Are you pondering of automating your CNC machine with a machine tending robotic? You are nearly actually questioning how a lot it may value you.
With some sorts of automation options, it may be onerous to precisely estimate the price of automating the machine. Numerous elements will have an effect on how a lot of your funds the automation will want.
For years, the true value of automation has been very tough to make clear. That is largely as a result of standard automation options are normally custom-designed to suit the precise wants of a specific enterprise and process.
Lately, it is simpler than ever earlier than to get a transparent determine on the price of automating a process like CNC machine tending.
On this article, we’ll take a look at among the key concerns it’s good to make when making an attempt to calculate the precise value of automating a CNC machine with a robotic.
What’s the true value of CNC automation?
Whenever you buy a robotic answer, the “sticker value” of a product hardly ever tells the whole story.
With automation, the robotic {hardware} is simply a small a part of the equation.
The true value of an automation answer will embrace a wide range of elements. These embrace each one-off, upfront prices — like the price of set up and the price of any extra further know-how required on your process — and ongoing prices, like upkeep, coaching, and help.
Not all sorts of robotic answer will expertise these prices in the identical approach. For instance, when you select to go utterly DIY together with your robotic answer — with out utilizing an utility package to simplify the deployment — you will not should pay for an exterior integrator. Nonetheless, you could have to pay for coaching and you’ll actually should pay the wages of the staff members who deploy the robotic.
Elements that have an effect on the price of automating a CNC machine
What sorts of elements will have an effect on the price of automating a CNC machine with a robotic?
Prices you may want to think about embrace:
The robotic {hardware} itself (e.g. robotic arm, controller)
Any extra {hardware} wanted on your particular process.
Robotic programming software program if not included within the answer.
Labor prices to put in and deploy the automation answer, both in-house or outsourced.
Any misplaced productiveness throughout the integration course of.
Modifications to your CNC machine if the robotic answer cannot be deployed in a non-intrusive approach.
Coaching staff members on tips on how to function the machine tending robotic.
Assist and upkeep prices for {hardware} and software program.
Testing of the answer (by way of time and typically different assets) earlier than placing the robotic to work.
You’ll be able to see how the price of robotic automation can mount up if you’re not conscious of all these elements.
However this does not imply that machine tending automation want be costly. With the precise answer, it may be very cost-effective.
For instance, utilizing a robotic utility package can take away a number of the prices historically related to robotics. With such options, it is a lot simpler to get a transparent total value.
The three sorts of robotic automation: Bespoke vs DIY vs off-the-shelf
You’ll be able to consider there being 3 various kinds of robotic answer for CNC machine tending. Which sort you select will have an effect on how simple it’s to calculate the true value of automation for you.
These 3 sorts of CNC machine tending answer are:
Bespoke — These options contain hiring a specialist robotic integrator to {custom} design and combine an answer on your particular wants. Bespoke options are likely to value probably the most and are the toughest to get a transparent value.
Do it your self (DIY) — These options contain buying the required parts and integrating them your self. The price of these options can fluctuate massively. Whereas the upfront prices are normally decrease, they require dedicating time and assets out of your staff members, which all the time has related prices.
Off-the-shelf — A more recent sort of robotic answer, utility kits contain buying a pre-designed, ready-to-use answer. They value lower than a bespoke answer and are a lot simpler to make use of than a DIY method, which reduces integration time considerably.
To find out the general value of machine tending, it is simpler to get a transparent value with an off-the-shelf answer. There are far fewer “unknowns” than with bespoke or DIY automation.
Find out how to discover the true value of a machine tending answer
This is tips on how to get a transparent value of machine tending automation utilizing the three differing kinds:
Bespoke machine tending answer
With bespoke options, the robotic integrator might want to calculate the price of automating your CNC machine for you.
Remember that you’ll in all probability should do a bit of additional “pushing” to get a real value from them. The worth that your integrator quotes upfront might solely be for sure features of the deployment (equivalent to core {hardware} parts, deployment, and so on).
Be proactive and ask them in regards to the different elements that may have an effect on value over the lifetime of the automation answer.
DIY machine tending answer
With DIY machine tending, it is onerous to get a transparent concept of total value.
You can begin by calculating the price of the {hardware} and software program parts. Speak to one in all our integration consultants if you would like to hurry up this course of.
Elements like the price of integration time and coaching may even have an effect on your value in another way, relying on how a lot robotics experience you have already got in your staff.
Off-the-shelf machine tending utility package
With a robotic utility package, the general value is simpler to find out. Simply discover a appropriate utility package on your chosen process and ask for a quote.
Whenever you contact your provider, ask about some other prices that could be related to utilizing an off-the-shelf answer. There are fewer “transferring components” in such a deployment in comparison with the opposite choices, so they need to be capable of provide you with a clearer determine.
Select the precise sort of automation for your small business
Every sort of machine tending answer has its personal advantages and disadvantages.
Whereas it is simpler to get a transparent value with an off-the-shelf utility package, there are good causes you may select a bespoke or DIY answer, significantly in case your process requires excessive customization.
By contemplating all of the elements concerned in the price of automating your CNC machine, you may make the perfect choice for your small business wants.
What questions do you will have about the price of automating a CNC machine? Inform us within the feedback beneath or be a part of the dialogue on LinkedIn, Twitter, Fb, or the DoF skilled robotics neighborhood.
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