The pandemic has increased the necessity for automation, as well as the sophistication of the decision-making process. Therefore, apart from solely evaluating the robot capabilities, quantitative aspects of machine and maintenance expenses and tangible benefits, companies pay more attention to their security infrastructures and other qualitative and intangible benefits of the robotic system.

Some examples of tangible benefits include calculating cost reduction derived from labour redeployment to higher-value job scope, productivity gains from increased efficiency and round-the-clock operations, reduction in accident-related costs, and more. In addition, intangible benefits include maintaining essential operations to abide by safe distancing regulations or in the event of another black swan event, improving communication, reducing work-in-process inventory by combining operations and increasing employee safety and retention, and more.

Furthermore, the availability of a diverse set of robotics adds to the complexity. Automation robotics includes everything from basic autonomous mobile robots (AMR) to more complex collaborative robots and lidar-guided robots, each with its own set of advantages and functions. It is essential to consider the breakeven point instead of the initial outlay, as some robotic systems may require a significant initial investment. Still, they can quickly pay for themselves in terms of both technology and integration costs.

Speak to an expert to set your path in the right direction when deciding on automation.

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