Learn more about the benefits of introducing computers and touch screens on the assembly line and how they should be, depending on your industry.
Computers and touch screens are now an inseparable part of our lives. They are everywhere. As time passes by, it seems that every sector is becoming more and more dependent on these gadgets. Be it sports or a manufacturing line, they have made it a lot easier than before.
For example, if you happen to love football and have followed it for a long time, you would be familiar with scenes where coaching crews are holding clipboards with sheets of paper flapping in the wind. Every time a player would return the bench, the coach would flip through the sheets to determine what just happened. We don’t see that anymore.
The reason behind it is the introduction of touch screens. Now, every time they return to the bench, they are found watching videos of the last match. It helps them figure out every little detail of their opponent. This helps them determine every weak link of their opponent and what they can do to defeat them. Thanks to the touch screens, it’s now easier than ever. However, these same touch screens won’t be the best for assembly lines.
Manufacturing lines or assembly lines are not similar to a football field. They are a lot more challenging and the situations can get complex in nature of processes or factory environment setup. So, to ensure these devices last in these conditions, the computers and tables need to be as tough as well.
Why You Need Computers and Touch Screens on the Assembly Line
Among the many benefits of having computers and touch screens on the assembly line, increasing efficiency is one of the most obvious ones. According to a recent study, incorporating intelligent hardware pieces like computers and touch screens can boost production speed by up to 30%. That is something every manufacturer would want.
Introducing industrial touch screen monitors to your production line will give you more control over it. These devices will help you monitor every step of the manufacturing process at a time. This also means you can ensure quality standards for every batch. If manufactured products don’t get rejected at quality assurance, there will be very minimal system waste.
Further, another reason to use a touch screen with an industrial computer is to manage all your production data. It is pretty obvious that no matter how hard you try, you can’t be as specific or regular with managing your production data if you are doing it manually. Whereas, if you get your production line digitized, every piece of information will be under your control.
An added benefit to this is that, because you have every detail at your finger tips, you can use the data to analyse your production system. You can spot your weaknesses and susceptibilities, work on them, and find ways to increase your production.
Lastly digitising and installing industrial touch screens will make things a lot easier for your employees as well. This also means you will need less manpower. Because the system gets digitized, current employees will be able to handle things more easily and new employees will be easier to train.
Computers on the Assembly line
By now, it is pretty evident that you can’t use the same tablet you use to watch videos on the assembly line. The environment on the assembly line is very harsh and tough. So, if you want to use a computer in that environment, it needs to be an industrial-grade computer, otherwise, it is not going to survive for a long time. Again, sustainability depends greatly on how long things last in your facility and no industrial environment is the same.
For instance, many industries tend to have extreme heat conditions. Regular computers won’t last long in these conditions. As we know, computers and touch screens emit heat of their own. So, they are to be kept away from heat. The ones that you can use in these conditions are industrial-grade computers that come with a heat sink. These computers have special features to protect the internal components from heat. Because, when exposed to excessive heat, the internal components can melt which could result in very dangerous accidents. But ones that are designed with a heat sink are known for safely working in a wide range of temperatures.
The next thing to consider is working hours. Unlike most other sectors, computers in assembly lines need to stay on standby for a very long time. It might even need to run 24/7 depending on your production. In order to function in these tough situations, you need to use something that is built tough and durable.
In industries, computers and touch screens need to withstand extreme conditions. It is pretty normal for industries to be very dusty and maybe even humid. Regular touch screens are not designed to function in these conditions. They would easily get scratched and worn out under industrial use. Not just that, the dust and moisture might even go inside the device and possibly ruin the device for good.
So, it is essential that the computer you choose is water-resistant. Better still if the front is sealed; that way nothing goes inside. The touch screen needs to be high clarity because, in dusty and humid environments, using the touchscreen can be pretty challenging.
Most industrial computers come with a scratch-resistant display. This is a must. As you know, these computers are not going to be used by professionals. You can’t expect the employees in the industry to handle these with as much care as a professional would.
Summing it All Up
Digitizing an industry is not something that can be done in a day. You need to analyse the needs of your industry to determine what exactly would be the best for you. But once you get it done, it’s something that is going to give you long-term benefits. Moreover, it makes the industrial environment safer and the production process safer.