One element of a company’s robotization process may involve creating entirely new production lines or integrating new machines into existing ones. Implementation takes place after thoroughly analyzing the nature of the work, understanding the client’s expectations, and preparing customized designs. The assembly of production lines can be carried out largely at the integrator’s facility or built entirely from scratch at the client’s site. Below, we outline the situations in which each of these options works best.
Production lines assembled at the integrator’s facility
In most projects, part of the assembly work is carried out at the integrator’s facility—the entity responsible for automating the production line for a given company. There is no need for machines to arrive at the end customer in a state requiring full assembly from scratch. Whenever possible, production line assembly takes place at the integrator’s site, and the company receives the equipment in larger, already assembled modules. This approach offers several advantages:
- Easier assembly – the integrator has on-site access to all of their resources, tools, and infrastructure.
- Testing and configuration – before the machines reach the client, they can undergo more detailed inspections and full configuration.
- Safety – since the production lines are assembled under optimal conditions, the work is safer, and in case of any issues, specialists have greater ability to react quickly.
- Lower cost – sending teams to the client requires transporting not only the production equipment but also tools and technical staff, which increases the overall service cost. For the same reason, training carried out at the integrator’s facility may also be less expensive than training conducted at the client’s site.
- Confidentiality – the solutions used by integrators are protected by intellectual property rights, meaning some stages of the work must be performed under conditions ensuring confidentiality. This prevents information about how the production processes were automated from reaching unauthorized parties, including the client’s competitors.
Assembly of production lines at the client’s site
Despite the advantages mentioned above, there are situations in which assembling production lines entirely from scratch at the client’s site becomes a necessity. In some cases, even complex and time-consuming solutions must be implemented in this manner.
Sometimes the automation of production lines — including integration with systems and machines already in use — requires continuous modifications that cannot be anticipated during assembly at the integrator’s facility. The nature of the working environment also makes it possible to perform more precise tests directly at the client’s site, allowing the equipment settings to be better tailored to the requirements.
In some cases, carrying out the robotization of a production line entirely at the client’s site — including the assembly of all equipment — is simply more cost-effective in terms of both time and money. This may apply, for example, when logistical difficulties arise regarding the transport of large modules. For certain manufacturing facilities, assembling production lines at the integrator’s premises could also lead to longer and more economically burdensome downtime than assembling all systems and machines directly at the client’s site. Additionally, performing the work within the production facility may be required by legal regulations — for example, those related to safety.
Most of the assembly and installation work on production lines is therefore carried out in safe conditions at the integrator’s facility. However, the nature of the work or other specific factors may make it necessary to transfer the entire process to the client’s site. It is crucial that the production line is professionally designed by qualified specialists, as this ensures that the most optimal solution — both financially and practically — can be selected.
