“Optimize the resource, do more with less.” If this statement seems impossible to believe for the manufacturing sector, reconsider; after all, we live in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
The revolution is marked by the digital transformation of value-creating processes in manufacturing, production, and associated industries. The term “smart factories” does not necessarily refer to those with 3D printing capabilities or Internet of Things (IoT)-connected gadgets. Factories or manufacturing units can also take baby steps with digitization. One of the cutting-edge strategies manufacturers are using to boost production, save costs, and improve customer satisfaction is robotic process automation (RPA).
Let’s dive deeper to analyze how RPA propels Industry 4.0 forward.
RPA, first and foremost, promotes process agility and long-term cost savings, making it easier for humans and machines to work together, which lowers errors and waste, among many other advantages. According to McKinsey, at least 45% of the routine and manual tasks can be automated for better productivity.
Below listed are the biggest advantages of implementing Robotic process automation in industries:
- Increased output and process standardization
- Data reliability
- There are no human errors when sorting and using Excel.
- When low-skilled tasks are eliminated, job satisfaction increases.
- Shorter transactional times
- Happy Clients
- Increased go-to-market speed
Now that we analyzed the advantages, let’s break through the top use cases of implementing RPA in manufacturing units:
- Error-free processing of invoices
The process of invoice management necessitates contact between a variety of individuals who must carry out several inspection and approval steps on invoices that come in a variety of forms and tongues. The coordinated efforts have the typical risk of error, which is amplified by the monotony of the job, which can reduce the employee’s concentration.For instance, if Employee X clicks on Column A rather than Column B, this could start a chain reaction that spreads throughout the entire invoice processing network and make it impossible to detect any issues.RPA bots can quickly scan through the forms, input the data into the system where it belongs, and deliver the updated documents to the relevant department for authorization.
- Support the service desk
One of the most important components of any business’s success is the customer experience. RPA can be helpful for the front office when it comes to enhancing client relations. It can be used to inform the business whether the staff is keeping up with customers, whether the contact schedule is being upheld, and how to stay informed in the event that a consumer has sent a complaint.When the work is done manually, the employee must traverse through many systems to return to a single customer in order to access various pieces of information via various systems. RPA enables us to access various stored pieces of information from a single location, enabling the business to aid its customers better.
- Data Management
Any manufacturing sector that wants to prosper needs frequent and efficient modifications. Shifting data from outdated to modern systems is a vital task that the manufacturing industry needs to take up. This is expected to grow in order to guarantee business process consistency and continual absorption of fresh procurement into the production cycle.Due to the inherent interconnectedness of the systems, there is a greater chance of compound errors in manual operations, which could prove to be significant and expensive. Meanwhile, RPA, with an intelligent document processing solution, can boost the data management process with easy data access and availability.
- Strengthening the reporting and management system
Processing challenges that manufacturing organizations encounter frequently can place a significant burden on the administrative departments. RPA can act as a magic wand in this situation to cope with efficiently managing administration.With the help of AI-powered bots, all necessary reports for presenting an accurate and timely portrayal of production can be created. This would also encourage better decision-making regarding the business procedures to be used to achieve the intended results for the company.
- Regulating all processes
Since no process-related information is managed traditionally by manufacturers, automation platforms like that of AutomationEdge permit the secure handling of sensitive corporate information as well as the data of customers and suppliers. The bots’ operations are completely transparent and can be examined in a central record. As a result, gathering the data needed for audits can be done quickly.The use of RPA for manufacturing also results in seamless process upgrades, which makes it easier to notice ongoing changes to compliance rules.
- Inventory management
Inventory management tasks carried out manually in the back office have become exceedingly labor-intensive. Variations in elements such as supplier delivery and customer demand can lead to a lack of predictability that muddles the process completion even more and causes incorrect inventory turnover as well as difficulties meeting the fluctuating demand.Finding and fixing flaws becomes a far more attractive option when using bots to automate communications, acquisition processes, and the digitization of documentation, as well as for monitoring inventory levels and customer demand. The bots offer increased operational effectiveness, significant cost savings, and improved communication with suppliers and customers.
Final Reflections
RPA is a significant enabler for digital transformation activities in the manufacturing sector, not a tool that steals employment from people. RPA operates as a partner for manufacturers, assisting them in achieving a measurable ROI in less time, from streamlining core operations to improving quality.
Despite the fact that robotic process automation greatly benefits the industry, it is crucial to choose a trustworthy technology partner that can help you choose the appropriate solution for both your simple and complicated processes.
AutomationEdge can help you at every step of your RPA journey and provide solutions that will speed up business performance. Want to know how? Reach out for a Free Demo