Automation blog
End of Line Automation: Now is the Time!!
29 March, 2022 By Stuart Coulton, Market Development Manager, OMRON UK
Traditional factories have data needs too
18 March, 2022 The right tools and tech can enable advanced predictive maintenance, bottleneck prevention and optimization. Find out how digitalization is bridging the gap between legacy systems and Industry 4.0.
Fuel for the future: What to look out for in fuel cell production
10 March, 2022 When people talk about sustainable mobility, the first thing that comes to mind is battery-powered e-cars. Fuel cells or direct hydrogen burners are complementary technologies that often fade into the background, yet have a lot to offer when it comes to CO₂ reduction and market options.
Mastering packaging and intralogistics challenges in eCommerce
24 February, 2022 Robot-assisted packaging enables fast and cost-efficient scalability upward and downward to handle swings in demands from the supply chain.
Green packaging industry: How to achieve sustainable manufacturing
09 February, 2022 Sustainability in the packaging industry is one of the key aspects in fighting the plastic waste issue and ultimately climate change. The challenges that this presents, require flexible and powerful automation technology.
Hanover Displays automates PCBA testing with cobots
31 January, 2022 UK-based Hanover Displays Limited needed a new system for testing printed circuit board assemblies (PCBAs) and selected OMRON TM cobots for the job, supplied and installed by Absolute Robotics, part of the Absolute Automation Group.
Five challenges in High-Mix, Low-Volume (HMLV) packaging and palletizing processes
21 December, 2021 The new product has just left the factory, in a shelf-ready package in the specified mixed ratio to meet customer needs. The packaging has actually been handled by another company: a co-packer. Co-packing can be found in all Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) markets, but especially in the higher-priced product segments such as personal care or confectionery, to name a few examples. It is a fast-growing activity to satisfy the consumer demand for more variety.
Productivity Peaks: Moving Maintenance From Preventive to Predictive
17 December, 2021 Maintenance is a vital key to a thriving business, especially in manufacturing where 24/7 plant equipment uptime is often expected as standard. As any established enterprise knows, keeping production lines and systems running optimally requires more than a skilled maintenance team. It also involves careful planning, tight scheduling, constant vigilance, a willingness to change out unworn parts, and a readiness to respond to unplanned events. At least, it used to.
Rethink your Company’s Intralogistics Approach with Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs)
09 December, 2021 Intralogistics refers to the management and movement of materials and goods within a facility, and whether it is a warehouse, distribution centre, factory, or another production facility, it can be a significant hurdle to overcome. But by investing significant time and effort into your facility’s intralogistics, you can:
How Automating Tasks like Case Packing is the Logical Response to Record Vacancies
02 December, 2021 The UK is experiencing significant labour shortages across multiple industries. Brexit combined with the pandemic led to total UK job vacancies passing 1 million for the first time on record, and the food industry is one of the hardest-hit sectors. A lack of staff to call upon puts considerable strain on our food supply and creates headaches for employers around the country.Within the food industry, much of the focus has been on the shortage of lorry drivers and how this is causing higher food prices. However, a lack of staff is being felt across the industry in production, fruit/veg picking, packaging, and more.Strict travel restrictions due to Covid combined with Brexit means jobs previously performed by overseas workers remain unfilled. Plus, the pandemic and a break from the usual work cycle lead many people to re-evaluate their profession and look for careers that offer them increased flexibility and autonomy over when and where they work.A significant portion of the food industry vacancy problems is in less desirable positions that are low wage and physically demanding. Fortunately for employers, many of these jobs are ideal candidates for automation. Case packing is a great example of this.
Finished seals in less than 10 seconds: Robotics Integrated Controller ensures harmonious control
24 November, 2021 Trelleborg Livorno has updated a robotic cell for the finishing of polyurethane gaskets for the sustainable wind energy market. The cornerstone of the solution is OMRON's Robotics Integrated Controller that ensures integration and synchronization of all automation components, including robots, logic, motion, safety and user interface.
The Pitfalls of Manual Handling in End of Line Applications and Why Automation Is The Solution
18 November, 2021 No matter the industry you operate in, packaging, managing, and getting your inventory to where it needs to be is a significant headache. Businesses require robust and agile palletising processes that maximise efficiency, eliminate costly errors, and integrate seamlessly within wider workflows.Automating your end of line applications offers a range of tangible business benefits to increase output, reduce costs, and give your company a real competitive advantage.In the past, implementing new automated systems has been seen as too complex a process. The learning curve of integrating an entirely new system has appeared too steep to reach the benefits on the other end.But with new collaborative robotic systems, like the RB1200 Cobot Palletiser from Omron, automating your end of line processes has never been simpler. The RB1200 provides versatile and straightforward solutions for your palletising needs. The plug and play system with intuitive visual software can be configured in minutes to match the product and configuration you require.With advanced automation solutions for end of line applications, your business can simplify stock management and avoid the pitfalls associated with manual handling.Companies that rely on manual handling to stack and transport their goods are doing business on hard mode, making a complex task more difficult. The downsides of utilising manual handling in your end of line processes include:
Factory automation: four tips for the future of food & beverage manufacturing
16 July, 2020 The coronavirus pandemic has posed major challenges to organisations of all types and sizes. In the food and commodity industry, companies have faced significantly reduced consumption and disrupted supply chains, while at-home consumption increased, and out-of-home consumption came near to a standstill. But how can manufacturers adapt their business strategies and production processes both now and in the longer term? The pandemic may provide an opportunity for rethinking outdated processes and procedures and enhancing them with concepts such as innovative robotics, sensor technology and holistic automation strategies.
Cobots give gear manufacturer a competitive production edge
14 May, 2020 Danish gear manufacturer, Fischer Gears, has boosted the competitiveness of its production process - especially on larger series – by installing two OMRON TM robots. The collaborative robots (cobots) free experienced employees to focus on more value-adding tasks.
Made-to-order production with an advanced fleet of mobile robots
11 May, 2020 VOLA, a Danish manufacturer of luxury sanitary and kitchen fittings, has opened a new factory that incorporates a fleet of nine mobile robots from Omron.
Mobile robots smarten up Toyota’s new parts centre
28 April, 2020 Intelligent robots and sophisticated design are helping Toyota to achieve a higher level of efficiency at its new warehouse in Sydney, Australia.
Cobot and flexible production - Future-proofing SMEs?
17 March, 2020 Many countries in Europe, such as the UK and Germany are likely to experience serious labour shortages over the coming decade, especially in relation to technical specialists. At the same time, product lifecycles are becoming shorter. Despite this, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) might be reluctant to invest in additional automation. However, collaborative robots (cobots) are easy to set up and offer a quick and cost-effective solution. They can increase the flexibility, quality and speed of production and enable companies to respond rapidly to changing market conditions. Omron’s TM series of cobots are a good example of this versatility.
ŠKODA AUTO uses LD mobile robot at Vrchlabí plant
17 March, 2020 The autonomous robot contributes to the continuous improvement of work safety in Vrchlabí and helps to minimise work risks. It recognises people crossing its path as well as other vehicles and stationary obstacles.
Safety in collaborative applications
10 February, 2020 Collaborative robots can be used in a wide range of industrial applications. Thanks to various integral safety features, they can work safely with or near people. In addition, they can easily adapt to changing needs. This results in increased productivity, especially in repetitive tasks, enabling manufacturers to reap the benefits of a high return on their investment. However, for a cobot application to be successful, it must incorporate safety considerations based on comprehensive risk assessments. So, what are the industry safety standards and solutions that will enable a company to gain the maximum value from cobots within a collaborative workspace?
The factory of the future: people and machines working together in harmony
20 January, 2020 Automation and artificial intelligence (AI) are transforming the efficiency of industrial production, through stronger interactions between man and machine that can boost productivity. A new, promising model for ‘factory harmony’ is based on intelligent, integrated and interactive design for tomorrow's manufacturing processes.
Humans and machine collaborate to meet today’s challenges
23 December, 2019 In Shanghai, labour costs are increasing by 7% every year. With growing shortages in manpower, it is becoming more and more difficult to hire factory operators. On the other hand, companies must consider return on investment and equipment effectiveness when adopting automation solutions in the factory.
Three pillars of successful cobot deployment: safety, quality and flexibility from a single source
04 November, 2019 The use of collaborative robots is expected to increase rapidly in the next years to meet the needs of flexible production lines. To ensure that manufacturing layouts can be easily adapted to changing customer requirements, we recommend teaming up mobile robots and cobots. In addition, companies must consider integrated software apps and vision technology, as well as ensure support and risk assessment.
Agile and clever tailor-made mobile robotics
04 November, 2019 Major German automotive group optimizes efficiency and innovation leadership in material handling with Omron LD mobile robots and a conveyor attachment from cts GmbH.Automobile production and assembly line production have always been closely linked. It was not until Henry Ford began using conveyor belts in his factories in 1913 that the car was able to conquer the world as a mass-produced product. Today, a working day without assembly lines is inconceivable at the BMW factories. The group relies on innovative transport and logistics to increase efficiency and flexibility, to better link work processes, as well as to relieve employees from repetitive and time-consuming tasks. These concepts include Omron LD mobile robots for material transport that deliver a particularly high return on investment (ROI). These autonomous mobile robots are equipped with a conveyor tower - a height-adjustable load handling device, developed by system integrator cts GmbH. The interaction between employees and transport robots at BMW impressively demonstrates how factory harmony can be implemented in the factory of the future.