Case Studies

High-volume plastics parts; thin walls; zero defects; short automotive lead times; demanding energy efficiency requirements. A growing number of manufacturers are combatting these common challenges by investing in ROBOSHOT high-performance, all-electric injection moulding machines from FANUC. Among their number is SIMON Plastics.

With the FANUC cobot-based system, in-store bakeries can elevate their productivity in a safe and reliable way. The automated system provides an effective way to increase productivity and reduce costs in repetitive product handling applications.

When a machine tool builder with decades of experience reaches the status of sector leader, good business sense dictates the need for further innovation to help maintain its market position. In many instances, machine tending using a robot provides the impetus to reach the next level. However, as deep-hole drilling machine manufacturer TBT can testify, astute selection of the optimal robot partner is paramount.

When implementing improvements to a bottleneck process the common outcome is the emergence of a new bottleneck elsewhere in the factory. Whereas in years gone by this situation would necessitate the recruitment of more labour, automation has today become industry’s go-to solution for bottlenecks. Just ask Brunos, a leading producer of salad dressings, which knows all about the benefits that a robot can bring.

Taking the strain in heavy lifting operations is a classic application for industrial robots. However, implementing robots in lifting tasks not only provides physical relief to workers, it also has the potential to boost throughput, even where space is limited. Flour manufacturer Lindmühle is a case in point, where FANUC simulation software highlighted the optimal robot for the available working envelope.

Robots are productive, reliable, consistent, efficient and economic across a host of industrial applications. Loading and unloading crates to and from pallets as part of an industrial washing process is a case in point. However, what happens when the starting position of the crates is random? In such instances, FANUC is finding that its 3D vision-enabled robots are proving increasingly popular.

Heavy lifting and physical strain are now a distant memory at Green Services. The automated palletising system featuring the FANUC robot is today providing safe and productive operation.

Automating the full minting process from individual coins to finished palletised boxes is no mean feat. However, that was the task facing Swissmint, the Federal Mint of Switzerland. To make this complex concept a reality, Swissmint deploys high-performance FANUC robots in tasks that include pick and place, assembly of boxes and palletisation.

Automotive applications are among the most demanding automation tasks across all of industry. Sure enough, fast axis speeds and high productivity are key metrics, but in this particular project, precision and repeatability were also high on the list of priorities. With so many demands, it was FANUC industrial robots that stepped up to the mark.

Keramik Makina, a FANUC system integrator, combined palletising and shrink hood systems with FANUC robots to form powerful end-of-line solutions at the paint factory of Polisan Kansai in Türkiye.

When production demand accelerates dramatically in a short space of time, robots and automation can help meet requirements much faster than many realise. However, this outcome depends heavily on the selection of robots that are easy to install, program and commission.

The automotive industry is notorious for its high productivity demands, narrow profit margins and rigorous quality standards. Automation is essential to ensure reliable, repeatable, cost-effective production with maximum uptime. The choice of robot supplier, therefore, is nothing less than critical.

Wäscherei Aschenbrenner GmbH struggled with a staff shortage for tasks like loading laundry folding machines. To solve this, they turned to Sewts GmbH, who provided the VELUM system. This system uses FANUC robots to prepare up to 700 towels per hour for folding. The automation has greatly improved efficiency, resolved the labour shortage, and reduced labour costs, promising a quick return on investment.

Injection moulding is usually associated with high energy costs - not so with the all-electric ROBOSHOT machines from FANUC, which have enabled ITD to achieve energy savings of 50%. In combination with an excellent service this convinced ITD to further automate with FANUC.

Most machine builders know that gaining greater market share requires the development of strong supplier relationships based on trust. Turkey-based Dener Group is a case in point, where the adoption of FANUC CNC systems, spindle motors, servo amplifiers and power supply modules has seen the company emerge as a major player in the national and international machine tool market.

Moving from labour-based to automated production operations can sometimes appear daunting. And yet, with the right technology partner on-board, processes such as automated machining and assembly can come to realisation with relative ease, instantly delivering new levels of productivity and reliability.

Automated CNC machining cells comprising various machine tools and robots require astute design and integration. So why not simplify the process by turning to the world’s most prominent manufacturer of both CNC machine tools and robots: FANUC. That was precisely the strategy of RADMOT, a major Poland-based provider of machining services when it wanted to implement a new CNC milling cell involving three machining centres and two robots that could run unmanned 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – without any collisions between robots.

Bonvicini Carpenteria today enjoys even higher levels of quality and flexibility. The company can flex between automation solutions whenever production volumes dictate. In particular, Bonvicini Carpenteria is taking advantage of easy and fast robot programming with features such as drag and drop functionality and a simple tablet interface.

Manual polishing is a delicate and physically demanding task. At Fastlog, this system often resulted in health-related absences, which is why the company decided to automate the process in order to relieve the strain on employees.

HAGE Sondermaschinenbau aimed to develop an automated friction stir welding machine for EV battery trays, requiring multi-spindle, multi-axis capability. They partnered with FANUC, which provided the 30𝑖-B Plus CNC and M-900𝑖B/330L six-axis robot, along with extensive support. With FANUC's technology and assistance, HAGE Sondermaschinenbau completed the advanced welding system in 10 months. The first systems are now operational at the customer's facility.

Phytopharm Klęka S.A., a market leader in plant-based products for pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, has improved packaging ergonomics, flexibility and reliability through the adoption of two collaborative robots (cobots) from FANUC. By automating bottle de-palletising and carton stacking in collaboration with ZW Automation, the company is exceeding initial performance estimates of cobots while improving safety and reducing worker monotony. Supported by FANUC palletising software and intuitive operation, the cobots deliver a more agile and efficient three-shift manufacturing environment.

BKUNZMANN Maschinenbau, a German manufacturer of high-quality universal milling machines and machining centres, has introduced a FANUC CRX collaborative robot to facilitate both training and production activities. Easy programming, flexible integration and safe human-robot interaction make the system ideal for automation beginners. The CRX cobot at KUNZMANN now helps demonstrate robotic capabilities while also supporting machine tending applications on the production line.

In the manufacture of popular household appliances such as coffee grinders, a number of prerequisites determine production success. For instance, only clearly structured, efficient and target-orientated processes will result in the required levels of production reliability. Achieving this ambition becomes significantly more realistic using automation, as market leader Eugster/Frismag AG can testify following its adoption of 14 FANUC LR Mate industrial robots and FANUC ZDT (Zero Down Time), which now enable the continuous automated assembly of a coffee grinder every 7 seconds.

Unsupervised production and easy remote management is the dream of many manufacturing companies. Gnutti Transfer took on the challenge of creating a highly automated production unit with a flexible unit architecture.

The challenge was to automate the loading of blanks and removal of finished parts from two large turning-milling centres while keeping them accessible to employees. Roth Technik solved this by installing a FANUC M-900𝑖B/360E arm on an overhead rail with automatic gripper changing. This automation allows BRUDERER to complete tasks five hours faster per machine daily, enabling unattended production overnight and on weekends.

When it comes to grinding, a reliable and powerful control system can make all the difference. Combine this with Industry 4.0-style networking of the entire operation, and even small tool specialists can become ultimately competitive.

NTM was able to increase the production capacity for its refuse collection vehicles by opting to automate the night shift. By using a heavy-duty robot that can lift up to two tonnes and a robotic welding solution, the company's Finnish plant can now work unmanned at night or on weekends.

Služba Nitra, a Slovakian manufacturer supplying mostly to the automotive sector, has transformed its production through extensive automation in the shape of FANUC CNC injection moulding machines and high-performance industrial robots. By upgrading its assembly lines and moulding shop, the company has significantly increased productivity while cutting energy consumption and reducing error rates. The result is a highly efficient, reliable and sustainable manufacturing environment supporting major auto OEMs and tier-one suppliers.