Industry 4.0 innovators are consistently developing new automation and advanced manufacturing solutions to fill workforce gaps. This technology has already enhanced the operations and profitability of small and medium sized manufacturers (SMMs). However, the challenge with some automation, such as a new collaborative robot (cobot), is that once installed, it often fails to deliver the promised results and eventually sits in a corner collecting dust.
Implementing a cobot is much more complex than simply rolling it into place when a worker is unavailable. It takes a Lean, systematic approach to identify pain points that innovations such as cobots are designed to alleviate. When you upskill your workforce with Industry 4.0 systems training, you can help your company successfully get a higher return from your technology investment, whether it’s a cobot, a 3D printer, or new embedded automation to enhance your current systems.
In this article, we will explore how Industry 4.0 upskilling, including automation and additive manufacturing training (3D printers), can empower your frontline workers and managers with the knowledge to advance their careers and help you grow your business. Before we dive into automation training, it is important to look at operational process upskilling. You want to make sure you have a solid understanding of your current processes — and potential gaps — before making an investment in automation.
Operations Management Upskilling: Start With Data
Many business leaders and plant managers lack a formal method of collecting key performance indicators (KPIs), which are essential for identifying and fixing operational issues before they impact financial performance.
For example, as the Manufacturing Services Manager of the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center (MMTC), I conduct enhanced operations training to address this issue. At the beginning, I often do an assembly exercise where employees are given a five-minute shift to make 30 parts after they view a brief demonstration. The purpose of this exercise is to find problems in the assembly process, such as non-conforming parts that cause employees to fall behind. The exercise enables employees and plant managers to see when and where problems in the process occur, so they can take steps to fix them.
This type of upskilling boosts morale and provides opportunities for small wins. For example, dashboards can be reset every hour to give employees a better chance of hitting a set of KPIs each day. Plus, technologies like process monitoring sensors are inexpensive and can show all your employees how important each worker’s contribution is to your company. This, in turn, will make employees and managers more receptive to new technologies in the future.
Enhanced operations management training helps managers, information technology teams, and business leaders become successful technology integrators. It equips them with data-driven insights to leverage Lean and Industry 4.0 manufacturing technologies to make systems implementation easier and more valuable for their teams.
Human-Machine Interaction Upskilling: Free Your Employees From Check Sheets
Workers at SMMs need to understand the context behind performance data. This is where upskilling your employees in human-machine interaction (HMI) comes into play. By learning how to use tablets to digitally monitor and control processes, they create two-way communication between your floor and the rest of the company. If a machine faults, a floor-level employee enters the reason code, and everyone works together to determine the cause.
Digital process control upskilling involves learning what type of HMI you should use to reduce process variation. For example, if you are making a screw, and your machine tolerances are within plus or minus a thousand, multiple methods can reduce variation. These methods may include adding sensors on your machine and/or closed-loop controls.
With these measures in place, if the machine has an issue, it can self-correct. This frees your staff from having to walk around with a check sheet to check temperature, pressure, or flow rate. They can focus on more value-added tasks, while leadership uses the new data to make enterprise level process improvements.
Automation Upskilling: Prepare Your Floor for Cobots
At this point, you may be wondering why we are just now getting around to automation upskilling. This is because you never want to spend money on a robot or cobot without first addressing issues with your current processes. In my cobot introduction course at MMTC, I always tell my students that they need to understand what type of questions to ask before bringing a cobot to their floor.
For example, your operators may hate loading and unloading parts from a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine. What if you could automate this task and elevate your operators to a more quality control and oversight role? Maybe you could automate additional repetitive-motion tasks further down the production line. With the right training and automation solutions, you could remove bottlenecks that slow production, frustrate frontline workers, and cause high turnover.
Cobot upskilling can help your operator-level employees, supervisors, and maintenance personnel spot opportunities for implementing automation into your facility. It introduces them to design considerations to determine which process elements can be easily automated. Process mapping exercises help them learn how automation can reduce sources of variation.
Introduce Your Employees to 3D Printing and Industry 4.0 Upskilling
Before investing in new additive manufacturing technology, such as a 3D printer, it’s important to ask the right questions to learn where your new investment can add the most value: Which technologies are best for us? What are the best practices? How do I download a part off the Internet and create it on a 3D printer? Can I 3D print “fingers” for grippers for our new cobot?
Hands-on training is essential, such as learning the fundamentals of using a fused deposition modeling (FDM) printer and how to prevent issues such as bed adhesion or “spaghetti monsters” when an object detaches from the print bed in mid-printing.
At the MMTC, we offer hands-on training with 3D printers, as well as multiple courses on integrating Industry 4.0 technologies into your systems and processes. These upskilling opportunities include:
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Enhanced Operations Management
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Human-Machine Interaction and Digital Process Control
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Introduction to Collaborative Robotics
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Advanced Manufacturing Technologies
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Introduction to Additive Manufacturing
Industry 4.0 upskilling, such as the training examples I have listed above, can help your company leaders and employees determine how new technologies benefit your business. Most importantly, these methodologies help workers learn how to identify opportunities for automating tedious processes that cause turnover. Upskilling increases retention by growing Industry 4.0 skills and advancing careers. It is the path to transforming your entire workforce into technology integrators so they can use new innovations to make a positive financial impact on your business.
Your local MEP Center can connect you with Industry 4.0 upskilling opportunities for you and your workforce. Contact your local MEP Center to get started.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Robert Scipione
As the Manufacturing Services Manager of the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center (MMTC), part of the MEP National Network™, Scipione is dedicated to driving advancements in Michigan manufacturing, leading the effort to assist small to medium-sized manufacturers in applying quality management systems, Lean manufacturing and transactional tools and techniques, executive coaching, leadership skills, and Industry 4.0 manufacturing technology solutions.
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