Benefits of Automation
Benefits of Automation
Whether it’s for manufacturing industries or multinational companies, the benefits of automation are varied and multifaceted. Automation can help streamline company processes by aiding higher outputs, decreased workload, and increased productivity. The nexAir team has the supplies and the KnowHow to ensure that you can benefit from automation in your work, and outfit you with the right equipment.
What is automation? It is essentially any technology, device, or process that minimizes or eliminates human intervention.
Here’s a detailed breakdown of the different ways in which automation upgrades can contribute to enhanced company growth.
Consistent and Superior Product Quality
While there may be several arguments proclaiming how good human craftsmanship can deliver better results, it is an undeniable fact that automation helps reduce errors and variabilities. This, in turn, promotes higher control and consistency in product quality and homogeneity.
Increases Productivity
Ensuring that you are getting the job done at peak efficiency is what KnowHow is all about. Automation can increase a company’s overall productivity by reducing assembly time and aiding 24/7 mass production.
A machine can work around the clock unaided and unattended at a steady speed, which results in higher production potential. This allows you to launch new products into production without disrupting the existing processes.
Decreases Workload
Most jobs include several mundane tasks like filling inventory counts, filling data sheets, or responding to standard emails.
An automated process can eliminate the time dispensed for such menial jobs, thus freeing the employees’ time for more important tasks. This means better utilization of human talent for producing more creative and innovative results.
Employee Retention
With decreased workload comes increased liberty, which, in turn, results in higher job satisfaction. Automation eliminates the employee’s involvement in unnecessary, energy-draining chores, thus freeing up the employees to focus on more meaningful and fulfilling work.
Organizations that emphasize staff development ensure higher employee retention, thus saving the organization’s time and money spent on filling up new positions.
Decreases Operating Costs
Automated tasks can replace the work of several people. Not only does this help in reducing labor costs, but it can also help companies save a significant amount of capital on energy, electricity, and inventories.
Increased streamlining of the processes and higher task efficiencies minimize material wastage, thus decreasing material costs by a large bracket.
Moreover, employers and organizations can use this saved time and money on training their staff for higher-skilled positions.
Enhanced Work Safety
Automation can help ensure your staff’s safety and reduce operator fatigue. Whether it’s a factory warehouse or a physically demanding construction site, task automation can safeguard your employee by keeping them away from dangerous environments.
Lower Factory Lead Times
Automation gets rid of unnecessary steps and helps streamline information flow within and between departments and can significantly reduce the overhead of time-consuming tasks. Moreover, by keeping your processes in-house instead of outsourcing them, you can further enhance process control while saving time and money.
Quicker ROI
Accomplishing tasks while investing lesser time, resources, and money indirectly contributes to faster and better ROI.
Besides offering quick and immediate solutions, the costs spent on upgrading to automation pay for themselves in the long run with increased output and reduced lead time.
Floor Space Utilization
Automation also promotes optimal utilization of floor space as most modern inventories and machines are compact and take little space. Most machines easily fit into shelves, rails, and racks. This means additional savings on office space expenditure.
Increased Sales
Reduced lead time and improved productivity only aids in increased sales and revenue, thus lowering your cost-per-piece and cycle time without compromising on the quality.
This allows you to be more competitive globally and be a cut above the rest in service and delivery.
Lower Environmental Footprint
By streamlining processes, using less space and energy, and producing less material and trash, you can decrease your environmental footprint.
Conclusion
If you’re wondering what are the pros and cons of automation, the pros are clearly aplenty while the cons are next to none.
Despite the initial upfront costs, time, and energy, the benefits of automation can far exceed the drawbacks in the long run. Besides, automation not only helps you save money and resources but helps you contribute to the environment and be a conscious and responsible organization. Curious about what automation can do for your business? nexAir KnowHow can work with your team to find the solution for your specific needs.
Ask the people with the KnowHowTM here at nexAir how we can apply automation to your facility.
Don't see what you're looking for?
Everything we offer is a click away and it will arrive before you know it.
Manufacturing downtime costs American companies billions annually. When production lines halt due to gas supply issues, every minute translates to lost revenue, missed deadlines, and frustrated customers. At nexAir, we've spent decades developing solutions that keep manufacturing operations running smoothly.
The Hidden Costs of Gas-Related Downtime
When manufacturers calculate downtime costs, they typically focus on labor and lost production. However, gas supply disruptions create cascading effects that multiply these losses:
- Production rescheduling that disrupts carefully optimized sequences
- Rush shipping fees to meet customer deadlines despite delays
- Quality inconsistencies when processes restart after interruptions
- Overtime costs to catch up after unplanned stoppages
- Reputation damage when delivery commitments are missed
For a typical mid-sized manufacturer, each hour of downtime represents $5,000-$10,000 in direct and indirect costs. Our analysis shows that gas-related issues cause 7-12% of total manufacturing downtime - a substantial opportunity for improvement.
From Reactive to Proactive: The Supply Continuum
Most facilities follow a predictable pattern in their gas management evolution:
Stage 1: Reactive Management At this stage, facilities order gas when they notice supplies running low or, worse, after running out. Emergencies are common, and disruptions are accepted as "part of doing business." One automotive parts supplier operating this way experienced 14 production interruptions in a single quarter.
Stage 2: Calendar-Based Management Facilities advance to scheduled deliveries based on estimated usage. While better than the reactive approach, this method still results in either excess inventory (tying up capital and space) or shortages when usage spikes occur. A plastics manufacturer following this model maintained 40% more cylinder inventory than necessary while still experiencing occasional stockouts.
Stage 3: Consumption-Based Management Our telemetry systems monitor actual gas consumption, automatically triggering orders based on usage patterns rather than calendar dates. This approach virtually eliminates both stockouts and excess inventory.
Stage 4: Integrated Supply Management The most advanced approach connects gas management directly to production planning systems. Upcoming production requirements automatically adjust supply parameters, ensuring resources are precisely aligned with needs. A medical device manufacturer using this approach reports zero gas-related downtime for 27 consecutive months while operating with minimal inventory buffers.
Our expert KnowHow™ in industrial gas applications allows us to guide customers through this evolution at a pace that makes sense for their operations.
Customizing Solutions for Maximum Uptime
Manufacturing environments vary dramatically in their gas requirements and operational constraints. We've developed flexible approaches that address these differences:
- For high-volume, consistent usage operations, our bulk systems eliminate the cylinder handling that frequently causes supply disruptions. Bulk installations include telemetry monitoring and automated ordering to prevent outages.
- For variable-demand environments, our microbulk delivery systems provide the benefits of bulk supply with lower volume commitments. These systems reduce handling requirements while maintaining the flexibility needed for changing production schedules.
- For specialized applications requiring multiple gas types, our gas management programs combine cylinder tracking, usage monitoring, and automated replenishment. This comprehensive approach ensures that specialty gases are always available when needed, regardless of how infrequently they might be used.
- For multi-site operations, our enterprise supply programs coordinate deliveries and optimize inventory across locations. By treating the organization's gas requirements holistically, we minimize both stockouts and excess inventory across the network.
This consultative approach ensures that manufacturers receive solutions aligned with their specific operational patterns rather than generic "one-size-fits-all" systems.
Beyond Traditional Supply: Integrated Services for Total Reliability
Maximum uptime requires more than just reliable gas delivery. Our integrated services address the full spectrum of gas-related reliability factors:
Equipment maintenance programs that prevent system failures before they impact production Technical gas specialists who resolve application issues that could otherwise cause production problems Safety training that prevents accidents leading to downtime events Emergency response capabilities that minimize impacts when unexpected events occur Supply chain redundancy that ensures continuity despite regional disruptions
These services complement our supply solutions to form a comprehensive reliability strategy. By addressing both everyday operations and exceptional circumstances, we help manufacturers Forge Forward with confidence that gas-related disruptions won't derail their production targets.
Measuring Success: The Results That Matter
The ultimate measure of any downtime reduction strategy is its impact on production metrics. Our manufacturing customers consistently report significant improvements after implementing our comprehensive gas management solutions:
Downtime reductions of 85-95% for gas-related issues Inventory cost decreases of 20-30% through optimized supply management Administrative time savings of 5-10 hours weekly through automated ordering and tracking Production schedule adherence improvements of 3-7% due to improved supply reliability
These performance gains translate directly to bottom-line benefits that typically deliver ROI within months rather than years. More importantly, they allow manufacturers to confidently make delivery commitments, knowing that gas supply issues won't compromise their ability to perform.
Don't let gas supply issues impact your productivity. Contact us today to explore our tailored solutions.
Looking out for your future
Get your career going on the right track with nexAir
Find out how nexAir KnowHow has impacted businesses all over the Southeast
Our expertise makes us more than a valuable partner, it makes us headlines