Manual workstation flexibility scores top marks
On the DEPRAG exhibition stand - well founded advice results in the right assembly line
Well over 1000 exhibitors and more than 35,000 visitors are expected to be at the 32nd MOTEK exhibition in Stuttgart from 7th to 10th October. MOTEK is the leading trade show for handling and assembly technology. Each year industry experts come together to catch up with the latest developments in assembly automation. The organisers of MOTEK 2013 have announced that the exhibition is more dedicated than ever to showing complete system solutions and that there will be many examples of automation used in particular applications. But there will still be plenty of individual components, component assemblies and sub-systems on view. So what are the trends and changes that the experts visiting MOTEK 2013 expect to see in the automation industry? For many years Jürgen Hierold, Sales Manager at DEPRAG SCHULZ GMBH u. CO. has attended MOTEK both as a visitor and as a specialist exhibitor. Our editor Trixy Schmidt asked him about his expectations for this year’s specialist trade fair for the automation industry.
Trixy Schmidt: Mr. Hierold, which aspect do you believe will be the main focus this year at MOTEK; where are the trends taking us?
Jürgen Hierold: The industry is showing clear signs of taking a fresh approach to assembly work - moving away from a rigid full automation process towards more flexible worker-guided semi-automated workstations.
Trixy Schmidt: Is there a reason for this trend?
Jürgen Hierold: There are several factors at play here, such as the high level of flexibility these solutions offer. During the financial crisis of 2008 many industries saw a fall in sales. Fully automated plants and machinery harbour intrinsic risks. A return on such investments can only be achieved if used to 100% capacity, and in economically difficult times financial investment collapses. On the other hand, if there is an unexpected rise in demand, a fully automated plant cannot operate at over-capacity. So, even if they want to, the production engineers cannot react appropriately to a fuller order book - 100% is the limit.
Trixy Schmidt: So what is the alternative?
Jürgen Hierold: Intelligent manual workstations can be flexibly adapted to suit any economic situation. In difficult times production can be cut back without harming business, and in good times there is no limit to expansion.
