UK-based automation consultancy GB Innomech (Innomech) has developed a new automated product packaging system for global automotive supplier SG Technologies.
Designed to increase Innomech’s production capacity, the system will automate product packaging processes, which are currently labour-intensive and repetitive. This will be applied to a series of components used within automotive fuel injectors.
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SG Technologies aims to improve its manufacturing process and reduce work-in-progress. The company’s commercial director Stuart Hutcheon said: "Innomech has developed the ideal system to automate a potentially rate-limiting product packaging process and to provide us with increased flexibility and capacity to meet fast-growing and changing customer demands.
"The system also removes any risk of potential damage to products through manual handling, which is critical in our drive towards zero defect manufacturing and even greater process efficiencies."
The new system does not require manual handling of finished magnetic components as they are being transferred from work-in-progress trays ready for shipment.
Configured to handle two different product families, the system works by sweeping the components onto a conveyor belt. A high speed laser micrometer verifies the height of each part to within a few microns and a Codian pick-and-place robot transfers five components at a time into a packaging tray.
The system took ten months to develop from initial concepts through to system build, test, and integration.
Image: The new fully customised system increases SG Technologies’ production capacity more than twice. Photo: courtesy of GB Innomech.
