Every day, automation is used to make our lives easier. So much so that we often take it for granted. From the alarm clock that wakes you up in the morning to your car automatically switching gears so you don’t have to, automation has become a vital ally that has reshaped how we navigate the world.
Since its inception thousands of years ago with the water clock, automation has come a long way, advancing to become more complex and efficient than manual labor. Regarding industrial manufacturing, we categorize automation into four main types: fixed, programable, flexible, and integrated. However, this article will discuss a fixed automation solution integrated into our customer’s facility.
Our customer, a major automotive manufacturer, wanted to boost their throughput. So, our experts proposed an automated station that would exceed their goals. Read on to learn more.
Harness the power of automation
Which do you value more: increased productivity or quality during production? With automated technology, you can have the best of both, completely streamlining your assembly. This is especially true if you have bottleneck stations holding your facility back from reaching its full potential. In this case, automated tightening increased our customer's throughput while also error-proofing the application.
Our experts performed a Walk the Line to examine the production system carefully and provide valuable suggestions for sustainable improvements. Since it was clear that the station was a bottleneck station, we presented automation as our solution to meeting and exceeding their jobs per hour goal and reducing their station TAKT time to about 45 seconds.
Meet a business with real-life savings
Initially, our customer planned to meet their jobs per hour goal by increasing the number of operators at the station. However, this would require six operators per shift for three shifts. While this solution would have helped them reach their goal, they could instead harness the advancements of Industry 4.0 and integrate the automated solution to save even more!
The automated solution is made up of an industrial robot with vision to perform tire mounting and fastening along with a screw presenter that will allow the robot to pick up the bolts before tightening. By implementing this solution, they were able to eliminate the labor costs associated with mounting the wheel and fastening the bolts while also increasing throughput at the station. This application eliminates human-related quality issues, significantly reducing rework at this station.
So, what does this all mean for our customer? In as little as 22 months, they would see a return on their investment and a cash flow of over 5 million USD over seven years.
Why choose Atlas Copco?
Begin your journey for improved assembly with Atlas Copco. Once we identify a station that would benefit from automation, we can help you explore possible solutions and integrate the chosen technology. Let us help you reach your full potential with the right products and solutions for your unique assembly needs.
In this case, we integrated a turn-key solution into our customer’s line to help them reach their production goals and reduce their overall costs, saving them millions over the solution’s lifetime!
Whether you’re in the automotive industry or any other industry, odds are you can benefit from automated technology in your assembly. Take the first step into the world of automation and contact the experts at Atlas Copco today to get started.