At Chicago’s IMTS, Pinaxis executive Sven Diedrich said manufacturers should align people, processes, data and systems before adopting automation; disconnected departments, weak data or unsuitable processes can leave even costly technology delivering mediocre results.
Diedrich said companies should assign people to own, operate and support automated systems, and plan for training and ongoing administration. Automation changes the work rather than eliminating it; it can also repeat inefficient processes and expose problems workers once corrected informally, making clear process ownership important.
He said automation also depends on trustworthy, current data and communication across departments, IT, operational technology and shop-floor equipment. After a pilot succeeds, manufacturers should assess local work practices before scaling it across factories or countries; copying the operation directly may not work.
