EMS BOOSTS OUT-OF-HOURS PRODUCTIVITY WITH MACHINE TENDING COBOT
Based in Dorset, Electro Mechanical Systems (EMS) is a supplier of small DC motors and linear actuators. Equipped with the latest CNC machine tools and a dedicated gear cutting suite, EMS manufactures bespoke actuation systems for a range of industries. In order to boost output and keep production running after working hours, EMS has deployed a Universal Robots collaborative robot (cobot) from UK-based automation distributor RARUK Automation.
The Challenge
Following a large investment in a gear hobbing machine, the EMS production team were looking for a way to maximise the machine’s output and therefore achieve the best possible value from the investment. Pete Daly, Production Engineer at EMS, explains:
“The Affolter gear hobbing machine was a substantial capital investment for us; to maximise our return on the investment, we considered various ways of increasing production outside of the normal working hours. A cobot was the best solution.”
Automating the process of feeding blank parts into the Affolter machine would optimise the productivity and efficiency of the cell.
The Solution
Having made the decision to automate with a collaborative robot, EMS looked into a range of solutions on the market and ultimately chose a UR5e (now known as the UR7e) from Universal Robots, supplied by UR Platinum Partner RARUK Automation.
“After obtaining quotes from several cobot suppliers, the decision to go with UR was based on ease of use and programming, the support offered and price.” Daly says.
Universal Robots 6 axis robot arms are designed to work safely alongside human operators, with a range of reach and payload capacities available depending on the cobot model. These robots are popular due to their ease-of-use and flexibility to be re-deployed to suit production needs.
In order to ensure that the automation process went as smoothly as possible, EMS conducted in-house testing and 3D modelling before the cobot was installed.
“From receipt of cobot to shop floor implementation was around 2 months.” Explains Daly. “The reason for this was, we built a replica of the machine loading system in our R&D lab to test different methods and smooth out any potential issues. The whole setup was then installed on the machine.”
RARUK Automation has a dedicated Technical Support team, offering support on-site and over the phone, as well as certified training and feasibility trials.
“I have used the support a few times and they have always been able to help.” Remarks Daly.
Adding that his overall experience with RARUK Automation has been positive, Daly says: “Everything has been very good. Very straight forward with good communication.”
The Results
Overall, implementing the UR robot has been beneficial for EMS for a range of reasons, including improved product quality. For instance, using the collaborative robot during the day enables the skilled operator to perform more frequent quality checks, making the process more efficient whilst keeping quality standards high.
Production staff at EMS have had a positive reaction to the robot, Daly says:
“Staff were informed that the purpose of the cobot was, primarily, to extend the working hours of the machine, and secondly, to relieve the operator from the more tedious duties. Not to replace people, as is often the worry when people hear the word ‘robot’. Now staff have seen it working and can see the benefits; we have been met with positivity.”
Lastly, the primary goal of increasing productivity and continued output after working hours has been achieved, enabling EMS to maximise its ROI on both the gear hobbing machine and the robot.
Looking ahead, EMS may consider implementing more collaborative robots. Daly remarks:
“We have a couple of other projects where we feel the use of another cobot might be beneficial.”
