In the past decade, the hardware processing industry has experienced a quiet revolution.
This revolution is not a simple transformation from manual work to machines, but a fundamental change from whether to automate to having to automate.
While many people are still discussing whether automation is worth it, the industry has already given the answer with practical actions.
1. Labor shortage, forcing rigid demand
Around 2015, hardware factory owners in Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Guangdong began to generally feel a significant change: young people are no longer willing to enter the factory.
Among the operators in the workshop, an increasing proportion are over 40 years old, and fewer and fewer are under 25 years old.
Every old master who is good at polishing and adjusting machines will retire and one less person will be lost. Even if the salary increases every year, it may not be possible to recruit suitable people.
The way automated equipment solves this problem is very straightforward.
With an adapted abrasive belt deburring machine or roller brush deburring machine, one operator can take care of two to three pieces of equipment at the same time, without having to worry about personnel flow or work-related injuries.
The equipment will not take leave or resign, and the output will be stable.
2. Cost pressure: whatever you save is net profit
If a polisher’s monthly salary is 7,000 yuan, that’s 84,000 yuan a year. Add in social security and management costs, and the actual expenditure easily exceeds 120,000 yuan.
If three shifts are implemented, labor costs will increase two to three times.
The one-time investment for an automated deburring equipment may range from hundreds of thousands to hundreds of thousands, but its service life is usually more than ten years and the maintenance cost is extremely low.
What’s more important is quality consistency.
Manual operation depends on the state and feel of the operator. If you are in a good mood today and do fine work, tomorrow if you are tired, problems such as missed burrs and uneven cutting may occur. Complaints and returns from downstream customers are direct losses.
The processing parameters of the automated equipment are fixed, and the quality of each product can be stabilized at the same level.
3. Industrial upgrading: Customers force suppliers to automate
The surface treatment requirements for components in the terminal manufacturing industry are increasing every year.
Major downstream customers of hardware processing such as auto parts, hydraulic systems, and precision instruments have already included automated processing in their supplier review standards. This is not a bonus, but an entry threshold.
There is no stable automated production capacity, and there is no qualification for bidding.
There is another trend worthy of attention: customized orders are becoming increasingly fragmented.
In the past, 10,000 pieces of a model were made, but now the minimum order may be 1,000 pieces, and fast delivery is required.
It takes a long time to switch tooling fixtures in manual production lines, but automation equipment can be changed much faster. Flexible production capabilities have become a new competitiveness.
FAQ
Q: How much does an automation equipment cost?
Answer: Depending on the configuration, the abrasive belt deburring machine ranges from hundreds of thousands to hundreds of thousands, and the roller brush machine is relatively cheap.
The specific requirements need to be comprehensively evaluated based on the workpiece material, size, and production capacity requirements.
Q: What other problems can be solved with automated equipment?
Answer: In addition to saving labor, it can also improve product consistency, reduce scrap rates, and shorten delivery cycles. In the long run, the overall cost will be lower.
Q: Can small factories also use automation equipment?
Answer: Yes.
There are now flexible solutions for small batches and multiple specifications, and the equipment investment threshold is much lower than five years ago. The key is to choose the right configuration that suits you.
Q: Is the operation of automation equipment complicated?
Answer: The equipment is equipped with a CNC system as standard. After presetting the parameters, it can be started with one click. Operators can get started with simple training, so there is no need to worry about the technical threshold.
“The industry reshuffle will not wait for anyone. Automation is not the future, it is now. The window is closing.”
