Benefits of Automation in Manufacturing 

Globally, 94% of employees say they perform repetitive, time-consuming tasks in their role (Zapier). The numbers are higher in the manufacturing industry. From creating work reports, to managing schedules, to generating invoices – there are a myriad number of tasks that employees in the sector need to execute every day. With modern technology-driven techniques like Robotics Process Automation in manufacturing, you can automate such business-critical tasks and save time. Time which could be spent more productive tasks. 

Here, we will talk about some of the benefits that you can get with manufacturing process automation. But first, let us look at Robotic Process Automation as a process  

What is RPA? 

So, what exactly is RPA? Simply put, Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is a technology where software robots (also known as ‘bots’) are used to automate repetitive tasks based on rules that you set. The bots mimic human actions by interacting with digital systems, executing tasks with greater speed and accuracy. 

Robotic process automation in manufacturing industry is used in diverse scenarios. Properly implemented automated workflows increase business efficiency and reduce the chances of error. Robotic Process Automation in manufacturing improves quality control and saves cost. With RPA, the manufacturing process is optimized, and overall productivity increases. 

Learn more about RPA in manufacturing. 

5 Benefits of Robotic Process Automation in Manfacturing 

Let us now dive into the benefits of using Robotic Process Automation in manufacturing industry. Here are the five key advantages of having an RPA strategy for your operations. 

• Increased Efficiency 

As said before, teams in a manufacturing company spend hours doing repetitive tasks like data entry and reporting. With RPA you can automate the routine tasks and speed up your operations. This also allows you to focus your resources on more productive tasks.  

Example: You can use RPA to automate your inventory updates. As soon as new materials are added to the inventory, the RPA bot can automatically update it on multiple relevant databases simultaneously. The same can be done when the materials are requested by your manufacturing teams. 

• Cost Savings 

Manufacturing process automation can save costs in several ways. With RPA, you can reduce your labor and material costs, required to complete a specific task. This will also help you avoid making additional investments in hiring more staff. 

Example: You can configure the RPA process to handle procurement data. It can also help you generate purchase orders. This reduces the burden on your clerical staff, and their efforts could be redirected elsewhere. 

• Better Accuracy 

When you involve humans in executing a task, errors are common. In sophisticated, interconnected manufacturing processes, even a minor error can have a massive impact. By using RPA, you can eliminate the chances of such risks. This ensures that the work is done with greater accuracy. 

Example: If you are using RPA in quality control forms, the bots will ensure that the right information is filled in the relevant field, even if the data is to be extracted from multiple sources. 

• Improved Compliance

Manufacturing companies must conform to different industrial standards and legal regulations. Managing compliance requirements is challenging, to say the least. However, with the help of an experienced consultant like Evolvous, you can utilize RPA workflows to manage compliance with greater ease. 

Example: RPA can be used to manage compliance documents and maintain accurate records which can help during audits. 

• Higher Scalability and Flexibility

Depending on the tool and the approach that you use, robotic process automation in manufacturing can easily adapt to your changing needs. As manufacturing companies operate in dynamic markets, having flexible automation can help you meet the demands more effectively. 

Example: During periods of peak demand, you can deploy additional RPA bots to handle an increase in order processing and similar tasks. 

How is automation used in manufacturing: 3 Use Cases 

Let us look at some of the use cases of using Robotic Process Automation in manufacturing industry: 

• Purchase Orders: 

Large manufacturing operations need to create Purchase Orders every day. Creating Purchase Orders requires simultaneous execution of multiple tasks. By integrating with ERP systems like Dynamics 365 Business Central, RPA bots can automatically generate POs based on inventory levels and production schedules.  

Whenever the stock goes below a predefined level, the bot can automatically generate a purchase order, send it to the supplier/vendor and update the ERP system and other relevant databases with the order details. 

• Bill of Materials (BOM)

Bill of Materials (BOM) is another critical operation for every manufacturer. You can use RPA bots to extract data and update the BOM. For example, when a new component is added or an existing component is modified, the RPA bot will jump into action. It will extract the relevant data from the design documents, QA/QC systems and other relevant sources and ensure that the updated BOM reflects the changes.  

• RPA for D2C Manufacturers 

Direct to Consumer (D2C) manufacturing has emerged as a mainstream manufacturing approach in recent years. With RPA, you can automate the entire order processing workflow.  

When your customer places an order, it immediately captures all the necessary information. It will also process the payment, update the inventory, and even generate a shipping label. You can also configure the RPA system to automatically send an email to the customer, updating them about the status of the shipment.  

How to Automate a Manufacturing Process? 

Now that we know about the benefits and use cases of Robotic Process Automation in manufacturing, let us try to understand how to automate a manufacturing process. In most cases the overall automation strategy will contain the following stages: 

STEP 1: Process Identification:

The first stage of the process is to identify the tasks that are repetitive in nature and can be modified. The ideal tasks are the ones that are rule-based but are prone to human error.  

When you work with Evolvous, we will also help you prioritize the task that will benefit the most from automation. The team will consider factors like efficiency, accuracy, and potential cost savings. 

STEP 2: Process Analysis:

Once the processes are identified, the current workflow needs to be analyzed. The process will be broken down into individual steps and the inputs and outputs at every stage will be identified.  

STEP 3: Choosing the Right RPA Tool:

Next, you will need to choose the ideal RPA tool that fits your needs. Today, you have low-code automation tools like Microsoft Power Automate, which will allow you to automate complicated manufacturing tasks without extensive coding. 

STEP 4: Developing and testing the RPA:

After the RPA tool is selected, you will need to use it to develop the RPA bot based on the process you have identified. Once they are developed, they need to be thoroughly tested against all scenarios. Any issues detected during testing are resolved before proceeding to the next stage.  

STEP 5: Deploying and monitoring the RPA:

At this stage, the bot is deployed to the live environment. However, there might be issues sometimes which could not have been detected in test conditions. Hence the entire RPA system is constantly monitored.  

For monitoring the performance, our team at Evolvous will establish KPIs like process completion times, error times and other factors as decided by you. Based on the performance against these KPIs, we will optimize the process further. 

What is Power Automate? 

Microsoft Power Automate is a cloud-based, low-code automation platform. It allows you to automate processes without extensive coding.  

Click here to know more about Power Automate. 

Power Automate offers several advantages to manufacturers. It integrates seamlessly with Microsoft and third-party applications that are commonly used in the manufacturing industry. Since it does not require extensive coding, it is cost-effective. The platform also offers excellent scalability and flexibility. 

Example of Automating Invoice with Power Automate 

Let us now look at how you can use Power Automate for manufacturing process automation. In this example, we will try to generate an invoice using the tool. 

STEP 1: Identifying the Tasks:

Our team will work with you to understand the overall workflow and identify the different tasks such as extracting the order details, making calculations, and formatting the invoice document. 

STEP 2: Analyzing and Documenting the Process:

After that, we will map out the steps it takes to generate an invoice. If certain tasks are interconnected, then we will map them out as well. 

STEP 3: Setting Up Power Automate:

Since we have chosen Power Automate as the RPA tool, we will start it set up. This includes getting the necessary licenses, adding users, and completing other initial setup tasks. 

STEP 4: Developing and testing the RPA:

We will work towards developing the Power Automate flow. If required, we will be connecting it to Dynamics 365 Business Central or other ERP tools that you might be using.  

We will add actions to extract the order details. The built-in functions of Power Automate will be used to make the necessary calculations and then generate an invoice document. Once the invoice is generated, it will be saved in your SharePoint and OneDrive and sent to the customer via email. 

 Once the process is developed, we will execute it in a controlled testing environment. 

STEP 5: Deploying the Solution:

The final solution will be deployed and further optimized. 

The Challenges of Using Robotic Process Automation in Manufacturing 

While Robotic Process Automation in manufacturing has its benefits, there are challenges as well. Here are the key ones: 

• Integration with legacy systems. 
• Ensuring technology adoption. 
• Complexity in maintaining and updating the software bots 
• Ensuring data security and compliance 

How Does Evolvous Help with Manufacturing Process Automation?

Evolvous is certified Microsoft Gold Partner offering in-depth expertise in developing solutions for RPA in manufacturing. We have worked extensively with the manufacturing industry, across different verticals. Our team has also helped diverse industries to leverage Power Automate for process automation. 

We will help you overcome all the challenges with implementing RPA for manufacturing. Not only do we help you develop and implement the right solution, but our team will also offer you extensive training to ensure that you get the desired performance. 

Read our Power Automate success stories. 

Contact Us for Power Automate Solutions for Manufacturing 

Get in touch today to unlock efficiency for your manufacturing processes