The Impact of Drones on Manufacturing: From Inspection to Inventory Management

Drones can be simply stated as aircraft that can be remotely controlled or fly autonomously using an onboard computer. You have definitely heard of or seen drones around your neighborhood or while watching the TV. But what exactly makes it this functional and what are the technologies behind this beautiful innovation? 

Drones, also called Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have over the recent years emerged as a powerful technological innovation. Originally, drones were built purposely for Military applications but they have since expanded into various industrial sectors including agriculture, Business, logistics and manufacturing. 

Importance of Drones in the Manufacturing Industry

Drones have revolutionized the manufacturing industry changing the way processes were done traditionally. The use of drones in manufacturing offers solutions to safety protocols, enhancing efficiency and productivity. These drones are capable of accessing hard-to-reach areas, gathering real-time data, and performing tasks autonomously that would be otherwise dangerous to humans. 

Furthermore, manufacturers utilize drones for a range of purposes including inventory management, equipment inspection, and logistics support. Drones reduce the need for manual labor thus minimizing the risk of human errors whilst streamlining operations and reducing costs. 

As the manufacturing industry thrives and evolves technologically, the role of drones is expected to grow which will even lead to a sprout of innovation and comPetitiveness in the industry.

Types of Drones Used in Manufacturing

Drones are increasingly becoming an integral part of modern manufacturing with industries adopting this technology in different ways and types. We will discuss the three primary types of drones used today which include:

• Multi-rotor drones
• Fixed-wing drones
• Hybrid drone

Multirotor Drones

Multirotor are the most commonly used type of drone in manufacturing. These drones are designed to have multiple rotors which usually range from four(quadcopters) to eight(octocopters, allowing for stability and precise control. Multirotor drones can maneuver in tight spaces and also hover in place, making them an ideal choice for detailed inspections and close-up monitoring.

Common Applications and Benefits

• Inspection of Equipment and Infrastructure: Multirotor drones are equipped with high-resolution cameras and sensors to capture detailed images and data from various angles to help in identifying potential issues during inspection of machinery, pipelines and structural components with industries.
• Inventory Management: Large warehouses also use these drones to take and update inventory and stocks where manual tracking of inventory can be cumbersome, time-consuming and erroneous. Multirotor drones achieve this immense task by flying through aisles and scanning barcodes or RFID tags.
• Safety Monitoring: Multirotor drones also enhance workplace safety by performing hazardous tasks thus not exposing workers to these restricted zones. For instance they can be used to monitor dangerous areas such as chemical storage zones or high-voltage equipment without endangering human operators. 

Fixed-Wing Drones

Fixed-wing drones have a great contrast to multirotor drones. These drones are designed more or less like traditional airplanes, with a rigid wing structure that provides lift off as the drone moves forward. Unlike multirotor drones, fixed-wing drones cannot hover in place though they cover a much larger area and can fly for longer periods, making them ideal for tasks that are in need of long-distance monitoring.

Advantages for Long-Distance Monitoring:

• Surveillance of Large Facilities: Their ability to fly over vast areas at high speeds enables them to capture comprehensive aerial views that assist managers monitor operations, assess infrastructure and plan maintenance in expansive manufacturing plants like automotive or aerospace.
• Mapping and Surveying: Equipped with advanced sensors and cameras, they generate high-resolution maps and 3D models in large construction sites, mining operations or agricultural fields linked with manufacturing.
• Extended Flight Time: Fixed wing drones record longer flight times compared to their counterparts and often lasting several hours on a single charge simplifying continuous monitoring processes.

Hybrid Drones

Hybrid drones as the name suggests features a taste in the best of both worlds that is Mulitrotor and fixed-wing drones. They are designed to take-off and land vertically but can also transition into fixed-wing flight for greater speed and range. The capability makes hybrid drones increasingly popular in the manufacturing industry.

Combining Features of Multirotor and Fixed-Wing Drones:

• Versatile Operations: Hybrid drones are able to perform a wide range of tasks that would require multiple types of drones. They can remain in hover state for detailed instructions and switch to fixed-wing mode for surveillance in long-distance.
• Efficiency and Flexibility: The ability to interchange between different flight modes allows efficient operation of hybrid drones.
• Cost-Effectiveness: It is cost-effective since it reduces the need for multiple specialized drones meaning few drones will be needed to cover a range of tasks.

Applications of Drones in Manufacturing

In the manufacturing industry, drones are used for various purposes as described below!

Inventory Management

Drones equipped with RFID scanners, barcode readers and HD cameras are revolutionizing inventory tracking and management by automating these processes. These drones navigate through warehouses, autonomously scanning inventory in real-time. 

They can quickly track the movement of goods, update inventory records and identify levels of stock without human intervention. This automation of processes speeds up activities and allows real-time data to be collected by drones and seamlessly integrated to warehouse management systems(WMS) thus simplifying decision making and efficient resource allocation.

Quality Control and Inspection

Quality control as an aspect ensures that products meet specified standards and are free of defects. Previously quality inspections involved manual checks  which were laborious and limited in scope. Drones offer a better alternative to quality control by providing detailed, high-resolution inspections of products and equipment.

Drones with advanced imaging Technology conduct thorough inspections of machinery production lines and finished products. For example, drones can inspect welding seams, detect leaks in pipes, or monitor the uniformity of coatings, providing invaluable data to quality assurance teams.

Maintenance and Monitoring

Drones provide a much safer and efficient solution for performing maintenance checks for smooth operation of manufacturing equipment which would be hazardous when performed manually.

By collecting real-time data of events and occurrences, drones can be used to provide predictive maintenance by detecting potential issues earlier before they lead to equipment failure. Issues such as wear and tear, misalignment or overheating are detected far much more earlier.

Logistics and Supply Chain Management

Logistics and supply chain being a core part of manufacturing, drones have been adopted to streamline delivery processes within manufacturing plants especially in areas where traditional transportation methods may be slower or costly.

Many top companies have adopted the use of drones in fulfilling their delivery Business. Companies like Amazon now use drones for last mile deliveries particularly to remote areas or busy streets too.

Drones in Specific Manufacturing Sectors

Drones are used in various specific sectors which include: 

• Automotive injection molding
• Medical plastic injection molding

Automotive Manufacturing

One of the major assets in automotive injection is plastic injection molding which is responsible for producing a wide array of components i.e dashboards, engine covers, bumpers etc. 

Drones equipped with thermal imaging cameras can perform close-up inspections of molds checking mismatches or defects that could compromise the overall quality of the final program and are not visible to the naked eye. These gadgets have come in handy when it comes to inspecting mold finishes.

Medical Device Manufacturing

Drones are used in medical device manufacturing to ensure the quality and consistency of components produced through plastic mold. They perform inspection on both molds and finished parts with the help of HD cameras and advanced sensors that detect microscopic defects like micro-cracks and surface irregularities. These drones help in maintaining product integrity , ensuring safety and effectiveness.

Application of drones in manufacturing (Image Source: LinkedIn)

Conclusion

As technological advancement continues, drones have become invaluable assets in modern manufacturing ensuring operations are streamlined and safety is upheld. In automotive manufacturing, drones are used to monitor production lines, inspect equipment and also manage hazardous tasks. The drones are capable of performing detailed inspections, maintaining product integrity and complying with regulatory requirements.

The future of drone development and advancement is exciting as future innovations which may include AI-driven analytics, improved autonomy, integration with IoT and machine learning will drive even better efficiencies, cost reduction and avenue for new possibilities in the manufacturing industries.