The concept of utilizing collaborative robots for lights-out manufacturing can look like a contradiction in phrases. In spite of everything, cobots differ from conventional robots by with the ability to work side-by-side with human employees, and lights-out manufacturing is a human-free automation strategy. However the collaborative facet of cobots is extra than simply the power to share a piece cell. Cobots are additionally outlined by their affordability, flexibility, and ease-of-use—traits which might be vital for brand spanking new lights-out purposes.
LIGHTS-OUT MANUFACTURING IS GETTING SMALLER
Factories with no people in sight are nonetheless uncommon and are sometimes restricted to extraordinarily high-volume, high-cost operations. The overwhelming majority of producers are small and mid-sized enterprises (SMEs), with restricted automation budgets to help what is usually low-volume, high-mix, or changeable purposes.
Many SMEs are considering a lights-out strategy for third-shift operations or to handle seasonal peaks. In at the moment’s market, the place producers are struggling to rent and retain employees in addition to meet high quality and supply expectations, these further shifts might be troublesome—and costly—to workers. In different conditions, producers could select to make use of lights-out automation for particular processes which might be unsuitable or unsafe for human employees to be round, resembling people who contain excessive temperatures or noxious gases.
INVEST IN ADDITIONAL CNC MACHINE, OR INCREASE CAPACITY OF THE ONE IN-HOUSE?
New Jersey-based Whippany Actuation Systems makes parts for the aerospace and protection industries. When the corporate instantly wanted to extend capability, the choices have been to make a major funding in a further CNC machine or to make higher use of the one in-house. A UR cobot with an adaptive gripper now handles a number of half sizes and permits Whippany to run two further unattended shifts utilizing the prevailing CNC machine.
Phil De Mauro, Whippany manufacturing engineering chief, mentioned, “We’ve added capability by with the ability to run the machine throughout unattended hours, but it surely’s additionally freed-up expert employees to do different duties versus loading and unloading the machine—it frees them as much as do extra value-added actions.”
Lights-out automation has helped Whippany meet its elevated productiveness targets, but it surely additionally helps in different elements, resembling improved margins, elevated competitiveness, and shortened lead time. Read the full Whippany case study.
