Is It Time to Replace Legacy Automation Systems?
Automation in its many forms has been part of the manufacturing infrastructure for some time now. There is little doubt that these existing systems have, over the years, not only produced thousands if not millions of parts, but probably paid for themselves many times over.
Although these legacy systems may continue to run, they are likely to require increased levels of maintenance which affects productivity, and there is also a strong possibility that some elements of these system will eventually become obsolete. The question then is whether it is cost effective to try and upgrade the system in part using newer technology to keep it running – the “make do and mend” philosophy, or whether the time is right to invest in an altogether new system.
The drivers for new investment will of course differ from company to company and market to market.
For those involved in high compliance sectors such as food, medical and pharmaceutical, ever increasing regulatory standards, relating to manufacturing processes and traceability, often mean that the latest technologies are essential to ensure adherence to current standards.
For others, the influencing factors may include the need for greater flexibility to produce smaller batch sizes of a larger number of product variants, or simply the need to have a system which is somewhat future proofed for ongoing and planned product developments.
With experience across a number of manufacturing sectors including Pharmaceutical, Medical Life-Sciences, Food, Beverage, Confectionery, Tobacco and Legal Cannabis, Somerset based CME Limited has developed a range of flexible automation solutions for both UK and International customers. The team at CME are always happy to discuss how their technologies can enhance manufacturing processes to deliver the highest levels of both flexibility and productivity.
For more information or to discuss your needs please contact: cme@cme-ltd.com Telephone: +44 (0)1460 269500 or visit us at www.cme-ltd.com
