SELECTING THE RIGHT INTEGRATOR FOR AN AUTOMATION PROJECT

As technologies advance, new processes in manufacturing present themselves all the time. These processes can save time and money, boost production efficiency, and create more market opportunities. However, most manufacturers need the assistance of an outside integrator to establish these technologies, since they are not familiar with the new systems. Finding and selecting the right integrator that suits all business needs is not an easy task. The right integrator should understand a company’s situation and goals, and develop a plan to execute them. In this article, we will address some key points when selecting an integrator, and how they are essential to achieve an organization’s vision.

When selecting an integrator, the first action should be to ensure that their field of work matches what technologies you want to implement. Does the selected integrator deal with the appropriate products to achieve a company’s vison? Let’s say a company was working with a computer software integrator that mainly deals with IT systems, when the desire is to implement an automated labeller into a machine floor. This situation would not be ideal for both parties. The company should have been working with an automation integrator.

It is crucial for an integrator to have the required credentials, expertise, and experience in the field they work with. If their expertise matches your goals, you have found the right integrator. If they specialize in a specific technology which is not useful for your company, they might not have enough general knowledge for your specified solution. If the chosen integrator shares a brand or company with the equipment your company already possesses, this integrator may be the best choice (due to it direct specialization).

As for experience, there may be projects or research that an integrator has conducted which correlates with your company’s interests. It is also important to know if an integrator has had previous successful business operations. If an integrator provided poor service, or did not meet expectations, it would not be ideal for another company to work with them in the future.

An integrator should have a direct approach when implementing their systems in any workspace. This could involve delivery promises, risk analysis, and overall timespan. Effective planning is key, and an integrator needs to ensure they do not use up much of their consumer’s time. Time spent installing the integrator’s technologies could be time spent making money.

Offering a maintenance system to their products is also an important aspect which should be available with an integrator. If any errors should arise from using an integrator’s product, a company should assume that the integrator possesses the necessary solution to stop the problem. This way it puts the experts in control which saves time and stops unnecessary troubleshooting if a company were to do it themselves.

Compatibility between an integrator and an organization is essential. Both parties (being business partners) should be on the same page with regards to implementing the technologies effectively. The integrator should ensure all goals of the organization are being met, provide ongoing support through installation, and keep time and cash- usage low. Expenses are an organization’s biggest fear. Although an integrator may have exceptional expertise and product quality, the overall cost may be a deciding factor. It would also be ideal for an integrator to utilize technical terms the organization is accustomed to. This could involve programs or computer languages of their customer’s equipment. This is to ensure complete understanding when initiating the consumer to the new technology, and therefore gives them the best experience.

Training on how to operate the equipment should be common practice with any integrator. An organization deserves to know how equipment is operating within their workspaces. All knowledge of the product should be available to the organization for review. This could range from technical booklets, operation instructions, troubleshooting tips, etc. By acquiring crucial knowledge from the integrator, organizations reduce the risk of downtime with the newly installed systems and keep a strong relationship between both parties.

An organization’s success greatly depends on the integrator chosen. There are several factors (as stated above) that should be taken into account during the selection process. Taking the time to research various integrators and their expertise, methodology, and compatibility will be well worth it in the end.

At DIY Robotics, we offer turnkey and DIY solutions while still keeping a low cost with our ‘plug-&-play’ products. Free support is available for all organizations who select our products. We offer the development of your internal resources by supplying technical documents and training programs. We also make the selection of a robotic cell integrator an easy task with our panel of official integrators (for turnkey solutions). At DIY Robotics, we value our customer’s experience above all else. If you have any questions regarding our products, list of integrators, or topics addressed in this post, please feel free to reach out on our website: https://diy-robotics.com/contact/

References

• McCarthy, Matt. “Automation Solutions: How to Choose the Right System Integrator for You!” Intec Automation, Inc., Intec Automation, Inc., 7 Oct. 2021, https://www.intecautomation.com/automation-solutions-how-to-choose-the-right-system-integrator-for-you/.
• “Turnkey Industrial Robotic Solutions – DIY-Robotics.” DIY, 22 Nov. 2021, https://diy-robotics.com/turnkey-solutions/.