Automation not always the best option for LSR

摘要

SCHAUMBURG,111.-In the age of Industry 4.0,companies are accelerating their drive to automation.However,that might not be the best idea for everyone.Dennis Rector,director of engineering at Chicago-based Flexan,said that it's important for liquid silicone rubber manufacturers to make sure the numbers add up before deciding to automate a process.And when they don't,there are stronger alternatives.”There is no straightforward rule for automation,”Rector said in a presentation at LSR 2019,held Sept.10-12 in Schaumburg.”Automation is the most consistent process,I won't argue that,but decisions should be based on return on investment calculations.And when ROI is not favorable,do what makes business sense.”There are a number of factors to consider before automating a production line.Rector said parts that require post-cure or secondary operations are tougher to automate because there is a transfer process from the molding machine to the secondary machine,especially in the case of small parts.