Manufacturing Automation Project Guide: 9 Essential Steps from Discovery to Success

From initial discovery through final training and support, successful automation projects require disciplined execution of each phase including engineering design, procurement, factory testing, and site commissioning.
Assemble an internal project team to work with system integrators to understand current processes and challenges and develop a clear technical solution before moving forward with implementation.
Comprehensive operations and maintenance training, combined with selecting an experienced system integrator who understands your specific application, are critical factors that determine long-term automation success.

To solve any manufacturing problem, whether it be efficiency gains, increased throughput or controls modernization, manufacturers should first seek to understand the problem as well as the desired outcome. The first step in this process involves assigning a project champion and creating an internal project team. This is often called the “discovery phase” of an automation project.

The team assembled to manage this project should meet regularly — internally or with a system integrator — to review the current process, discuss existing challenges and establish the definition of any future state needs related to the project. All plant or corporate specifications regarding standards or acceptable components should be included here, as clear communication of all relevant information to the integration team will help avoid any misunderstandings along the way.

Proof of concept

Once project requirements are understood, a common next step for any integration services team is to generate a proof of concept. This is where the application engineering work begins to solve the problem. The purpose of this investigative step is to establish a clear understanding of the project's technical requirements, potential risks and the overall effectiveness of the proposed solution.

This phase will investigate and determine a process, material flow, preliminary layout, cycle time analysis and risk assessment to support the conceptual solution.

Formal proposal

Once a concept is vetted, the next step is the development of a proposal. A proposal should serve as confirmation of the process details discussed during the discovery and proof-of-concept phases. The proposal itself will include a sequence of operations, return on investment (ROI) information, preliminary layout drawings, material flow diagrams, cycle time information, supporting diagrams, delivery timelines and, of course, the all-important price tag to implement the proposed solution.

Team members who are adequately trained on a system perceive this training as a path to responsibility. We’ve found that the most successful solutions are those that operators take ownership of.

Project kick-off

Once you’ve done your homework, investigated the supplier of the chosen automation solution(s) for the project, and worked with your procurement team to issue a purchase order, it’s now time to confirm your project team and establish project champions at the engineering and project management levels. It is important that you foster team introductions with the system integrator, agree on a workable project schedule, establish an acceptable project meeting cadence and define a clear execution plan.

Mechanical and electrical engineering

Generating and reviewing the mechanical and electrical details — including both design and build level drawings — is when the project deliverables begin to come to life. These drawings will include mechanical layouts for robots, conveyors, robot grippers, electrical panels and more.

Once design details are complete, they are normally reviewed and receive an acceptance sign-off. This is the stage when the final design is agreed upon, with the drawings serving as important documentation over the project’s evolution for maintenance planning and management of replacement parts.

Procurement and fabrication

After layouts and detail designs are completed, bills of material (BOMs) are generated and the procurement process begins. This process includes the purchase of items such as robots, controls, mechanical and electrical components, weldments and machined items.

At this point, the system integrator will access their supplier network to source the system components outlined in the proposal, ensuring that all essential quality standards are maintained throughout the project.

Build and test

As components arrive at the system integrator’s facility, they are assembled into the operating system agreed to during the proposal and engineering phases. Systems are assembled, wired and programmed to demonstrate they can operate under load and perform at the rate or function proposed by the system integrator.

Programs and throughput are checked and re-checked during the all-important factory acceptance test (FAT) process. The FAT process is agreed upon by the system integrator and the manufacturer. A sign-off procedure at the end of testing takes place signaling the satisfactory performance of the automated system and the approval to disassemble, crate and ship the system to the manufacturer’s site.

Site installation and commissioning

After the equipment has been shipped to the customer site, it is common for the system integrator to work with customer-provided contractors to oversee the rigging and installation of the solution. It is important that the site is prepared properly to ensure a successful installation. This means the floor needs to be the correct thickness to support the machinery, all electrical and air drops are in place, and the installation team is ready to follow the installation documentation provided by the system integrator.

As part of site commissioning process, a site acceptance test (SAT) is often performed. This procedure is generally designed to mirror the protocols established during the FAT and is used to confirm that the system has not been damaged in transit, it operates at the required rate or function and it communicates properly with the manufacturer’s existing equipment or IT infrastructure.

The proposal itself will include a sequence of operations, return on investment (ROI) information, preliminary layout drawings, material flow diagrams, cycle time information, supporting diagrams, delivery timelines and, of course, the all-important price tag to implement the proposed solution.

Training and support

The importance of training should not be underestimated. Companies that invest in the training of their operators and project leads are more likely to succeed on their automation journey. Team members who are adequately trained on a system perceive this training as a path to responsibility. We’ve found that the most successful solutions are those that operators take ownership of.

Training can be broken out into two categories. OEM training is typically offered by the manufacturer of the equipment being integrated. Whether it’s a robot, specialized conveyor or vision system, establishing in-house subject matter expertise on a specific platform can yield significant efficiency gains. Many OEMs offer a train-the-trainer curriculum, meaning that your in-house expert will be taught how to train others in proper equipment operation. It is recommended that end users send both programmers and maintenance staff members to operation and programming as well as maintenance-level classes.

A second type of training is system operation training, which teaches how to operate the automation solution. While not as detailed as the operation and programming classes provided by the OEM, this system integrator-supplied training focuses on how to use the start and stop buttons, reconfigure the system for different product types, and clear or reset jams. This training is often performed on the customer’s factory floor.

Training-associated documentation is invaluable as a long-term reference. Even after training is complete, equipment may experience problems or underperform. In these cases, most OEMs and system integrators offer phone support, connecting users to subject matter experts who can help resolve issues quickly. When both the customer and the system provider have been trained and share common documentation, many downtime issues can be resolved over the phone.

Planning for success

Whether the solution you’re planning to implement is fairly standard or highly customized, the same progression of roadmap events, as described above, will most likely occur. There should be no real surprises. If you educate your system integrator and answer their questions, a highly successful solution is achievable.

But first, do your homework and choose a system integrator that has experience with the type of application solution you require. With that in place, success can be gained through good communication and a strong plan.

Dean Elkins is senior director of robotics and vision at Gray AES, a certified member of the Control System Integrators Association (CSIA). For more information about Gray Solutions, visit its profile on the Industrial Automation Exchange.