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Automation is often seen as the ultimate solution for improving productivity and reducing costs in manufacturing. However, many companies discover that after implementing automation, the efficiency gains they anticipated simply don’t materialize.  

Why does this happen? The answer usually lies in a few critical missteps that occur before and during the automation process.  

Below I will discuss the major areas: automating a broken process, miscalculating efficiency and ROI, not gathering the right team early, and failing to define the scope. 

4 Reasons Your Manufacturing Process Automation Isn’t Producing the Results You Wanted

Automation can only perform as well as the processes, data, and people behind it. Here are some of the most common reasons automation projects don’t deliver the gains manufacturers hope for.  

1. You’re Automating a Broken Process

Automation doesn’t always fix inefficiency. Sometimes automation accelerates it. If your process flow is poorly designed, adding robots or automated systems will only make problems happen faster.  

Before investing in automation, take time to improve the fundamentals. Ensure materials are staged properly to minimize delays and implement Lean manufacturing practices to eliminate waste.  

It’s also important to evaluate connected processes upstream and downstream. If those areas are inefficient, your automated system will still face bottlenecks, and the overall workflow will suffer. 

2. You Miscalculated Automation Efficiency and ROI

Another common issue is miscalculating the true impact of automation. Many organizations fail to account for expected and unexpected downtime when calculating Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE). Without a clear baseline of current performance, it’s impossible to measure improvement accurately.  

Additionally, indirect labor costs often get overlooked. Automation doesn’t eliminate all human involvement—maintenance, material handling, and troubleshooting still require people. These hidden costs can significantly affect your ROI if they’re not factored in from the start. 

3. You Don’t Have a Clearly Defined Scope

Many automation initiatives lack a clearly defined scope.  

Before you start, ask yourself:  Are you trying to reduce cycle time, improve quality, or eliminate bottlenecks? Without clear objectives, automation can become an expensive experiment, wasting time and money.  

Identify the real constraints in your process and focus on solving those problems. And remember, product quality should always remain a priority. Automation should reduce scrap and improve consistency without compromising standards and requirements. 

4. You Didn’t Gather the Right Team Early Enough

Automation projects often fail because they’re planned in a management silo. The people who work with the process every day (operators, material handlers, engineers, maintenance) have valuable insights that can prevent costly mistakes. Involving them early not only improves the design but also builds buy-in and reduces resistance to change. Showing employees that their input matters fosters a culture of collaboration. 

Also, don’t hesitate to bring in outside expertise if you need it. Partners, like my team at ÐÓ°ÉÊÓƵ Engineering, can help align technology with your business goals and ensure your automation strategy is sound. 

Better Your Bottom Line

Automation is a powerful tool, but it’s not a magic wand. Success depends on correcting broken processes, calculating OEE and ROI accurately, involving the right team members, and having a clearly defined scope.  

If your automation isn’t living up to expectations, take it as a signal—not a setback. Diagnose the gaps, make small and steady adjustments, and treat optimization as part of your everyday operations.  

At ÐÓ°ÉÊÓƵ Engineering, we help manufacturers like you do exactly that: align people, processes, and technology for long-term efficiency. If you need help with automation implementation or fine-tuning, we’re here to help. Contact us online to start the conversation.