Question: What are the cons of automated systems??

Simon Lay answered on 15 Jun 2015:

Hi.
One of the biggest problems is working out exactly what the customer (scientist or mechanical engineer) wants the system to actually do. Often they don’t know until you start to get the automation up and running and their requirments creep as they gain experience using the system. This probably isn’t a problem in a biscuit factory where the same thing happens day in day out but in cutting edge science it is a problem we come across regularly.
Also if you do mis interpret what they want or get something wrong the implications can be expensive!