Understanding automation: the advantages and disadvantages

Automation is the use of instruments, like computer programs and software, to carry out repetitive operations. It is the idea of routine tasks handled by technology, freeing up mental capacity for more creative endeavours. Today we are talking about the advantages and disadvantages of automation.

The first and most evident advantage of automation is that it eliminates the need for human involvement. Let us take an example where you want to automate your sales funnel. Rather than having to monitor website chats manually, you now have a chatbot do the work for you. In the long run, this saves time and money, which is invaluable to many companies. 

Other advantages include:

• Increased production rates. A significant aspect of the manufacturing sector is automation, which enables higher production rates with fewer expenses and resources. Because of these benefits, automation is being used more often across a wide range of industries.
• Enhanced productivity. Automation has played a significant role in the workforce and is still expanding. Businesses can concentrate on more crucial duties, like innovation, while still finishing projects on schedule because of this productivity boost. These initiatives add value to the business and position it for future growth.
• More efficient use of resources. The manufacturing process is being impacted by new technologies. Automation allows for more efficient use of materials and yields higher quality products. Because of these advantages, manufacturers can produce better goods, which reduces manufacturing costs and increases return on investment while also improving customer satisfaction.
• Improved product quality. Businesses have long employed automation as a cost-saving measure. Automation has become more popular in the marketing sector in recent years as a result of its ability to help businesses manufacture goods more quickly, more affordably, and with far higher quality. Automation will likely become more and more common as marketers try to make use of its benefits to boost output.
• Increased safety. There are numerous benefits to automation. By decreasing human error, cutting expenses, and streamlining the production process, it can contribute to increased safety. This is particularly crucial in fields like mining and agriculture where there is a significant risk of accidents.
• Reduced workweeks. Automation may make it possible for employees to work fewer hours each week. Businesses can lower the number of employees required to operate at full capacity by substituting human labour with automation. Employees will have more time as a result to concentrate on other tasks such as management, training or development that require human interaction.
• Shorter factory lead times. The benefits of automation can be seen mostly in factories. Automation can cut manufacturing lead times in half or more from start to finish. This improves a factory's manufacturing output as well as the efficiency and quality of its output.
• Consistency. Automation provides a business with stability and consistency. Additionally, it gives the business a chance to adapt to changes in what their customers want. This is something that businesses will want more of as they continue to face the shifting demands of customers and the changing market conditions.
• Saves time. Automation is a big time saver. It saves time that would have been needed to perform tasks that a computer program or machine can now perform automatically. Automation has been the subject of much research and development, and new breakthroughs are made daily to increase its efficiency.

Automation can benefit people and businesses greatly when used and executed correctly. It can help you complete tasks more accurately while saving time and money. However, one of the main disadvantages is the cost of replacing human labour with automated systems. 

Other disadvantages include:

• Worker displacement. The most significant drawback of automation is the displacement of human labour. This is because a computerised task may be completed more quickly and accurately than a human could. For instance, self-driving cars have been used by Disney World to shuttle visitors around the resort for years. Many fear that as a result, there will be fewer jobs available for individuals.
• Requires a large capital investment. Automation has long been a staple of the industrial sector. Nevertheless, manufacturers must consider certain unforeseen implications before implementing automation. The requirement for significant capital expenditure to support and maintain automated systems is one of these effects. Additionally, these systems are more open to cyberattacks than manual ones would be, which puts businesses at risk if their infrastructure is not adequately secured.
• Becomes redundant. Automation is a practical fix for a lot of issues. But when anything changes and the automation needs to be adjusted, this convenience can become obsolete. These kinds of adjustments could end up costing the business valuable time and resources while just adding to its workload.
• Create new safety risks. When operating conditions suddenly change, automation might create new safety hazards. For instance, even though an autonomous vehicle is intended to drive itself, it is still conceivable for an accident to occur if a pedestrian crosses the road in less-than-ideal circumstances (such as at night or with poor vision).
• Still requires human intervention. Even though automation has been shown to have many advantages overall, some tasks still need human involvement. We will look at the self-driving car example mentioned above. These vehicles are capable of detecting the majority of roadblocks and can be programmed to stop. But in certain situations, such as when a barrier is not readily visible to the car's sensor, these devices may misread data and have undesirable consequences.

We appreciate you taking the time to read our blog post on understanding the advantages and disadvantages of automation. If you are thinking about studying abroad and pursuing a career in this field, take a look at our Master’s degree in Digitalization and Automation.

We have designed this program to help you apply the skills you have acquired with your first university degree in the fields of electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, computer science and industrial engineering. Additionally, you will develop a comprehensive understanding of digitalization and automation and your studies will prepare you in the best possible way to apply your knowledge in those fields.

At PFH we make sure you receive a high-quality education while making the most out of your study abroad experience!