What is a Prototype Automation Machine?
Benefits of Building a Proof of Concept
In today’s globalized manufacturing industry, everyone knows automation can make a huge competitive difference. As we’ve discussed in our previous custom automation post, capturing greater efficiency and productivity from automation means having a custom fixture design that suits your unique needs. And that process starts with having a proof of concept by building a prototype automation machine.
But, what is proof of concept? It’s the key to unlocking new ideas and making them a reality.
Individually, a “proof of concept” is a fully-realized new fixture that demonstrates the benefits of a proposed automation strategy. As a process, “proof of concept” is an experimental approach to defining and meeting your needs—proving that bottom line improvements are attainable.
During proof-of-concept development, you:
Define performance expectations as specific, attainable engineering benchmarks.
Target key processes and consider alternative methods of achieving stated goals.
Develop a roadmap for full implementation and integration into your systems.
Done right, proof of concept provides real-world performance information that either validates a proposed approach to automation or points the way to a more effective one. Thanks to this key goal, a good proof of concept process should usually produce two or three alternative designs for you to test.
Integrating Proof of Concept Into Your Manufacturing Operations
Once the new prototype automation machine has been engineered, it is introduced into your operations in a limited way. This is intended to gauge how it performs under real conditions without getting in the way of your existing production quotas or efficiency targets.
This is where the term “proof of concept” really comes from — documented proof of what you have to gain by going forward with a large-scale implementation. That helps the experts on the manufacturing floor gain the support they need at the executive level.
Last, but not least, proof of concept should come with fully-realized plans to give your teams the knowledge to operate and support devices once they go live. At Nexus Automation, we include full-scale documentation and troubleshooting support in our proof of concept process.
The Right Prototype Manufacturing Partner Ensures Proof of Concept Success
Nexus Automation is a leader in efficient, cost-effective automation solutions that integrate easily into your existing operations. To learn more about how we can help, call or email today.