Automation and Robotics
A Sustainable Path to Profit
For nearly any type of industry that makes or moves things, chances are your customers are evaluating you with a similar set of criteria:
Speed of delivery and responsiveness to changing needs.
Achieving consistent quality while maintaining low price-points.
Can your operation deliver on each of these often conflicting measures,
and still remain profitable?
While there are several paths to keep and grow your business, many options can tempt you to cut corners, or leave you constantly scrambling to keep up. To crank up the heat even more, competitors are knocking at your customers’ doors with promises of faster/better/cheaper.
automation and robotics for a sustainable path to profit
For all these challenges, few solutions can balance the demands as solidly as robotics.
If you ruled out robotics several years ago – or think it’s just an option for the big players – now is an exciting time to take a new look. With recent advancements that cut costs and expand capabilities, robotics has become a viable path to profitability for more businesses than ever.
robotics can improve your speed to market
Robotics can improve your speed to market
1.Simple tasks are performed more quickly versus manual processes
2.Robots free-up your skilled workforce to perform more complex tasks, making better use of time and money.
3.Robotics provides consistent and predictable productivity that reduces management oversight. Common factors that jeopardize timelines (retraining, shift changes, sick time and turnover) have less impact on your operation.
robotics automation for truss fabrication raised production capacity for this manufacturer
A robotic system for truss fabrication raised production capacity from 20-25 units per month to 6-7 per day
Read the case study
robotics can easily scale and adapt to changing demands
Robotics can easily scale and adapt to changing demands
1.Up to 4 robots can be added to a single controller to multiply the speed/scale of a task.
2.A single robot can be programmed to perform multiple tasks in a single setup – easing transition time, training and space requirements.
3.Programming / reprogramming is typically less time than prepping a conventional setup. Programming robots has become easier than in the past, so programmers can be more easily found or trained in-house.
4.Software and perception technology has expanded robotic capabilities in recent years – allowing them to perform more tasks than previously possible.
Using simple robotic teaching methods, lean job shop Rapid-Line is able to perform as many as 800 jobs a week – some with as little as a 4-hour turnaround time.
Watch the case study video
robotics deliver consistent quality
Robotics deliver consistent quality
1.Robotic movements are consistent, focused and precise – often with better than 0.5 mm repeatability.
2.Avoid increased productivity loss and re-work that tends to happen late in a shift or work week due to fatigue.
3.Quality scales up without the challenges of finding skilled workers to maintain it.
a robotic welding system for agricultural equipment improved quality and increased speed
A robotic welding system for 12 different hay baler roll assemblies reduced tolerances by half and cut time doing rework.
Read the case study
robotic automation delivers rapid ROI
For the right processes, robotic automation delivers rapid ROI
through cost reduction and added value.
1.Buy-in is simple and flexible, with turnkey and pre-programmed workcells that can be set up in under a couple days.
2.Capital expense can be easily financed and provide tax advantages.
3.Through an in-house specialist or robotics partner, ongoing programming and maintenance costs are lower than training and maintaining equivalent staff.
4.The life cycle of a robot can last years beyond its break-even threshold, then can be remanufactured for a “second life.”
5.Unlike other forms of automation, robots can be repurposed for a broad range of applications.
6.Increased margins through predictable, high-quality production give you the leverage needed to stay competitive, retain customers and win new business.
Motoman Robot Handling and Case Packing
Motoman UP6 material handling system assembles cardboard cases, packs product, and adds slip sheets.Medical IV Kits
Robotic system is integrated with industry-standard case packing equipment. Solution meets customer’s requirements for flexibility, mobility, ease of operation, and minimum floor space. System achieves or betters cycle time: averages 5 seconds for small cases and 6 seconds for large cases.
Project Challenges
Integrate a flexible robotic solution with industry standard case packing equipment.
Provide a portable robot on a mobile docking cart that can easily be moved between production modules with minimal changeover required.
Batch-process one type of product at a time into either small or large cases with cycle time of six seconds or less per pick and place.
Handle multiple part configurations, as well as slip sheets, with the same vacuum gripper.
Minimize floor space requirements.
Keep operator interface simple.
Motoman Robotics Solution
Motoman Robotics provided a highly flexible case packing solution, including:
Motoman UP6 robot with XRC controller
Customer supplied 2.4-m (8-ft) powered belt-type product infeed conveyor
Customer supplied 1.2-m (4-ft) powered belt-type product singulation conveyor
Slip sheet stand
Customer supplied system with automatic case erector and controls. Includes powered belt-type case infeed conveyor with side-grip rails, and top and bottom case sealer
Flexview™ 1000 touch-screen operator interface panel
Mobile docking cart, including robot riser, base for XRC controller, removable steel handle, and docking station with pneumatic lock-down capability
Safety enclosure: clear plastic panels in extruded aluminum frame with electrical door interlocks
Light tower and status beacon
STEM Robotics Education
welding robot teaching cell for STEM robotics educationWorkforce Development for Students and
STEM-Based Programs
Equipment | Curriculum
Yaskawa Motoman provides multiple educational robots and solutions for education and workforce development. This includes our STEM Robotics education cells, Simple Education System and customizable training programs.
We help educators empower the local workforce and enable students to become proficient in robotics.
Teach robotic programming using the same equipment deployed in factories around the world
Provide students with the skills required for careers in advanced manufacturing
Robot training systems available in standard and welding configurations
STEM Robotics Program
We developed the STEM Robotics Program to provide community colleges, vocational schools and technical colleges with the best possible equipment for teaching industrial robotics.
Students are excited about robotics. The success of high school robot competitions like FIRST and Vex make students enthusiastic about the chance to learn more advanced robot programming, and each year more of them are looking for opportunities to learn more.
Instructors want course work to be relevant and directly applicable to industry. The best colleges support their local community by preparing students to be successful on Day 1 of their careers as technicians and engineers in factories and other industries.
Smarty Pants IOT 