma can be identifying the optimum time to invest and accurately estimating the period to achieve full return on investment (ROI).  The Government is maintaining the Annual Investment Allowance (AIA) for 2016 at £200,000 which although unlikely to be a sufficient incentive to make a business ‘take the plunge’ it may be enough to make the first years’ tax bill less painful⁴!  What is clear is that businesses, irrespective of size, are looking to the government for financial support in the form of grants and loans.

The new Prime Minister, Theresa May, is promoting a ‘Modern Industrial Strategy’ for Britain with a focus on research and development and she has committed the Government to significant investment.  In addition the Government will launch an “Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund” to back priority technologies such as robotics and biotechnology⁵.  However, many UK businesses believe that the Government should do more to help existing businesses improve their competitiveness in the global arena through Automation.

Is your business automated? If so, how did you find the implementation process?  If not, what are your plans for automation?  We’d love to hear your thoughts so give us a call on 01865 883508 or e mail us at sales@prestoeng.co.uk.

For more information about Presto Engineering please visit our website here and if you would like to discuss a project with us please call us on 01865 883508 or e mail Julian at sales@prestoeng.co.uk

References 

 ¹Barclays Corporate, 2015, Future-proofing UK manufacturing. [pdf] Available at: https://www.barclayscorporate.com/content/dam/corppublic/corporate/Documents/research/automation-report.pdf [Accessed 21 December 2016].

²Office for National Statistics (ONS), 2015. Labour Productivity: Q4 2014. [online] Available at: https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/labourproductivity/bulletins/labourproductivity/2015-04-01 [Accessed 21 December 2016].

³The Manufacturer, 2016, Annual Manufacturing Report 2016. [online] Available at: http://www.themanufacturer.com/reports-whitepapers/annual-manufacturing-report-2016/ [Accessed 21 December 2016].

⁴HM Revenue & Customs, 2015, Annual Investment Allowance: permanent increase to £200,000. [online] Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/annual-investment-allowance-permanent-increase-to-200000/annual-investment-allowance-permanent-increase-to-200000 [Accessed 21 December 2016]

⁵Prime Minister’s Office, 21 November 2016, PM Announces major researchboost to make Britain the go-to place for innovators and investors. [online] Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pm-announces-a-2-billion-investment-in-research-and-development [Accessed 21 December 2016].

The post Is the future of UK Manufacturing in Robotics and Automation? first appeared on Presto Engineering.

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