LOW COST AUTOMATION

Low-Cost Automation (popularly known as LCA) is the introduction of simple

pneumatic, hydraulic, mechanical, and electrical devices into the existing
production process or/and machinery, with a view to improving their
productivity. These would also enable the operation of this equipment by even
semi-skilled and unskilled labor, with a little training. This will involve the use of
standardized parts and devices to mechanize or automate machines, processes,
and systems. LCA is a technology that creates some degree of automation
around the existing equipment, tools, methods, people, etc, using mostly
standard components available in the market with a low investment so that the
payback period is short. The current financial crisis faced all over the world has
posed tremendous challenges to the manufacturing organizations. Even at low
volumes, and large variety, they have to be competitive with minimum
investment. Low-cost automation can play an important role in this situation.

Festo is a leading worldwide supplier of automation technology and the

performance leader in industrial training and education programs. Our aim:
maximized productivity and competitiveness for our customers.

It is a technology that creates some degree of automation around the existing

equipment, tool, methods, and people, using mostly standard components
available in the market.This white paper looks at automation using an individual
valve, a valve terminal.The world of bulk material handling seems easy at
first glance: moving, filling, delivering.
In today’s world for any industry to survive in the competitive market, must go
for automation. Automation demands huge capital investment which requires
mass production for quick return on investment. Hence Large Scale Industries
can afforded and opt the option of automation, whereas medium and small
scale industries find it very difficult adopt automation. Low cost automation
(LCA) is one solution especially for medium and small scale industries.
Automation demands replacement of conventional machines by CNC, VMC,
SPM’s etc. manual material handling by conveyors, AGV’s and many more
things.
In contrast with the traditional approach of automating with the help of a
systems integrator, the low-cost automation strategy relies on in-house
resources that grow concurrently with the project and are ultimately integrated
into the company infrastructure upon completion of the project and Building
the system.
Low Cost Automation is an effort to develop effective engineering solutions that
eliminate wasteful manual effort on the shopfloor and address several aspects
of performance such as safety, quality, productivity, environment, morale
and cost, for manufacturing managers.
LCA is a technology that creates some degree of automation around the existing
equipment, tools, methods, people, etc, using mostly standard components
available in the market with a low investment so that the payback period is
short. The current financial crisis faced all over the world has posed tremendous
challenges to the manufacturing organizations. Even at low volumes,and large
variety, they have to be competitive with minimum investment. Low-cost
automation can play an important role in this situation.