Manufacturing companies in virtually every industry are achieving rapid increases in productivity by taking advantage of automation technologies. When one thinks of automation in manufacturing, robots usually come to mind. The automotive industry was the early adopter of robotics, using these automated machines for material handling, processing operations, and assembly and inspection. Automation can be applied to manufacturing of all types. The advantages of automation are:
■ Increase in productivity.
■ Reduction in production costs.
■ Minimization of human fatigue.
■ Less floor area required.
■ Reduced maintenance requirements.
■ Better working conditions for workers.
■ Effective control over production process.
■ Improvement in quality of products.
■ Reduction in accidents and hence safety for workers.
■ Uniform components are produced.