In the ultra-competitive world of robotics, more and more manufacturing companies are turning to Kawasaki Robotics to provide practical, affordable, long-lasting and future-proof solutions to their automated production needs.
Take the recent example seen at Ryobi Castings UK, based in Carrickfergus. The company is a world leader in the manufacture of complex castings, especially for the automotive market, and produces some of the most complicated aluminium die-castings imaginable. These are designed for use across a variety of applications and include finished castings of complete engine blocks (both open and closed deck) through to the intricate bracketry found throughout most modern, lightweight vehicles and on to also include transmission casings (automatic and manual) and clutch housings.
Ryobi on-site operators have been trained by Kawasaki Robotics UK to operate the 14 Kawasaki Robots installed at the plant. The robots are used to remove the raw castings direct from the casting machines and place them onto nearby machining centres for the necessary post-cast working. Since the Kawasaki robots were installed in March 2014, many thousands of operations have been performed with absolute precision and without a single fault.
Keeping spirits up
Another success shows the true diversity of the applications in which Kawasaki Robotics continue to win orders in the face of stiff competition. One of their more spirited successes has seen Speyside Cooperage in Alloa specify two Kawasaki robots to work alongside specialist tooling in the refurbishment of traditionally built oak barrels. Here, the robots have eliminated a number of Health & Safety concerns for personnel by taking the near-complete barrels and positioning them inside a large lathe for finishing. Previously done by hand, the process was both arduous given the size and weight of the barrels, and also potentially dangerous as they needed placing with some accuracy onto an enclosed lathe. This is now made into refreshingly light work thanks to the Kawasaki Robotics team.
Warrington-based Kawasaki Robotics is home to one of the UK’s most experienced robot application teams. The company also offers potential customers a unique facility – the opportunity to simulate just about any application for a robot, using its own global robotic simulation platform. This permits potential users to more accurately determine and calculate the myriad of parameters necessary prior to arriving at a decision to automate either an entire process or just a simple single task. The company can organise free-of-charge demonstrations on request.
