The Automation Elephant in the Room

Will Your Automated System Work as Promised?

The rapid ascent of automated equipment promises increased efficiency, accuracy, and cost savings for companies. And yet, our automation team often speaks with decision-makers who look past the promise and hype to answer one urgent question:

Will This System Save us, or Will it Crush Us Instead?

We understand where the question comes from. It is the automation elephant in the room. These systems are not simple, cheap, or easy to undo.

This article will highlight six common issues or concerns we have encountered, followed by guidance based on what has worked to mitigate the risks, ease the concerns, and achieve a smooth-running automated solution.

#1-Integration Issues

One of the biggest issues we see (and top concern) is ending up with an automated system that fails to work well with existing operations and systems (people, processes, or technologies).

Poor installation or integration easily leads to overall system stress or failure. Any of the following scenarios can be highly disruptive for your business:

• Your automated system works well in and of itself but not with the existing systems around it.
• Your automated system works well with your existing system upstream but not downstream (or vice-versa).
• Your automated system works with the existing systems but not as expected.

In short, it does not matter how well the automated system works in and of itself, it must be seamlessly installed and connected with other human, process, and technological systems. Anything less results in operational disruptions, inefficiencies, relentless frustration, and way too many "Why did we automate again?" conversations.

Mitigate Your Risks

• Engage Skilled Implementation Teams Early (this is an essential top priority):
  • Work with experienced vendors or integrators to ensure alignment across all disciplines, from planning, OEM selection, installation, integration, and commissioning.
  • Ensure your team members have a seat at the implementation table. Your team members should be participating in all aspects of the implementation.
• Conduct Pre-Selection Assessments of Existing Conditions:
  • Perform a detailed compatibility analysis of existing systems and processes.
  • Analyze the degree to which the systems you intend to talk to one another actually can.
  • Perform motion studies – how people do the movements today – and automate the point A to point B movements.
• Select Flexible Systems:
  • Follow a proven OEM selection and procurement methodology (ask your automation partner to show you their process).
  • Choose automated solutions designed to integrate with popular warehouse management systems (WMS) or enterprise resource planning (ERP) platforms.
  • Move flexibility up in your internal ranking. When you choose an automation system, have the flexibility for it to interface with anything it needs to across the system landscape.

#2-Disruption of Operations During Installation

Second place in our top two issues and concerns list is when your installation takes too long, interrupts operations, delays deliveries, and causes customer dissatisfaction. Taking a production line down for even a brief period of time has a major impact on continued operations and sales. Depending on the business and systems involved, some downtime may be inevitable. However, you can minimize the impact with good planning and seasoned professionals who can anticipate and plan accordingly.

Mitigate Your Risks

• Implementation:
  • Ensure your automation solution provider has a comprehensive integration, shutdown, turnover, and commissioning plan.
  • Plan and roll out automation in stages to keep operations running while new systems come online.
• Perform Rigorous Testing:
  • Test systems offline or during non-peak hours to ensure readiness before full deployment.
  • Test in a digital space, test at the factory, test at the site. Make sure the new systems are thoroughly tested before they go live.
• Training and communication:
  • Give employees ample training to ensure they fully know both the new and existing systems.
  • As a whole, your new system is greater than the sum of its parts. Train your teams on how the entire system runs and functions – how each part impacts and interacts with the others.
  • Clearly communicate implementation and training timelines and expectations to minimize resistance and errors.

#3-System Reliability

Third, we have seen the impact when the system underperforms with no backup or redundancies built in (conventional operational methods or backup systems). Operators can be left with a failing system and no path to recovery.

Mitigate Your Risks

• Vendor technology and reputation:
  • Align yourself with vendors that have a solid history of performance and well-regarded support systems.
  • Utilize proven solutions (ask for verification).
• Preventive maintenance:
  • Implement a regular maintenance schedule to avoid unplanned downtime.
  • Maintain a healthy supply of spare parts and utilize continuous improvement theology to make sure that repetitive issues are identified and solved early.
  • Train your maintenance teams to maintain a proactive maintenance posture instead of being reactive.
• Scalability:
  • Invest in systems that can adapt to increased workloads without compromising performance.
  • Ensure your peak data is what the system was originally designed for.
  • Choose systems and services that will not bankrupt you if they suddenly need to scale up.

#4-Employee Resistance

Changing to automated systems is difficult and sometimes unnerving for team members who fear the unknown, face job changes, or struggle with navigating new complex technologies. There are two important things you can (and should) do for your team members:

Mitigate Your (and Their) Risks

• Be Transparent:
  • Explain how automation will support—not replace—human roles.
  • Explain how jobs will change and how the human role is enhanced, not diminished.
  • Emphasize improved safety, efficiency, and work/life quality.
• Train and Empower:
  • Make sure there are great training programs to help your team members transition to new responsibilities.
  • Help your teams see that supervising and managing automated systems is not a huge stretch from managing and supervising people.
  • Empower your teams to take advantage of the opportunity.

#5-Costs vs. ROI

Companies often question whether their automation system will deliver the expected return on investment (ROI) and you should as well. Without adequate analysis, we have seen companies struggle to make the ROI work from the get-go.

Mitigate Your Risks

• Start with a clearly defined, comprehensive Project Development Plan that includes a complete analysis of scope, schedule, cost, and risk.
  • Ask your potential automation partners to present their approach to project chartering, project planning, and execution.
  • Confirm your automation partner engages in data-driven planning with your goals and objectives as their priority:
    • Analyze historical data to predict potential efficiency gains and cost reductions.
    • Ensure that the data inputs are real, tied to your business goals, and not a narrative-driven data point.
    • Decide what is important and stick to it without manipulating the data to get the desired outcome.
  • Work with your automation partner to ensure you consider all the data points across all interdependent systems when developing your Key Performance Indicators for ROI, such as:
    • Order accuracy, throughput, energy usage, downtime, and direct labor hour costs.
  • Establish “stage-gates” to define benchmarks and milestones that must be met before you move to the next stage.
• Define metrics for monitoring and reporting KPIs throughout the project lifecycle and beyond during operations.
• Build in scalability and flexibility:
  • Shop for modular systems that allow incremental upgrades instead of overhauling the operation.
• (CRITICAL) Choose the right Project Delivery and Contract Methodologies to protect yourself.

#6-Technological Obsolescence

Sixth on our list is the increasingly fast pace of technological advancement that raises concerns about the system becoming outdated shortly after installation. Whether it is cell phones, artificial intelligence, or how we shop for goods and services, it is easy to feel behind the times and concerned we are not getting the most out of our technology.

Mitigate Your Risks

• Futureproof Your System:
  • It is worth repeating – Invest in scalable, upgradeable systems that accommodate emerging technologies.
  • Rely on your qualified solutions partner to guide you through the OEM selection and procurement process.
• Vendor partnerships:
  • Choose vendors who offer ongoing software updates and system enhancements.
• Continuous evaluation:
  • Regularly assess operations to identify when upgrades are needed to stay competitive
  • Remember the golden rule “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.”

Conclusion

Automation can deliver significant benefits, but its success depends on thorough planning, reliable systems, and proactive management. By selecting the right partner up front who guides you through potential issues like integration, reliability, and employee adaptation early in the process, your business can ensure its investment in automation pays off long after installation. The key is to view automation not as a one-time project but as an evolving partnership between technology and human expertise.