Key points
Kevin Bull, Product Strategy Director at Columbus, lays out the benefits of introducing drones into manufacturing processes. He explains how this technology is helping to simplify inspections, asset monitoring and delivery procedures in plants, all while enhancing productivity.
Drones have been around since the 1960s when they were first used in the Vietnam War. Although shelved post-war, the technology has gained huge popularity following advances in smartphone technology.
PwC estimated in 2016 that the drone market was worth a staggering $127 billion, yet it perhaps comes as a surprise that manufacturers only account for just 1.5% of drone deployments.
Many industries are now actively exploring the potential of drone technology, with widespread practical applications in photography and real estate where these intelligent machines are used to take aerial shots. But drones hold far greater promise than just the ability to take pictures in the manufacturing industry.
They can capture information in ways that are typically too difficult or dangerous, or of less significance to humans.
Of course, manufacturers need supporting digital infrastructure to realise the true value of drone deployments in the industry. Those who prioritise implementing drones along with complementary technology will unlock the most significant operational improvements.
Eliminate the complexity and risks of inspections
Faults in the production line and other machinery can hinder or even bring production to a stop, and it is difficult to prevent faults from occurring if you do not have full visibility of the equipment in use.
By performing aerial imaging and sensing tasks, including infrared and thermal technology, drones can inform operations managers of the temperature of production lines and machinery. If recorded temperatures are too high, this signals there’s a problem within the machinery.
Here is where operators with the technology to quickly address and repair issues before they impact the production process stand to save valuable time and money.
Captured images can also be used as a plant maintenance record to be kept on file, and plant managers will benefit from increased compliance with records of temperature checks, production line observations and faults from drone images.
Improved health and safety compliance is another recurring benefit of drone technology. Inspections must be completed on a regular basis as part of routine plant maintenance, and those required in hard to reach places typically require a shutdown of operations for an inspection to be completed safely.
Drones can inspect machinery in unsafe locations and in doing so take away the risk of compromising staff safety or production.
Focus less on monitoring tasks and more on production
Essential asset monitoring and inventory checks in manufacturing are currently a manual, lengthy and time-consuming responsibility for staff. Drone technology is a great alternative to streamline and improve how asset monitoring is performed across the industry.
Drones have the ability to perform inventory checks in warehouses and manufacturing plants by scanning radio frequency identification chips and barcodes.
The oil and gas industry is a noteworthy example of this application and demonstrates the potential benefits of drones carrying out checks for the manufacturing sector.
Asset monitoring procedures in oil and gas performed by a drone can take as little as 10% of the time that a workforce-lead check would take. This level of time saving would enable workforces to focus their efforts on production instead of monitoring tasks.
Greater in-plant connectivity saves time and reduces disruption
Large plants typically have several work areas including a central warehouse used for stocking parts for the production line. But getting these parts to different work areas takes time and disrupts production.
This is where drone technology offers major benefits through enhanced in-plant connectivity. With the ability to transport weights of up to 5kg, drones can fly to central warehouses to gather spare parts and deliver them to the appropriate work areas.
From a safety point of view, these drones are programmed to fly over plant buildings and only over crossings if absolutely necessary. Obstacles can also be recorded in real-time and pre-programmed routes can be configured accordingly to avoid the obstacle.
Programming flight routes for deliveries are not limited to this application. Drones can also be used for picking and packing purposes. They can be pre-programmed to move around warehouses identifying products for specific orders that can then be taken to the packing area. Although such an application is yet to be realised, the technology is available for implementation.
Supporting software is fundamental for drone success
Manufacturing firms that put their weight behind drone technology stand to gain from enhanced productivity, improved compliance and a simplified approach to inspections and monitoring tasks. But what will be key to unlocking these benefits in both the short and long term is the help of an expert service partner.
This is critical to successfully deploy drone technology into existing business operations, but also to provide continued support into the future. Only with an application management solution will manufacturers truly capitalise on the full potential of drone technology.
