Low-variation and high-volume production characterised by repetitive tasks has been the traditional model in manufacturing. With the introduction of industrial robots, human workers were freed from routine, mundane and high-risk tasks. The decrease in the reliance on human labour also increased productivity, efficiency and production costs.

Robotic process automation (RPA) can help drive business transformation forward, but only if it is implemented correctly.

Many manufacturing industries have had to reconsider their infrastructure, processes and workforces as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. With additional pressures to meet increased customer demand while restricted by social distancing measures, many organizations are turning to technology for a solution.

Like any crisis, the height of the COVID-19 pandemic taught everyone that nothing and no one is ever prepared for a global pandemic – including the manufacturing sector.

The manufacturing sector has typically been among the first to benefit from technological innovation, particularly in the field of robotics and automation. Traditional industrial robotic systems usually require the use of peripheral safety equipment and physical barriers for the safety of human co-workers. However, the features designed to protect human workers tend to increase cost and space requirements.

Technology and the manufacturing industry have always worked hand in hand. Recently, however, rapid technological innovation and the Internet have fuelled the ongoing industrial revolution in 2020 where robotic automation is expected to expand its role and impact in various manufacturing settings.

Intelligent automation is increasingly being applied in businesses; don’t get left behind

Robotic automation, also known as robotisation, involves the automation of manufacturing and other business processes through the use of robots in different forms. Industrial robots, for example, are used in manufacturing, taking over tasks normally associated with or performed by a human being. These include tasks such as welding, shipping, assembly line work, materials handling, and product packaging. Software robots are also part of robotic automation, in that they are created to render generic automation capability, and are configured to perform manual, repetitive tasks as exemplified by the chatbots people encounter the first time they visit a website.

Companies should be looking to benefit from the potential of technologies such as artificial intelligence and edge computing for business success and competitive advantage.

Safety is paramount with collaborative robots and they can be made safer with machine vision and artificial intelligence technology.

Robotic automation can spur greater efficiency, deliver better results, lower costs and increase flexibility, but companies need to have the right tools to make the robot's application successful.

When implemented correctly, robotic automation can spur greater efficiency, deliver better results, lower costs and increase flexibility — for small and mid-sized enterprises (SMEs) and larger-scale manufacturing companies. However, businesses must have a sound and strategic vision of robotic automation before pursuing it. They should understand how it will be introduced and to which applications, outline its potential benefits, and clearly understand the unique budget and operational strategies.

Cybersecurity poses a serious threat to the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) enabled devices and robotic automation equipment. Attackers who gain access to industrial networks have a number of devastating options available to them, from changing production data to causing harmful production errors.