Debunking Automation Myths in Manufacturing

It’s no secret that automation in manufacturing can improve efficiency, drive productivity, and support overall business growth. Since the early 2010s, companies have been championing the transformative power of automated systems in manufacturing. Consultancy giants like Deloitte, McKinsey, and Forbes have all spoken about the benefits of automation, underscoring its potential to revolutionise the industry.

While manufacturing automation has undoubtedly taken off in recent years, some businesses are yet to be convinced – and are lagging behind as a result. A 2023 report by the Manufacturing Technology Centre revealed that UK manufacturers’ hesitance to invest in automation and robotics has notably impacted the country’s recent productivity gains.

In addition, while the US is often touted as a global leader in factory automation – within the automotive industry in particular – product errors linked to inefficient manual processes continue to prove an issue. In 2023, undeclared allergens due to labeling errors were behind half of all US food and beverage recalls.

So, what’s behind the reluctance to adopt automation in manufacturing? We have identified seven critical concerns around adopting factory automation, which we believe are untrue and need to be corrected. In this blog, we seek to bust these automation myths and explain why, if you’re still holding back on your automation journey, the time to move is now.

Myth #1: Automation is unnecessary because my manual processes work fine

Let’s address the main elephant in the room first.

Whichever way you look at it, manual processes are a huge cause of errors and, by extension, unnecessary waste and cost to manufacturers.

As a rule of thumb, the average error rate in manual data entry is about 1%. If you have workers on a production line manually entering data as part of a coding and marking process, it won’t take long before one of these data entry errors gets onto your products. If you rely on manual processes for quality control, there’s a good chance that error will only be spotted once it has caused thousands of items to become waste or rework.

If a product labeling error enters the supply chain, the cost and waste involved are even more significant. The average cost of a product recall is $10 million – and that’s before taking into consideration the financial implications of long-term brand damage.

What are you waiting for?

There are many misconceptions and concerns that manufacturers may have about adopting automation. Still, given the decreasing costs, financial benefits, and the growing willingness of automation partners to help finance and implement new solutions, the real question becomes: can you afford not to adopt factory automation?

Find out more about Domino solutions for product labeling automation.

Busting the Myths of Automation in Manufacturing

Myth #1: Automation is unnecessary because my manual processes work fine

What are you waiting for?

Need more information?