Engineers, by their very nature, tend to be builders and tinkerers. Nonetheless, faced with an automation project, they need to think long and hard before taking on the work themselves. Without the right type of game plan, an in-house project can easily turn into an expensive, time-consuming nightmare.
Ultimately, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to the build-or-buy question. The answer depends on factors such as time constraints, the size of the manufacturer and the assembly application.