There are a few key points from the video I’d like you to remember. First, automation can significantly reduce direct labor costs in the right environment. As you saw previously, in a continuous manufacturing process, it is possible to increase output without increasing the direct labor that you would pay against that job.

Automation can dramatically increase production capacity due to setup elimination and extended hours machining. The concept of the process you saw in the case study is to run 24/7. By doing this, you get the increase of capacity as well as achieving very high utilization of the spindle.

The 5-axis or 3+2 machining, whichever applies, can simplify fixturing and reduce lead-times because you have less total time involved in processing the part and developing the fixture.

Five-axis machining can improve quality by reducing operations and the associated stack-up errors.

And finally, to remain lean and not over-invest is an important key to remember when it relates to 5-axis automation. The flexible approach allows you to not over-invest, meaning that it’s a modular concept. You can add capacity incrementally. This chart shows that if you have a certain capacity or volume that you need to produce, you can adjust the number of machines you have accordingly. As demand increases, you can easily invest to increase capacity instead of doing so beforehand. This allows you to use your cash flow more efficiently.