Defining your manufacturing automation project

Integrating advanced automation systems into their processes and workflows allows businesses across a range of industries to achieve faster production rates, higher levels of precision, and greater flexibility in their operations. But the value of automation extends to worker safety, satisfaction, and effectiveness in day-to-day tasks as well. To get the most out of a new integration, manufacturing automation project definition is critical.

Failure to define your project requirements succinctly and accurately can lead to higher costs, unnecessary delays, and resource-intensive responses to get back on track.

In this article, we’ll cover crucial steps to scoping and delivering effective automation projects. With a clear understanding, businesses can harness the full potential that automation presents for the manufacturing industry and other industries seeking to create products and goods efficiently and at scale.

Five principles for effective manufacturing automation project management

#1: Be organized when setting up your project

Automation projects are inherently complex. The best way to handle this complexity is systematic rigor at the project management level. 

• Divide requirements into sections that represent the solution’s critical features
  
• Group specifications by higher level engineering design features
  
• Avoid specifying items that pertain to one subsystem in multiple places

#2: Be specific and direct with suppliers

Clear communication and transparency are imperative in automation project management. Whether focusing on small industrial automation projects or something more advanced, ask directly for what you want. If the supplier disagrees, they will voice this disagreement.


#3: Spell out your requirements clearly

Successful automation project management depends on getting clear-cut with the basics and more advanced project elements. Write requirements in a bulleted list. Clearly state each requirement to automate effectively to enable clear communication and understanding.

#4: Be careful when relying on standards

For automation systems, specifications typically draw on industry standards. However, standards are written in a comprehensive format, with multiple interpretations. 

Include the standard, but be sure to state your specific requirement. Whether pursuing systems integration or custom-built technology, avoiding assumptions is imperative when automating processes and workflows.

#5: Eliminate anything that doesn’t pertain to your specific automation project

In small industrial automation projects, companies might reuse a specification, leverage company boilerplate, or reference existing company standards. But be sure to exclude anything that doesn’t pertain to the system at hand. Unnecessary inclusions in industrial automation make it more challenging to interpret the most essential requirements.

Define the size and scope
of your manufacturing automation project

The scope typically begins with a brief statement concerning: 

1. What will be done, and 
2. How it will be accomplished

Generally, this is a list of phases or top-level tasks, such as design, construction, development, and deployment. The scope should also include a statement about installation and training to address these items, as well as any future plans for scalability and sustainability to take into account. 

Identify the technical requirements
of your system

The key to any project definition is the technical requirements deemed necessary by the customer. These requirements should be a comprehensive view of the features, factors, and parameters the customer considers essential for success. 

As stated previously, requirements are best presented as a bulleted list, organized by topic. Each statement should describe what is required, defining relevant metrics and their acceptable limits, from simple requirements to more complex innovation.

Describe the five critical manufacturing automation project deliverables


A deliverables document should include all the physical and project items expected from the vendor. This includes, but is not limited to:

#1: Reviews, meetings, or status reports

It is crucial to define what reviews, meetings, and status reports can be expected. The deliverables above provide structured, built-in opportunities to assess progress, address issues promptly, and make informed decisions about whether to stay the course or pivot.

#2: Analysis

Defining deliverables related to analysis such as Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA),  risk assessment, and other important product areas is pivotal in manufacturing automation project management. These analyses help identify potential issues early, allowing for proactive mitigation strategies. Safeguarding project success and enhancing the reliability and safety of automation systems and manufacturing processes is critical.

#3: Documentation

Detailing deliverables related to process development and system design documentation, such as drawings, CAD models, software source code, and other prototyping related material, is essential in manufacturing automation project management. Comprehensive documentation of automation systems ensures that all technical aspects are clearly communicated.

#4: Tests

Define system design deliverables related to tests, such as buy-offs and process mockups. These quality control deliverables validate that the automated systems meet specified requirements and function as intended. Tests enable more seamless development of your automation systems, minimizing the risk of operational disruptions and building stakeholder confidence in the project’s success. Automated testing is also possible in certain cases, and a critical advantage in projects for which it makes sense.

#5: Services

Specify deliverables related to services, such as installation support, production ramp-up, and training. Deliverables ensure a seamless transition from project implementation to full operational status. Preparing your workforce for the future of human-robot interaction and equipping them with necessary skills can minimize downtime, maximize productivity, and ensure positive return on investment.

Common deliverables for manufacturing automation projects

Mechanical drawings of consumable or perishable tooling

Providing deliverables such as mechanical drawings of consumable or perishable tooling is critical. Documentation is required to ensure replacement parts can be quickly manufactured or sourced to minimize downtime, maintain efficiency, and ensure continuity of automated processes.

Assembly drawings with a bill of materials

Deliverables such as assembly drawings, with a detailed bill of materials, is useful  to indicate suppliers for off-the-shelf components. Ensuring the availability of the parts required for system design assembly and maintenance is essential to maintain progress, and these key deliverables streamline the procurement process, reduce lead times, and facilitate efficient project execution and long-term system upkeep.

Electrical and pneumatic schematics


Delivering comprehensive electrical and pneumatic schematics is critical in manufacturing automation project management. These schematics provide essential insights into the system’s wiring and airflow configurations. Visibility into the system at this level ensures proper installation, troubleshooting, and maintenance, improving the reliability and safety of automated equipment.

Source code for the PC, robot controller, or PLC


Providing automation systems source code for the PC, robot controller, or PLC (programmable logic controller) ensures that the automation system’s software can be reviewed, modified, and updated as needed. With advanced planning, customization, troubleshooting, and future upgrades are more feasible in maintaining optimal automation systems performance and adaptability.

An operating manual 

Delivering an operating manual that details how to start and stop the system and perform basic troubleshooting is essential in manufacturing automation project management. An operating manual equips operators with the knowledge to efficiently manage and maintain the system. The end result is minimized downtime and safe operations.

How Fresh can help with your next manufacturing automation project

One way we’ve referred to ourselves, regarding manufacturing, is “end-to-end automation integrators.” We emphasize custom when speaking about our solutions, but in some cases, “custom” involves integrating an off-the-shelf component or an existing standard to move faster and help clients realize the value of their manufacturing automation system.

Our engineers can assist with a variety of client needs. 

Identifying opportunities for automation: Where would you benefit from automation the most? What’s the ideal approach to acting on your opportunity? Fresh’s end-to-end engineering team can help you understand what manufacturing processes in your workflow present the most value in terms of potential automation.

Selecting appropriate automation system tools and components: As stated previously, we specialize in custom systems. But often, “custom” involves leveraging existing tools or components, reconfiguring them, and creating a new solution that increases value. Our team can provide expertise and evaluate different automation technologies, as well as determine their compatibility with your system.

Planning, designing, and roadmapping your project: Project management is in Fresh’s DNA. From the outset, we help our clients define the steps of their own project management workflow to ensure timely delivery and cost-effectiveness, while ensuring that any proposal fits authentically with existing project management methods. That may involve an overhaul of what’s already there, or adding on and augmenting the foundation to improve and optimize. With expertise in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, robotics engineering, and numerous other fields, we provide support wherever you need it, baking multi-disciplinary knowledge and skills into every phase of your project.

Implementing custom automation solutions: For clients across a range of manufacturing-related industries including medical device manufacturing, healthcare product development, and consumer products, we’ve assisted with integrating the final system. Understanding that organizations in many cases need to be “always online,” we ensure that this is done seamlessly, minimizing disruption.

Ongoing training and support: Post-implementation, your workforce needs to be well-prepared to work with the automated system. Fresh provides extensive training, documentation, and support materials to make this seamless.

Continuous monitoring and optimization: Our team can also put infrastructure in place for continuous system assessment and improvement. Achieving and maintaining peak efficiency is a challenge, but it’s not insurmountable, and we help you get there—and stay there.

Let’s connect to discuss your next opportunity!