System integrator b-automated automates erosion machine with cobot from Yaskawa
Contract manufacturer Nordspan ventures into digital production
Contract manufacturers are specialists. That means they face very special challenges, for example in terms of skilled workers and efficient production processes. Like Nordspan GmbH: the young company from Schwentinental, Schleswig-Holstein, recently started addressing these challenges by embracing the opportunities presented by digitization. The prerequisite for this was an automation solution from system integrator b-automated with Yaskawa’s Cobot HC10DTP.
At least two reasons make the introduction of automation very attractive for smaller production companies. On the one hand, qualified professionals are today far too valuable to be used for monotonous or physically demanding activities. On the other hand, robots with the triumphant march of HRC-capable cobots are easier and more comfortable to use than ever before.
- Industries
- Metalworking
- Applications
- Human-Robot Collaboration
- Machine Tending
- Material Handling
- Products
- HC10DTP - HC Series
Getting started in automation at Nordspan
Against this background, the decision makers at Nordspan GmbH in Schwentinental near Kiel also looked for new ways. The company – founded in 2019 – employs around 30 people, and is a contract manufacturer for its parent company JBS Systems, a leading manufacturer of flexible guide bushes and collets for automatic lathes. “Unfortunately, we are experiencing difficulties in finding qualified employees, so automation and digitalization are vital for us,” says CEO Maik Jeß.
For the first automation project, the choice fell on a wire eroding machine. Wire EDM is a process where the collets are precisely slotted, which takes up to an hour per work cycle. The process automation is correspondingly complex: the collets are processed under water. This requires a clamping device that has no problem with the process-related heavy soiling in the water. Furthermore, to prevent surface tarnishing the finished slotted pliers must be thoroughly cleaned and dried immediately after removal from the machine bed. In addition, the system should be easy to use and flexible, and fit into the confined working environment.