![]() He states that "manufacturers can fit a larger number of compact cells in the same space to increase production without adding heating, lighting, or cooling to the cost of the building." Floor space is also important for energy conservation, as a smaller space reduces energy consumption by reducing heating costs. James Cook, an application engineer at Stäubli, the business development and marketing manager at Stäubli Robotics, says robots can help lower building costs by requiring smaller work cells. Optimizing manufacturing space for a fully autonomous robotic workforce allows for an increase in productivity. Human laborers can be dispatched to a separate location for tasks such as quality assurance. Companies incorporating lights-out methodologies into floor plans only need to consider robotic workers, which minimize space and climate-control requirements. ![]() Lights-out manufacturing may increase productivity and lower upkeep costs. ![]() In the manufacturing of integrated circuits using 300 mm wafers, the entire manufacturing process is completely automated, with workers only making sure that the process runs without problems and repairing any faulty machinery. There are only nine human quality assurance workers who oversee the end of the manufacturing process. In the Netherlands, Philips uses lights-out manufacturing to produce electric razors, with 128 robots made by Adept Technology. "Not only is it lights-out," says Fanuc vice president Gary Zywiol, "we turn off the air conditioning and heat too." Robots are building other robots at a rate of about 50 per 24-hour shift and can run unsupervised for as long as 30 days at a time. Existing "lights-out factories" įANUC, a Japanese robotics company, has been operating as a lights-out factory since 2001. Although the machines are run without being under constant supervision, it is a common practice to always have a person in the vicinity of the machine. A few machine shops run CNC unattended on nights and weekends. Real-world examples "Lights out" computer numerical control (CNC) machining ĬNC machines do not require continuous operator attention, and some models can run unattended. ![]() One of the earliest descriptions of the automatic factory in fiction was the 1955 short story " Autofac," by Philip K. As the technology necessary for total automation becomes increasingly available, many factories are beginning to use lights-out production between shifts (or as a separate shift) to meet increasing production demand or to save money on labor.Īn automatic factory is a place where raw materials enter, and finished products leave with little or no human intervention. For example, in computer numerical control machining, the presence of human workers is typically required for removing completed parts and setting up tombstones that hold unfinished parts. Many of these factories are considered to be able to run "with the lights off," but few run exclusively lights-out production. ![]() Lights-out manufacturing is the methodology of fully automating the production of goods at factories and other industrial facilities, such as to require no human presence on-site. It emphasizes feasible deployment that provides realistic value to manufacturers today.Designing automated factories to not require humans on-site This white paper describes both the challenges and current opportunities presented by a lights-out approach using quantified examples. And the digital and automation technologies needed to make it a reality at scale are just now maturing, at a time when they are needed most. EV manufacturing companies that embrace digital manufacturing are seeing:Īdditionally, lights-out factory implementation can provide benefits to further address the industry challenges and help meet a company’s strategic objectives – benefits like reduced labor costs and less reliance on a labor force, reduced production error rates, material management efficiencies and accelerated product lifecycles. And digital manufacturing has become essential to solving complex production problems, improving business, and achieving strategic objectives for EV manufacturers. These trends are causing automakers to rethink their business models and to prepare themselves for fundamental changes in their design, manufacturing, and aftermarket processes.ĭigitalization has become a necessity to support the rapid pace of innovation and the complexity in today’s automotive and transportation market, including electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing. Autonomous vehicles, electrification, shared mobility, and new materials are the key trends influencing the strategy and investments for most automotive manufacturers and suppliers. The automotive industry is clearly in transition. ![]()
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