Automation and the use of robotics have increased in almost every aspect of society, including the Ontario plastics manufacturing industry. While machinery has always been used to create plastic parts and components, the capabilities increased dramatically with the widespread use of computers and computerized technology in the past several decades. Equipment that used to require an assembly line of workers or constant manning during a production run was suddenly programmable. The improvements in efficiency and precision were immediate and enormous.
A natural extension of that technology has become the use of artificial intelligence and robotics. This push has been fueled in part by a shortage of skilled manufacturing sector labor, but that’s not the only reason why Ontario plastics manufacturing and robotics use is on the rise.
Five Reasons Why Ontario Plastics Manufacturing and Robotics Use is Increasing
The manufacturing sector has long been a leader in the use of robotics. Initially, robotics were used to handle materials or in warehousing, but as technology improved, robotic tasks became more refined to the point where robotics are now used for many repetitive tasks that take a toll on their human counterparts and to improve production speed and efficiency. Today, robotic operations can be found in all areas of Ontario’s plastics manufacturing industry with extremely positive results.
- Improvements to Plastics Manufacturing Operations. Robotic equipment is used to improve efficiencies and automate processes used in plastic manufacturing such as the loading of plastic parts and resins into the machines, the placement of finished pieces onto a conveyor belt, cutting and finishing operations, machine tending, mold positioning and removal, labeling, and anything requiring a high degree of repetition and/or precision.
- Greater Precision and Quality Control. Plastics manufacturing involves a lot of repetition. Robotics are perfectly suited to these tasks, those that require a high degree of precision, and those where there is little room for error. The rising use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has made it even more feasible for manufacturers to perform even complex tasks with efficiency and precision. This is only expected to increase as technology becomes more refined.
- Cost Controls. Robotic equipment might require a large upfront investment, but the investment pays off over time and remains consistent and predictable. For manufacturers who can’t find skilled labor, robotics offers a much-needed solution that allows them to keep operations running, even without the same number of staff.
- Better Use of the Human Workforce. This is not to say that robotics are replacing humans. On the contrary, by delegating the repetitive tasks to robots, plastics manufacturers can free up their employees to handle more complex or customer-facing work which is often more rewarding and higher-paying.
- Faster Project Completion. No list about robotic operations would be complete without mentioning how much faster work gets done. Automated processes will always be faster than those requiring a high level of human input. Faster project completion means more projects can be completed in the same amount of time and consumer demands can be met with the speed with which consumers have come to expect.
Robotics at Baytech Plastics
Baytech Plastics makes extensive use of robotics. We have continually invested in our Ontario plastics manufacturing and robotics operations to drive improvements in efficiencies and production. Today, robotic operations are second-nature to us designed to support our employees and our customers as we continue to lead the way in Canadian plastics manufacturing.
To learn more about our services and capabilities, contact us at (705) 526-7801 or online.