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Industrial Automation

Newsletter

Issue 1 Vol. 3

Summer 2009

The summer of 2009 is now upon us, the global economy is just beginning to come out of a recession, is there a “light at the end of the tunnel” for your company?

This past year has been, for lack of a better word, “brutal” for the manufacturing sector. But even with all this “doom and gloom”, there are companies out there that have been less affected. One of the reasons is that these companies use automation in their production/manufacturing processes. The flexibility, quality and repeatability of automation allowed them to maintain control over their manual labour costs.

In this edition we are going to discuss where the manufacturing industry is today, where we think it is going and what you can do to grow your company and be competitive in the future manufacturing sector.

Most companies are operating in Survival Mode.

Most manufacturing operations started going into “survival mode” early in 2008. Companies started with budgetary cuts which meant no capital expenditures followed by staff layoffs. In some cases assets were sold to reduce debt and to preserve cash.

Surviving is better than dying, and if your business can survive this recession that’s something to be proud of, many companies won’t make it.

The problems start when you remain in survival mode, even after the danger has passed, instead of focusing on truly succeeding as a company.

Your company may last forever working in survival mode, but it really won’t go anywhere. Survival mode creates fear and limits creativity. Your company becomes trapped in the moment, improvements and innovations come at a very slow pace.

Improvements and innovations to the efficiencies of your operation are the key ingredient to opening up opportunities that will help your company grow.

Which tunnel is your company looking down?

What we are hearing.

The consensus from conversations we have had with many of our customers is that we should see the manufacturing sector begin to “pick-up” in the 3^rd or early 4^th quarter of this year.

The markets are beginning to show signs of improvement, the automotive companies appear to be getting their houses in order, and consumers are beginning to gain confidence and are starting to spend money again.

Here at Quigg International we have been preaching for months that companies must be “forward thinking” or “proactive” in order to maintain or grab a piece of the work that will be out there.

When you get the opportunity to quote on future work you will be competing against companies that have automation in their facilities. Is your company in a position to take advantage of the opportunities and compete with your competition?

Are your hands tied when you try to compete with your competition who are using automation?

Quigg International can help you cut those restrictions that are limiting your ability to compete. Through the use of automation, we can help put you on a level playing field with your competition.

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Old School vs New School

Have you ever heard someone say; “we’ve been doing things the same way for years”? It scares the heck out of me when I hear this because it usually means the person I am talking too is set in their ways and not to open to change.

Yes, I too come from the old school; “if it isn't broke, no need to fix it”. Having said that, I have had my eyes opened by changes in technology, that will allow for more efficient and cost effective ways to do things.

Don’t get me wrong, there are applications and procedures out there that currently can only be done the same way they have for years. If there is no “repeatability” to the task, automation cannot be used.

When it comes to manual operations such as: material handling, palletizing/sorting, assembly or applications such as spot or MIG welding as well as laser cutting, there is no denying the fact that a robot can work more efficiently then a person.

With the flexibility of today’s automation, multiple applications or parts can be run with the same equipment.

The mindset of a lot of companies is that you must have large production volumes to justify automating them, so they don’t even look at their “small” daily or weekly production requirements.

We have customers that we have designed automated welding cells, that only make 3 parts a day, but may run 20 different jobs each day on that same assembly cell.

Why? because of the increased productivity and consistent quality (repeatability) an automated system will bring to your production floor.

Only a Matter of Time

Current technology, when it comes to robots, is that they have to be programmed (taught) to perform specific actions. Upon a start command being issued, a robot will begin to complete these actions, again and again, EXACTLY the same way each time until told to stop.

At risk of letting my age show, I remember when a computer filled a room, and working with what looked like a peg board we would hand wire for weeks and be so proud when our efforts produced a wall calendar.

Today, well, Dick Tracy would be so proud.

Before

 

After

New versus Refurbished

Yes, money is tight; to get capital expenditures approved these days you must have an air tight business case with a realistic return on investment period.

To help control costs, we offer to our customers the option of using new or used/refurbished equipment. In many cases our customers already own equipment and they have us clean, re-condition, test and calibrate it so that we can then integrate it into a new process or application. At Quigg International we can also provide the required fixtures and tooling for your application.

There is nothing wrong with using good “used” equipment. At Quigg International we have the skill and know how to bring your equipment back to life. Using refurbished or buying used can make for significant cost savings in the total scope of your project.

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Don’t get me wrong, if your company has the budget, and wants to purchase new equipment we will gladly sell it to you. We would however rather work with you to find the best cost effective solution for you.

Is your company forward thinking and ready to take advantage of opportunities when they present themselves?

About Us

Quigg International offers the following in-house capabilities: engineering, machinery assembly, welding and fabrication, panel building and electrical wiring, machine shop services, quality assurance, fixtures, tooling and paint finishing are all available in-house.

Quigg International can design and produce robotic systems that provide the latest in metal cutting techniques, welding automation, pressroom automation and assembly systems.

Our multi-station robotic systems can offer significant cost savings when it comes to; reducing floor space, faster cycle times and reducing the number of operators required for production.

Quigg International can design a complete range of welding systems; from semi-automatic single station machines to fully automated multi-cell lines for welding and assembling multiple components.

Systems include dedicated and robotic systems for; MIG & resistance welding, laser cutting & welding and ultrasonic systems for plastic applications.

We have experience integrating lasers and robots for; laser cutting stamped and hydroformed components, as well as laser marking devices. Many of the cutting systems utilize robotic YAG and CO2 laser equipment.

Quigg International can design and produce a complete range of assembly systems; from semi-automatic single stations to fully automated multi-cell lines with automatic part transfer.

If the application calls for it, our assembly systems can be equipped with; transfer & conveyor systems, vision and inspection stations, programmable pick & place arms, robotic work cells & systems and even special purpose tooling.

Quigg International offers full system integration.

Quigg International also has flexible financing plans available to work with you to meet your goals.

Quigg International can be your one source for all your automation needs.