QUALITY THROUGH AUTOMATION.

In the medical product industry, the solution to production problems often - but not always - lies in automation. Automating a factory may not always be a cost-effective measure. For example, if a manufacturer produces a line of surgical instruments in short runs (e. g. , in batches of several hundred), automation is not likely to be beneficial, since the changeover time involved in fixturing and setting up an automated machine would outweigh all potential savings and would generate a net cost increase. If, on the other hand, a firm's products are consistently associated with long production runs (as is the case with syringes, catheters, and certain pharmaceuticals), investment in a specially designed production line or machine may be justified. In such cases, automation can not only upgrade a product's quality and marketability but also lower that product's cost by using more machine-hours, reducing man-hours, decreasing the number of rejects produced, and permitting faster, more efficient volume production. This article explores the manner in which the cost/benefit analyses of automation can be conducted. It then discusses the types of machines that are available as well as basic operational concepts and trends.