Investigating the barriers to increase Levels of Automation. : A case study in pre-assembly of tap changer assembly line.

Abstract: The overarching goal of this thesis is to investigate and explore the barriers that a company would face while increasing the Levels of Automation (LoA), in the preassembly production unit. To achieve the primary goal of investigating the barriers this study takes a threefold approach. Firstly, the current LoA was measured for the preassembly workstations. This measurement was conducted by incorporating an existing methodology adapted from the literature review known as DYNAMO++ methodology. This method is incorporated such that, the current LoA of the preassembly workstations could be measured and analysed. The current LoA of the preassembly workstations are analysed to investigate the potential workstations where LoA could be increased, in line with the company’s triggers for implementing automation. For this, experiences of the personnel’s belonging to the operational level of preassembly workstations were incorporated, to find the scope of improvements for increasing the LoA. Additionally, the company’s triggers for implementing automation was investigated from the managerial level. The research questions were answered by adapting an explorative, single case study method. Additionally, four types of data collection techniques were used, such as – interviews, focus groups, observations, and document analysis. Subsequently, source triangulation was adapted to analyse the data collected; to develop a comprehensive understanding of the barriers identified., Finally, the barriers faced by the company to increase LoA are identified by considering the implications that the improvement opportunities would impose upon the production systems environment. The identified barriers were then categorised further based on factors that exist internal as well as external to the production systems environment. The barriers identified in this study highlights various factors that the management must consider beforehand while initiating automation decisions in future automation projects in the preassembly area. Regardless of the barriers faced by the company, there are more opportunities to improve manufacturing processes through automation technologies. This thesis contributes to the knowledge of the factors that restrain the implementation of automation technologies and how companies could deal with it.