We are now seeing this manifest in the form of advanced process control (APC) solutions. These are helping to optimize operating parameters, maximize production yields, and stabilize processes . Digital solutions are also improving production scheduling – especially in complex batch environments. By integrating expert know-how, these solutions can achieve capacity increases of 6-8% – by improving cleaning processes, reducing idle time, etc.

There is also a growing prevalence of collaborative robots (cobots) and automated guidance vehicles (AGVs) on production lines and in warehouses, helping to undertake heavy lifting and create ergonomic arrangements that are improving working environments for operators.

Increased connectivity has also led to a wider roll out of predictive maintenance solutions. These can anticipate problems by detecting anomalies such as machine vibrations or excessive energy consumption. Effective solutions can reduce maintenance effort by more than 15% and free up additional production capacity.

As more organizations move down this road, much can be learnt from the organizations that have already successfully pioneered the way. Our top five lessons from these experiences are summarized below:

Over the last decade, many organizations have steadily been developing the supporting technological infrastructure that is now giving them the ability to deploy autonomous solutions. Greater connectivity has enabled businesses to capture data and process the insights to enable automation.

Don’t expect too many quick wins. Automation is more of a marathon than a sprint and it will require endurance from the stakeholders involved. There is no magic algorithm that will fix all problems immediately – organizations will need to learn what works first before strong results are returned.

Before scaling, businesses should focus on a small project and engage in rapid learning cycles. Experimentation and testing will be needed to develop a proof of concept before expanding deployment. But they should keep that idea of scaling in mind. For example, if a business is developing a packaging solution, can it be deployed at multiple sites? If so, the architecture will need to be developed in a manner that will enable this.

When we talk about automation our thoughts may immediately turn to technology. We must not forget the human dynamic, however. When deploying automation solutions, the change management process must be taken into account. While companies will need to invest in skills, such as data science, they will also need integration managers who can prepare the organization for this transformation. That includes helping to train operators, sharing knowledge, and educating the wider workforce.

It can often be faster and more cost effective to deploy third-party automation technology that are already in the market – it doesn’t make sense to reinvent the wheel if you don’t need to. But if a company wants to gain a competitive advantage, they will want to invest more time and resource in automation solutions that support their core competency, to create a point of differentiation.

No conversation around automation should start with a technological solution. As the saying goes, “if all you have is a hammer, everything will look like a nail.” Instead, organizations should take a process-driven approach, based on a business need, that is then enabled by technology. This will ensure that the right foundations are in place to ensure success.