Big Sky Engineering, Inc. is an industry leader in automation solutions for the packaging sector, developing and manufacturing accurate, reliable, and cost-effective automated equipment and systems. We aim to provide comprehensive options and adaptable products with a commitment to continuous innovation, superior customer support, and overall excellence. Learn more about automated assembly machines, their applications and benefits, and how the Big Sky team can help you meet production goals and quality standards through assembly automation.
What Are Automated Assembly Machines?
Consisting of a combination of mechanized and automated components, automated assembly line machinery carries out multiple processes to generate one type of product, all with minimal human intervention. Assembly involves numerous repetitive tasks to achieve a completed part, and mechanical systems in automated assembly machines are capable of handling these continual motions for faster, higher-accuracy assembly services.
Types of Automated Assembly Machines
Automation improves production efficiency, throughput, and product quality while reducing costs, but there are multiple types of automated equipment solutions available to meet your specific needs.
Manufacturing Automation Solutions
Automated manufacturing equipment is your basic machinery for general production and part assembly. These systems are typically simple assembly cells using various types of actuators to bring parts together into a finished assembly. They can also include QC and vision checks.
Factory Automation Solutions
While manufacturing automation typically performs handling tasks, factory automation equipment covers movement applications. These systems might include conveyors to feed cells or stage finished goods. Automated Mobile Robots (AMRs) are also a proven way to maintain flexibility with floorplans while getting goods where they need to go.
Robotic Automation Solutions
Industrial robotic equipment like robotic arms and rotary indexing machinery easily perform repetitive assembly line tasks such as product transfer, material handling, assembly, inspection, welding, and painting. This machinery subgroup can function as a system on its own, but it’s also simple to incorporate into an existing assembly line.
Applications of Automated Assembly Machines
Automated assembly machines can handle an array of tasks to create diverse products. Some of the most common assembly and production automation capabilities for components include:
- Identifying
- Sorting
- Bin picking
- Feeding
- Fastening, welding, and joining
- Dispensing sealants, adhesives, or grease
- Changing tooling and machine tending
- Inspecting and measuring
- Packaging
Benefits of Automated Assembly Machines
Automated assembly technology has many advantages to offer your assembly line, including:
- Increased throughput. Automated machines typically work faster and with greater precision than human workers can achieve, increasing productivity while reducing production time.
- Dependable quality. Automated equipment solutions perform their specific tasks with a superior level of accuracy compared to manual processes, leading to higher-quality products with increases in production speeds.
- Uniformity and repeatability. These machines can perform repetitive tasks with optimal consistency. This reduces the variability of the final product for uniform production.
- Optimized facility space. Assembly machine manufacturers can design automated assembly systems to best fit your facility’s current footprint when you have minimal available floor space.
- Cost benefits. Automated assembly machines reduce the cost of manual labor, as the equipment requires fewer workers to operate and the machinery can work 24/7 without rest, quickly leading to a good ROI..
- Minimized waste generation. Given its precise nature, automated manufacturing equipment typically generates less waste, reducing the amount of raw materials you’ll need during production.
Automated Assembly Machines at Big Sky Engineering
From design, manufacturing, and installation to service and support and future retooling, Big Sky Engineering offers a range of comprehensive turnkey automation solutions that we build in-house at our state-of-the-art 60,000-square-foot facility. We can provide custom automated assembly machines for various production line applications and budgets. Our team also engineers:
- Inspection machines to evaluate parts for quality, dimensional accuracy, and assembly completion
- Testing machines to ensure end-product functionality (flow tests, leak tests, etc.)
- Integrated process machines that integrate several automated processes like labeling and orientation into one system
For 25 years, Big Sky Engineering has differentiated itself from the competition through our durable, high-precision, customizable solutions for your unique needs and project requirements. We partner with other industry leaders like Fanuc, Autodesk Inventor, and Cognex to offer you innovative, cutting-edge technology in our equipment.
For specific examples of our work, read our automated assembly machine case studies:
Learn More About Automated Assembly Machines
To find out more about our automation machines and how they can benefit your assembly operations, contact us to start exploring the possibilities with Big Sky Engineering. If you’re ready to begin your automation project, request a quote today.