Medical product manufacturers—including producers of medical devices and plastic medical components—are in the some of the most competitive segments of manufacturing. And many of them are growing 10% a year or faster than their peers, according to a recent survey of 151 North American manufacturers conducted by research firm Decision Analyst on behalf of IQMS.

The obvious reasons for automating quality in manufacturing are to reduce scrap, rework, overtime and costs while simultaneously increasing productivity and customer satisfaction. The non-obvious reasons include employee satisfaction, customer referrals and market growth. Automation also give managers and line workers insights into ongoing production.