The current situation should make us reflect on whether the time has come to get serious about automating our production processes and being able to implement technology in factories, in order to depend as little as possible on external circumstances, in addition to political decisions.

Is it time to take the country’s reindustrialization seriously rather than focusing on hosting tourists? Have we learned anything from Asian countries, which have not only strengthened their position as manufacturers but are also automating their industries to remain more competitive? Robotics and Industry 4.0 must be the key players in the short term.

It’s obvious we all have an opinion on what’s been happening in recent months. We’ve all heard about politicians’ management, the evolution of the universe, or even spy stories reminiscent of James Bond scripts… as well as countless other topics I dare not mention out of sheer ignorance.

But what is indisputable are the consequences of a pandemic of this nature: the paralysis of the global economy, the panic surrounding social settings, the fear of traveling to different destinations, the change in hygiene habits or greetings among friends… in short, a major revolution in every possible way. We even hear comparisons with the consequences of a World War.

For business owners and executives at various companies, a new headache has arisen: “the uncertainty of quarantines.” This means losing staff at all levels for several days. Without advance notice, overnight, and with no possibility of negotiation or planning.

There are no magic formulas to avoid such situations, for now, although there is great anticipation of a vaccine that will allow us to return to our former normality. But until then, we must look to modern solutions, and this entails the possibility of digitalization and industrial automation in certain processes and jobs.

Just like household devices like the famous “Roomba,” we must automate operations in industries that do not add value to the product or the customer, and which are also demotivating for workers and employees.

Machines, conveyors, industrial and collaborative robots, artificial vision… are systems that help improve the efficiency and capacity of production processes, reduce costs, enhance the company’s image, help initiate digitalization, and also motivate employees to work in a modern company with a drive for growth.

Reflecting on automation processes involves fears about the changes it can generate in companies, risks in the investments to be made, doubts about the results to be obtained, and reservations about the human perception generated within companies.

Why is automation beneficial in industrial companies?

The implementation of technologies in production plants generates benefits such as:

• Increased production capacity.
• Reduction of errors and quality failures.
• Reduction of costs due to material and raw material consumption.
• Improved ergonomics and employee risks.
• Replacement of personnel costs with company assets.
• Hiring more qualified personnel and increasing continuous improvement projects.
• Improved customer and user perception.
• Experience and control for international expansion and the location of plants abroad.

In short, a wide range of benefits that help companies become more competitive, with a greater level of sustainability and the ability to face the challenges that arise in the near and medium-term future.

Furthermore, we are encountering companies that are halting operations because the pandemic requires quarantines, and in certain operations, this could be solved by implementing automated systems that perform the same task, even with greater speed and repeatability.

At Sinfiny, we are aware that introducing changes to a company’s processes can involve a great deal of uncertainty and even complexity. However, our team of engineers is committed to supporting the company in the analysis of the different operations and achieving the maximum benefit for both people and the company itself.

In the times we find ourselves in… how is it possible that a pandemic like COVID-19 is having such a profound social and economic impact on us? The Fourth Industrial Revolution must be part of the solution to sustaining the Spanish economy.