Client Situation
The client manufactures suspension components. In one part of the production line, the process is carried out across several consecutive stations responsible for various operations—such as filling, calibration, press-fitting, and other assembly steps.
Handling these stations—i.e., loading components, transferring them between workstations, and collecting finished parts—had been performed manually by an operator working in a three-shift system.
The company consistently invests in cost-saving projects, particularly those that enable the reallocation of operators to more value-added tasks. The expected return on investment should not exceed two years.
Challenges
- Manually transferring components between stations required precise placement into fixtures and maintaining smooth operation of the entire area (several stations) paced by the fastest station.
- Each station was originally designed as a standalone unit for manual operation—integrating them required a thorough risk assessment and CE documentation for the complete system.
- Limited space and uneven distances between stations made it impossible to use standard conveyors or simple robotic solutions.
Solution
An industrial robot, an indexed conveyor, and—for the first time at this facility—magnetic pallet technology were implemented.
The magnetic pallets enabled:
- safe collaboration between the robot and the operator,
- automatic positioning of parts for robotic pickup,
- elimination of errors when placing parts into fixtures.
A dual gripper was used, which:
- simultaneously retrieved a part from one station and placed a new one into the next,
- carried out all operations between stations sequentially,
- minimized cycle times through synchronized pick-and-place movements.
The entire installation was properly enclosed and equipped with documentation allowing it to be classified as an integrated production line during quality audits.
Results
- Reallocation of the operator previously responsible for station handling. ROI achieved in under 2 years.
- Improved operator workflow when working alongside the robot—reduced risk of defective (NOK) parts.
- Space savings—thanks to magnetic pallet technology, there was no need to install a long conveyor.
- Complete documentation in compliance with CE requirements for the integrated system—ready for audits and inspections.
„This implementation not only allowed us to achieve the expected return on investment but also improved ergonomics and repeatability at a critical stage of production. Magnetic pallet technology was new to us—today we consider it a reference solution that we proudly showcase to visitors and other facilities.”
Wypowiedź Klienta
Potencjał dla Twojej Firmy
Do you have several manual assembly stations? Are operators transferring components between stations or working with standalone machines?
This is a perfect opportunity to automate the process using an industrial robot combined with smart solutions that enhance ergonomics and workplace safety.
