THE INDUSTRY’S VIEW ON AUTOMATION IN MANUFACTURING

Frohm, J.1 Lindström, V.2 Winroth, M. 2 and Stahre, J.1

1
Division of Production Systems, Chalmers University of Technology, SE- 412 96
Gothenburg, Sweden
2
Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, School of Engineering,
Jönköping University, SE-551 11 Jönköping, Sweden

E-mail: jorgen.frohm@chalmers.se

Abstract: Many manufacturing companies in Europe are presently focusing on

automation as a weapon for competition on a global market. This paper focuses on
industry’s view of automation. The paper presents data on advantages and
disadvantages of automation, based on one pilot study and one Delphi study in two
rounds. Copyright  2006 IFAC

Keywords: Automation, Production

1. INTRODUCTION 1.1. Levels of automation

Highly automated product realization is an A modern manufacturing system (Merchant 1961)

important means for industry to meet competition
from low-cost countries, due to relatively high
wage costs observed in e.g. the US and Europe. In a
time of rapidly changing technologies and
shortening product life cycles, many companies are
focusing on automation as a means for competing
on a more demanding market. However, an
increased usage of automation does not necessary
result in increased benefits (Bainbridge 1982).
includes a wide range of activities, spanning from
employment of workers and investments in
automation, to the processes needed for
manufacturing of costumer-ready products. The
manufacturing system itself includes both human
and technological resources, as well as, procedures,
software and facilities. All dependent on each other
in a complex combination (Chryssolouris 1993;
Chapanis 1996).

The purpose of this paper is to get a first opinion on
what lies in the industry’s view of automation
within manufacturing. From the review of literature
on levels of automation and automation strategies
(Frohm et al. 2005; Lindström et al. 2005; Säfsten
et al. 2005), the following research questions have
been stated:
o What is the foremost benefit of automation?
Consequently, both advanced technical systems and
skilled human workers are necessary for successful
manufacturing. Therefore, it appears to be a large
potential in the area of manufacturing to find
appropriate levels of automation. Thereby the
correct level of automation can be achieved for the
right manufacturing situation as a way of increasing
the system robustness. In this paper have we chosen
to define the Level of Automation (LoA) as:

o What types of problems are linked to
automation?
o What tasks are either not suitable to automate
or to conduct manually?
“The relation between human and technology in
terms of task and function allocation, which can be
expressed as an index between 1 (total manual
work) and 9 (total automation) of physical as
cognitive tasks.”

453
 2. RESEARCH METHODS
The main research method for this study is based on
two types of surveys.
2.1. Preliminary study
In a preliminary study, 16 respondents from seven
medium-sized to large manufacturing companies
were interviewed. All of them had extensive
experience from automation and held positions
where they could influence automation strategies in
their companies. The pilot study data was collected
through semi-structured interviews that included
three main sections. The first part focused on the
participants’ background, experience, and expertise.
In particular, the interviewees were asked about the
type of manufacturing practices they had most
expertise in. Once the interviewee had selected the
practices that he or she had most experience in, he
or she was asked to concentrate on these practices
for the rest of the interview. The second part of the
interview was based upon a questionnaire focusing
their view of automation, and on the allocation of
tasks between technology and humans.
The main topics covered in the second part of the
interview were:
o How much of tasks, such as assembly,
machining, material handling, etc. are done
manually or automated?
o What is the benefit of using automation?
o When is automation or manual work
inappropriate?
In the third and final part of the interview the topics
were:
o Is the level of automation (LoA) of interest and
how can LoA be measured?
o Could a flexible or dynamic LoA be of interest
and usable?
2.2. Delphi survey
Based on the results from the pilot study, a Delphi
survey was conducted, focusing a selection of
questions in the pilot study. The purpose of the
survey was to partly capture the perception of terms
like levels of automation and automation strategies
among production mangers and production
technicians working with automation in industry.
The Delphi technique is a methodology for
organizing and prioritizing the collective judgment
of a group, which involves iterative surveying of
the same group (Williamsson 2002; Fredenhall and
Gabriel 2004).
454
The initial procedure is to prepare, distribute and
synthesize a series of problem statements for
evaluation. Participants will then receive feedback
in the form of their previous responses as well as
statistical or other data describing the responses
from the entire group in each preceding round. This
enables the participants to reaffirm original options,
modify some, and “collectively brainstorm” by
adding new items to the list. The Delphi technique
leads to consensus on major points uncovering
minor opinions (Williamsson 2002; Fredenhall and
Gabriel 2004). The survey technique used for this
paper was a web-based questionnaire which
included either open answer questions or statements
requiring grading on a four-grade scale (also “don’t
know” was an option).
According to Williamson (2002) a Delphi study is
appropriate when:
o The problem doesn’t lend itself to analytical
techniques but can benefit from subjective
judgment of a collective audience;
o The individuals who need to contribute to the
examination of a broad or complex problem
don’t have any history of communication
between them or with the researchers;
o More individuals are needed than can be
obtained with a face-to-face exchange;
o Time and cost make group meetings inefficient
or when heterogeneity of the participants must
be preserved to assure validity of the results.
3. SURVEY RESULTS
Based on 16 respondents from seven medium- to
large-sized companies in the pilot study, it could be
seen that the usage of automation differs in
activities (table 1). The interviewed persons where
asked to what extend different activities were
automated or conducted manually in there specific
production systems. Available answers were; 1) to
a very low extent, 2) to a low extent, 3) to a high
extent and 4) to a very high extent. Table 1
summarizes the results. To simplify and illustrate
the results, - a very low and - low extend have been
joined into low usage. Similarly, - very high and -
high extent have been joined into high usage.
Table 1. To what extent is different activates automated
or manual Other
8%
Activity Automated Manuel Production
technician
5% Industrial
Assembly Low usage (56%) High usage (75%)
Production management
development 34%
Machining High usage (50%) Low usage (44%) 15%

Manufacturing High usage (31%) Low usage (25%)

Material handling High usage (56%) High usage (62%)

Controlling High usage (75%) Low usage (62%)

Production
management
Information High usage (75%) High usage (56%) 38%

Material supply High usage (56%) High usage (73%)
Low usage (37%)
Supervision High usage (50%)
High usage (37%)
Packaging Low usage (69%) High usage (62%)
Maintenance Low usage (50%) High usage (81%)
Change-over High usage (56%) High usage (60%)
Table 1 confirms the obvious fact that machining
and manufacturing are automated to a larger extent
than assembly, which is more difficult to automate
due to the complexity of the product and the
investment cost in more advanced automation.
Assembly, packaging, and maintenance are on the
other hand tasks that are conducted manually to a
large extent. However, an important observation
from table 1 is that answers indicating high-high
(High in both automated and manual tasks), are not
given by the same person/company. In other words,
tasks such as information, material handling, and
change-over, which are performed both
automatically and to a large extent manually, are
not valid for the same company. If material
handling is automated to a high extent, the manual
part is low according to the study. On what ground
decisions regarding automation investments or
strategies are based are naturally linked to questions
on what is suitable and not suitable to automate. In
the pilot study, the respondents were asked what
tasks they considered not suitable for automation,
but also which tasks that are not suitable to carry
out manually. It was also confirmed here that
automation of introduction and ramp-up of new
product, production of occasional products, or
making of products with short life cycle are not
suitable for automation. Further, several companies
acknowledge that too many products or variants in
production can be a problem when automating. On
the other hand, tasks that involve bad ergonomic
conditions and great production volumes are not
suitable to be conducted manually.
The sample for the Delphi survey was derived from
86 respondents, mainly production and industrial
managers, from 108 industrial companies in
Sweden (figure 1).
Figure 1. Position distribution of respondents in survey
The Delphi survey was based on 62 respondents out
of 85, which answered the questionnaire in the first
round and 45 in the second and final round. The
respondents represented 43 medium- to large-sized
companies, primarily from the manufacturing and
automotive industry (figure 2).
Other
8%
Process industry
2%
Electronic industry
8%
Manufacturing industry
51%
Automotive industry
31%
Figure 2. Sector distribution of companies in survey
Some of the questions in the Delphi survey where:
o What is the main benefit of automation?
o What are the most difficult problems when
automating?
o How can LoA be defined from an industrial
perspective?
Based on the results from the first round of the
ongoing Delphi survey and data from the
preliminary study, the major benefits of using
automation according to the respondents (figure 3),
were that automation will give cost savings within
production (100%), give possibilities for higher
efficiency (98%), increased competitiveness (97%),
and productivity (94%). Automation will also give
possibilities to improve working environment
(93%), by eliminate monotonous and physically
demanding work-situations. Many respondents also
acknowledged that the main benefit of automation
is that it enables production with a minimum of
employees (85%).

455
100% 80%
Very high Very high
High High
90% 70%

80% 60%

70% 50%

40%
60%

30%
50%

20%
40%
10%
30%
0%
20%

ordering automation
Sufficient knowledge for
Adapt the product for automatic
manufacturing

Investment costs

Education and training of the users

the a new product

User’s knowledge and know-how

Difficulties to ramp-up
the automation

Union
Sufficient time for planning

To many products or variants

10%

0%
Improved working
minimum of employees

disturbance handling
Increased efficiency

Improved quality

Producing with a

Better production
Improvement of

Possibility for
increased volume
Cost-cuts

environment
Increased productivity

productivity

Figure 4. Automation disadvantages

Figure 3. Automation advantages
Since none of the response alternatives in round 1
Results from the first round showed that the main reached a response rate of over 75%, the results
advantages of automation are cost reductions, were individually re-connected to the respondents.
improvement of efficiency, and enhanced The respondents were asked what they thought was
competitiveness and productivity. However, the the primary problem with automation. It can be
result also indicated that automation did not concluded from the answers that almost 30% of the
necessarily lead to better production disturbance respondent thought that the competence of the
handling (PDH). The respondents were in the operators was the primary problem when
second round asked whether they anticipated that automating. Many of the respondents still
automation could cause production disturbances acknowledge that they have too many products or
(PD), and if so, how automation would affect the variants in production (11%), and that they have
production. some difficulties in adapting the produced products
for automated production (11%).
Almost all respondents in round 2 acknowledged
that automation could lead to production Based on the Delphi survey, many of the companies
disturbances. The major opinion was that also acknowledge (figure 5) that tasks, such as
automation includes more complex production production of occasional products or small batches
systems, which are more difficult to handle. (72%), or occasional products over a limited time
However, as demands for more customized (73%), would not be suitable to automate.
products increase and production systems become
more and more complex, increased levels and Since none of the alternatives in round 1 reached
extent of automation do not necessarily result in over 75%, the results were individually re-allocated
desired results (Bainbridge 1982). to the respondents and the question was re-asked.
There were few changes of the results. Production
Many of the respondents also acknowledge that of occasional products or small batches, and
they have too many products or variants in production of occasional products over a limited
production (figure 4), which can be a problem when time still resulted in around 70% answering rate.
automating (73%). Almost 70% of the respondents
also said that they have some difficulties in
adapting the products for automated production.
50% of the respondents said that they did not have
sufficient time for planning the usage of
automation, or for training the operators on the new
investment. More interesting is that around 60% of
the respondents said that it may be difficult to get
payback on investments in automation.

456
 80% 100%
Very high Very high
High 90% High
70%
80%

70%
60%
60%
50% 50%

40%
40%
30%

30% 20%

10%
20% 0%

Tasks that demands

Tasks that demands

Hazardous tasks
for the human

Demands for check of quality

high repeatness
Heavy lifting or monotonous

Big volumes
working operations

high accuracy
10%

0%
product

Tasks that demands

Tasks that demands

short length of life

“feeling”
Introduction of new

Production of

Occasional products with

Official inspection of

high flexibility
finished products
occasional products

Figure 6. What tasks are not suitable to be handled

manually?
Figure 5. What tasks are not suitable to be automated?
It could also be argued that keeping the operator out
of the control loop of the system will in one sense
The respondents were also asked what they thought
was the primary reason for not automating protect the human from him or herself, thereby
production of occasional products or small batches. improving overall safety of the system. Therefore,
The two main answers were that automation of such even though financial measures may be the driving
products would not be cost-efficient and that the force in the development and increase in
change-over time would be too high. automation in recent years, it could be argued that
an automated system is a more economic as well as
In the same way as some tasks are not suitable for safer system.
automation; there are some tasks that are not
suitable to be handled manually (figure 6). Both According to results from the studies, the primary
driving force for automation is to provide
from the preliminary study and the conducted
possibilities for increased efficiency and
Delphi study it could be concluded that work in
productivity. Automation will also enable cost
hazardous environments (97%) or monotonous and
reductions that, together with increased efficiency
physically demanding working situations (94%) are
and productivity, will lead to increased
not suitable to be conducted manually. Also tasks
competitiveness on a more demanding market.
that demand high precision over time (89%) are not
Many companies acknowledge that introduction of
suitable to be automated.
automation will provide possibilities for improving
the work-environment by eliminating monotonous
4. CONCLUSION and physical demanding work situations.

The purpose of automated systems is to perform Many respondents also acknowledge that a primary
functions more efficiently, more reliably, and more problem with automation is that they have too many
accurately than human operators. Also, products or variants in production. They also
expectations are that automated systems can acknowledge that they have some difficulties in
perform functions and tasks at a lower cost than adapting their products for automated production.
human operators. Thereby there are few arguments Almost one third of the respondents also
that can be put against the efficiency, reliability, acknowledged in round 2 that the knowledge of the
and accuracy of automated systems. With higher users (e.g. operators) was one of the main
reliability, it could be argued that a system would difficulties when automating.
be a safer system as well.
Based on the conducted Delphi survey, many of the
companies also acknowledge that tasks, such as
production of small batches or occasional products

457
over a limited time, would not be suitable to
automate. In the same way as some tasks are not
suitable for automation; there are some tasks that
are not suitable to be handled manually. Both from
the preliminary study as well as the Delphi study it
could be concluded that work in hazardous
environments or monotonous and physically
demanding working situations are not suitable to be
conducted manually.
5. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The work presented interim results from the project
DYNAMO – Dynamic Levels of Automation for
Robust Manufacturing System, which is carried out
as collaboration between Chalmers University of
Technology, Jönköping School of Engineering, and
IVF Industrial Research Corporation. The authors
express their gratitude to the Swedish Foundation
for Strategic Research (ProViking) for generously
sponsoring the project.
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