How an automotive manufacturer shortened its production cycle by 20% with JAKA cobots

The company, an #automotive manufacturer, producing isokinetic belts and providing an after-sales service for additional auto parts and products, had been operating a production line with 119 #cutting and #milling machines for some time, and had come to the decision that it was about time for an upgrade.

The Problem

The existing system required 60 specialists to work on the machines across five machine tending areas. The specialists had to endure high levels of noise and a tight working space, and were exposed to health and safety risks.?

The company wanted to create better working conditions for their employees, while reducing insurance, electricity and water costs, and shortening production cycles.

The process was already automated to a certain extent, but an assessment of the latest automation technologies showed that it could be fully automated with the help of #cobots. Such #automation would also allow for an expansion of the number of machines used and thus an increase in production capacity.

The Solution

For this project, a total of 56?JAKA Pro 12?collaborative robots (cobots) were implemented. With the help of a system integrator, they were set to service all of these 119 cutting and milling machines, across the five areas of #machinetending. The effects of the harsh environment were mitigated by the JAKA Pro 12’s IP68-grade protection, which makes the cobot immune to dust, water and oil.

The company was clear about their expectations for constant production, and therefore chose cobots that can operate 24 hours a day, for 50,000 hours (and almost six years) straight, without any interruption.

The cobots were set to work on machining a variety of products, such as inner rotary hooks, intermediate shafts, three-pin shafts and more. The huge range of end effectors on offer meant that handling these items was not a problem, despite their often smooth surfaces and idiosyncratic shapes.

Integrating the cobots into the production line took about a week, with each machine tending area taking about a day and a half. After the integration was completed, the company wanted to make some minor adjustments. Thanks to the cobots' comfort training and graphical programming capability, the company's employees were able to make these adjustments without the help of a qualified integrator.

The Outcome

• While shifts used to take place 5 days a week, production can now take place 7 days a week, increasing capacity and efficiency.
• Production cycle time was reduced by 20%, and overall mobility increased from 90% to 98%.
• As for ROI, the company assumed a payback period of two years, but in reality it was only one and a half years. Additional savings on electricity, water and services/products related to the comfort of the employees contributed to this.
• More than 60 employees were given the opportunity to upgrade their skills, further develop their careers with specialised automation expertise or focus on more complex, creative tasks. As a result, employee turnover was reduced.

Contact us at [email protected] if you want to benefit from cobots in the same way and increase the productivity at your manufacturing facilities.