Automation and robotisation of production - why is it the key to success today?

Estimated reading time: approx. 10 minutes

TL;DR:

• Automation i robotisation enable productivity and product quality to be increased.
• In many sectors they fill staffing gaps, especially in repetitive and hazardous work.
• Investment in new technologies do not mean mass redundancies; create a demand for new competences.
• Appropriate audit and selection an experienced integrator is the key to a rapid return on investment.
• Service and maintenance are integral to ensuring that robots run smoothly.

Table of contents

- Introduction
- Automation and robotisation of production - what is the reason for its great importance?
- Key areas of robot applications in Poland
- Robotisation and employment - threat or opportunity?
- How does the automation and robotisation of production affect costs and productivity?
- Where to start with the implementation of automation and robotisation?
- The most common challenges in robotisation - what to look out for?
- Practical tips for companies planning robotisation
- Summary - Automation and robotisation of production in practice
- We encourage you to continue reading
- FAQ

Introduction

Automation and robotisation of production are increasingly determining the market position of companies. Rising labour costs and a shortage of qualified staff mean that companies - both large and smaller - must look for more efficient and reliable solutions. According to the latest data from the Polish Economic Institute, there are already several thousand industrial robots in operation in Poland and their number is steadily increasing (PIE, 2024). In this article, we present what automation and robotisation of production is, what are the benefits of its implementation, what challenges should be taken into account and what should be taken care of so that the investment in robotic solutions brings a quick return.

After reading you will know:

• Which sectors in Polish industry use robots most strongly.
• What problems robotisation solves.
• How it affects employment, productivity and manufacturing costs.
• What to look out for when integrating industrial robots.

We invite you to read on - especially as we at Michal Automatik are involved in the implementation processes of robots and automation in the broadest sense on a daily basis. As a result, we can share practical tips and experience from many implementations in various industries.

Automation and robotisation of production - what is the reason for its great importance?

Automation refers to the replacement or support of human labour by machines, control systems and algorithms. Robotisation is, on the other hand, a special case of automation that uses industrial robots - machines capable of performing many repetitive tasks with high precision. Why is this so important today?

• Rising energy and material prices require cost containment at every stage of manufacturing. Robots help increase productivity and reduce material losses.
• The shortage of workers, especially in technical professions, is felt in most regions of Poland. Robotisation is filling the staffing gap, moving people into more creative and specialised positions.
• New quality requirements, as well as stringent industry standards, make it necessary for companies to maintain consistent, high quality. Robots make it possible to achieve reproducible results even under difficult conditions.
• Competitive pressure is particularly hard on the mass production sector: automotive, plastics, metalworking or the food industry. Those who do not invest in modern solutions risk losing their market position in the long term.

According to the Polish Economic Institute (PIE, 2024), as many as 76% of surveyed companies in Poland believe that robotisation will be an increasingly important factor of competitive advantage. Our observations at Michal Automatyka confirm this opinion - we see that every subsequent investment in a robotised workstation brings a noticeable increase in productivity.

Key areas of robot applications in Poland

In the European Union, the most robotised industries include the automotive sector, the manufacture of rubber and plastic products and the engineering industry. Also in Poland, robots are most commonly found in:

Automotive sector

• In 2022, there will be approximately 200 robots per 10,000 employees in the motor vehicle, trailer and semi-trailer manufacturing division (PIE, 2024).
• Assembling, welding, sealing, varnishing and testing components are activities that robots perform particularly frequently.
• Many processes are partly overseen by people, but different competences are already needed than a few years ago - programming and sensor data analysis.

Manufacture of rubber and plastic products

• According to estimates by the Polish Economic Institute, plastics manufacturers in Poland have an average of 187 robots per 10,000 employees (PIE, 2024).
• Among other things, the robots perform transport work, operate presses and dispense mixes. This reduces material wastage, ensures higher moulding efficiency and improves plant safety.

Machinery and equipment sector

• In the machinery and equipment industry, robots are used for machining metal components, assembling mechanisms and quality control of products.
• Some processes, such as precision milling or drilling, require a high degree of repeatability, which in modern machinery is achieved jointly by robots and advanced numerical control systems.

Robotisation and employment - threat or opportunity?

It was widely feared that robots would completely eliminate selected occupations. However, research cited by PIE (2024) shows that, in industry, companies implementing robots do not reduce employment at all - they often even increase it. This is because:

1. Robots fill the gaps where there is a shortage of workers. In Poland, welders, turners or people skilled in manual work are particularly hard to come by.
2. Disillusionment with the low interest in technical professions is causing companies to seek engineers and programmers to operate robots.
3. Workers freed from heavy manual work find employment in the operation, maintenance or programming of robotic workstations.

In practice, we see that automation usually leads to the redeployment of employees to more developmental positions. From Michale Automatyka's perspective, the implementation of a robotic workstation is often combined with training: operators and fitters gain additional licences, learn the basics of programming and working with new sensors.

How does the automation and robotisation of production affect costs and productivity?

Lower labour costs and higher productivity

• For companies with rising energy or raw material expenses, replacing traditional jobs with robots represents an opportunity to reduce production costs - especially when human labour costs are high.
• The robots work continuously and at an even pace - allowing a higher volume of manufactured products to be achieved without having to increase the number of shifts or employ additional manual workers.
• During the COVID-19 pandemic, another benefit became apparent: robots 'don't get sick', so even staffing disruptions did not translate negatively into company capacity.

Quality and repeatability of products

High quality and consistent repeatability are among the key advantages of robotisation:

• In the automotive industry, precision and a constant level of accuracy are essential: thousands of similar components are welded together and the robot is able to accurately replicate a given process around the clock.
• Robots equipped with advanced sensors and vision systems are particularly suited to final product inspections - defects that pose a safety risk to drivers or passengers can then be ruled out.

Significance for competitiveness

According to PIE research (2024), as many as 76% companies operating in Poland have a positive outlook on the development of automation and robotisation. What is more, large companies with profits of more than PLN 10 million almost 100% agree with the thesis that robotisation will become a key success factor.

For young, growing companies, getting into robotic production lines is not only a response to market pressures, but also a way to attract talent. Employees value modern technology and the opportunity to grow in an innovative environment.

Where to start with the implementation of automation and robotisation?

Before deciding to introduce robotic workstations, it is worth preparing well organisationally and financially.

1. Audit of production processes

• The first step is to identify the steps in manufacturing that most limit productivity or quality. These could be monotonous manual tasks or work that poses health risks.
• It is a good idea to invite consultants specialising in industrial automation to do a review - this way you will accurately identify potential areas for automation.

Choosing a proven integrator

• Robotisation involves not only the machine itself, but also positioners, sensor systems, cameras, rotary tables and advanced software. For this reason, it makes sense to rely on an integrator that already has experience with similar projects.
• At Michale Automatika, we offer turnkey solutions - from design to service and personnel training. In doing so, we rely on proven components from global technology leaders such as SIASUN (we are an official distributor), allowing customers to enjoy reliable robot operation.

3. calculation of return on investment

• One of the most common questions our customers ask is "When will the robot pay for itself?". This depends on the industry, production volume and labour costs, but practice shows that a modern robotic line can bring ROI in as little as 1.5-2 years.
• Before making a decision, calculate the costs of purchasing the robot, integration, servicing and compare them with the savings from higher productivity and lower error rates.

The most common challenges in robotisation - what to look out for?

While the benefits of robotisation are intuitively understood, there are also a number of barriers faced by companies making the decision to implement.

Lack of qualified staff

Many employers complain about unsuccessful recruitment at the intermediate and higher technical level. Vocational education in Poland still does not always place sufficient emphasis on practical preparation for work with robots and automation. Companies therefore often take on the responsibility for further training of operators, welders or programmers.

Dependence on technology manufacturers and currency fluctuations

Poland, like other countries in Central Europe, relies heavily on robot imports from global manufacturers. This model has two sides of the coin:

• Access to modern technology and service guarantees reliability.
• However, currency fluctuations can raise investment costs. Many companies with euro-denominated revenues manage this risk relatively easily, but smaller companies operating only locally feel this more acutely.

Need for rapid service and avoidance of downtime

A robot works efficiently as long as it is fully operational. Any downtime can mean production is halted. Therefore, proper service and availability of spare parts proves to be crucial. At Michale Automatika, we offer service and maintenance of robotic workstations by an experienced team of specialists, which translates into solid support for our customers.

Practical tips for companies planning robotisation

To help you successfully start your automation adventure, we have put together some recommendations:

1. Make a selection of the most problematic production steps. Choose sentences with a high degree of repetition and low added value - perhaps the ideal area to implement a robot.
2. Consider working conditions - if workers are performing tasks with accident or health risks, robots will relieve the burden and improve safety.
3. Invest in training, not only technically, but also for managers. Understanding robotisation processes helps to implement changes faster and facilitates collaboration between departments.
4. Remember to integrate systems. Increasingly, robots are being deployed in conjunction with ERP software to track production in real time and minimise errors.
5. Ensure professional technical support and adequate service. This will help you avoid long downtimes due to breakdowns.

Summary - Automation and robotisation of production in practice

Automation and robotisation of production is no longer just a trend, but a real necessity that allows companies to meet the growing challenges of the market. The latest reports from the Polish Economic Institute confirm that not only is the number of new robots on the rise in Poland, but also management awareness that without investment in this area, it is difficult to maintain a competitive edge.

Key findings and recommendations:

• Robotisation allows companies to increase productivity, ensure repeatable and high quality and reduce staff shortages.
• Automation does not eliminate employees - on the contrary, it creates a demand for people with new, more advanced competences.
• Many companies start with an audit and select one production line for automation - if the results are promising, subsequent implementations proceed more quickly.
• In order to mitigate risk and quickly achieve a return on investment, it is worth partnering with a proven turnkey solutions provider while ensuring thoughtful staff training.

(Total number of words in the article: approximately 1750)

We encourage you to continue reading

If you would like to learn more about the opportunities offered by robotisation in various processes, check out the selected subpages:

• We can help you plan your upgrade and fully automate the process:
  automation and robotisation services
• If your facility needs robotised welding, see
  offer of welding robotisation
• Are you thinking about automating repetitive processes?
  robotisation of repetitive production
• Or do you want to analyse your automation needs cross-sectionally?
  Comprehensive range of services Michale Automatics

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us - our engineers and consultants will be happy to identify the most cost-effective solutions and propose an implementation model tailored to your business.

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FAQ

How long does it take to implement automation in a company?
Implementation time depends on the complexity of the processes and available resources. It can range from a few weeks for simple solutions to several months for large integrations.

Does automation mean redundancies?
Usually no. Automation allows employees to focus on more creative and strategic tasks, while freeing them from monotonous tasks. Many companies use it to retrain employees and develop their skills.

Does robotisation only pay off for large companies?
Today, advances in technology are leading more and more small and medium-sized companies to turn to robotisation. Costs are steadily falling and flexible solutions can provide an attractive return on investment even for smaller operations.