There are several reasons why you could opt for industrial automation, such as more accurate control information, greater flexibility, increased production, higher product quality, or fewer product failures etc. Another consideration could be to improve safety.
On this page you can read more about what
Industry 4.0 entails, what you can do with machine automation, how you can
start implementing it step-by-step, and what the benefits are. In this article,
we focus on the possibilities for improving safety with industrial automation.
Automating hazardous work
A well-known way of increasing safety is to use an autonomous automated system (possibly with the use of robots) in places where dangerous processes are carried out. Or in places that are difficult to access and where employees therefore perform actions that carry certain risks.
Better detection and diagnosis
When implementing automation, various measurement systems are usually installed in the production environment. These measurements can then be used to detect unsafe situations, to diagnose what the problem could be, and to determine what type of intervention – possibly automated – could be used to prevent negative consequences as much as possible.
Less maintenance, more safety
In general, safety increases as processes are managed and monitored more accurately. Maintenance becomes predictable, which means fewer malfunctions and less need for corrective maintenance. The less need there is for corrective technical maintenance, the safer the environment.
A tidy environment is safer
Automation works better in a structured environment. The more automated the production process, the tidier the production hall. Everything is arranged neatly and there are no surplus tools or parts lying about. This reduces the risk of accidents.
Safe AR instructions
AR stands for Augmented Reality. AR provides a view of reality to which the computer adds certain elements, for example by means of a QR code. AR is a safe way to give employees instructions: for example, they receive repair instructions via the screen, while looking at the physical machine that needs repairing through AR glasses. AR instructions reduce the risk of errors and accidents.
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