Boosted Productivity & Throughput: Automation significantly increases the rate of production and overall output.
Enhanced Quality & Consistency: Automated processes lead to more uniform product quality and a higher level of predictability, reducing variations and errors.
Greater Process Robustness: Automation ensures consistent execution of processes, leading to more reliable and predictable outcomes.
Reduced Labor Costs: Over time, automation can lower direct human labor costs and associated expenses.
Disadvantages of Automation:
Security Vulnerabilities: Automated systems, due to their often limited intelligence, can be susceptible to security threats and errors when encountering situations outside their programmed scope (e.g., they lack common sense reasoning).
Potentially Excessive Development Costs: The initial research and development investment for automating a process can sometimes outweigh the long-term cost savings.
High Upfront Investment: Automating new products or facilities typically demands a substantial initial capital expenditure, though these costs can be amortized across multiple products and over time.
Increased Training and Technical Support Needs: Implementing and maintaining automated systems requires additional specialized training for personnel and ongoing technical assistance.
