A robot loading a CNC lathe from an organised infeed while completed parts leave the cell and guarding contains the operation.
Industrial automation and robotics

Manufacturing Automation Feasibility Studies

Which step is most likely to stop your proposed automation working in practice? Start with process variation, part arrival and the required cycle time, then use a focused trial to test the highest-risk assumption before defining the full system.

Speak directly with Oxford Industrial Automation about manufacturing automation feasibility.

Quick answer

What information is needed to assess whether a process should be automated?

Record the manual sequence, product variations, cycle times and the interruptions that slow production. Select the least predictable handling or process step for an initial trial. A useful feasibility study states what was tested, what remains uncertain and which assumptions would change the proposed scope or expected output.

A robot loading a CNC lathe from an organised infeed while completed parts leave the cell and guarding contains the operation.
Engineers commissioning robot tooling and production-cell interfaces in a controlled state.
Six useful questions

Describe what you need from manufacturing automation feasibility before choosing a solution

For assessing whether a production process is suitable for automation, share the normal condition, realistic range and difficult cases the finished system must handle.

Question 1

Part, Product and Process Variation for Manufacturing Automation Feasibility

For your initial enquiry about manufacturing automation feasibility, describe the current position, required outcome, acceptable limits and known exceptions for part, product and process variation for manufacturing automation feasibility. That lets us compare options against your real production rather than one nominal value.

Question 2

Arrival Pattern and Presentation

For your initial enquiry about manufacturing automation feasibility, describe the current position, required outcome, acceptable limits and known exceptions for arrival pattern and presentation. That lets us compare options against your real production rather than one nominal value.

Question 3

Required Cycle and Production Pattern

For your initial enquiry about manufacturing automation feasibility, describe the current position, required outcome, acceptable limits and known exceptions for required cycle and production pattern. That lets us compare options against your real production rather than one nominal value.

Question 4

Tooling, Sensing and Process Interfaces

For your initial enquiry about manufacturing automation feasibility, describe the current position, required outcome, acceptable limits and known exceptions for tooling, sensing and process interfaces. That lets us compare options against your real production rather than one nominal value.

Question 5

Operator Access, Recovery and Changeover

For your initial enquiry about manufacturing automation feasibility, describe the current position, required outcome, acceptable limits and known exceptions for operator access, recovery and changeover. That lets us compare options against your real production rather than one nominal value.

Question 6

Run-Off Criteria and Production Evidence

For your initial enquiry about manufacturing automation feasibility, describe the current position, required outcome, acceptable limits and known exceptions for run-off criteria and production evidence. That lets us compare options against your real production rather than one nominal value.

Applications

Two useful starting points for manufacturing automation feasibility

The right choice changes with part, product and process variation for manufacturing automation feasibility, arrival pattern and presentation, your line layout and required results.

What happens next

Your route from an initial enquiry to a working solution

You can review decisions about operator access, recovery and changeover and run-off criteria and production evidence at each stage.

  1. 01

    Observe the Current Process and Collect Representative Samples

    Share representative parts, process observations and cycle data, including the normal range for part, product and process variation for manufacturing automation feasibility and the difficult arrival pattern and presentation cases.

  2. 02

    Prove Handling and Process Risks in a Focused Feasibility Trial

    Compare suitable methods and use focused trials to show how each option performs against required cycle and production pattern.

  3. 03

    Design and Build the Complete Guarded Cell

    Connect the equipment to your line, services and controls while resolving tooling, sensing and process interfaces for day-to-day operation.

  4. 04

    Run Agreed Scenarios and Support Production Ramp-Up

    Confirm operator access, recovery and changeover, then complete and record run-off criteria and production evidence before your operating team takes over.

Important limits

Know what needs a separate check

Your final solution for manufacturing automation feasibility must reflect the law, current standards and site-specific risks that apply to your installation.