Invest in robotic handling and raise profits

Should users of packaging and materials handling make an investment in handling robots, they will generally see a return on investment within 6-18 months, said ICS.

The growing population of material handling robots within the UK is fast becoming a vital driver to improving competitiveness, as manufacturers strive to retain existing contracts and win new business.

The soaring costs of employment, coupled with more stringent Health and Safety Legislation has driven demand for material handling applications in recent years, said ICS Robotics and Automation.

The company told manufacturingtalk.com that if manufacturers make an investment in handling robots, they will generally see a return on your investment within 6-18 months.

After this period companies will see their profits increase as they will have lowered their costs of manufacture by doing the following.

* Reducing direct labour costs - less people required to achieve the same output.

* Improving line efficiencies - better flow of materials and improved productivity.

* Reducing WIP (work in progress or production inventory) - Robots are a perfect fit for lean manufacturing strategies due to faster process speeds and flexibility.

* Reducing exposure to Health and Safety risks - less chance of injury to employees as more processes are automated.

* Reduced overheads - less floor space with potentially lower heating and lighting bills.

* Flexibility in handling - compared with hard automation, handling robots are so flexible that a user will have an asset that can be adapted to new products and processes for the next 15 years as the business evolves.

It means, said ICS, that the initial investment will pay for itself time and time again.

Moreover, once an organisation has established an installed base of robots, many businesses find that they have the greater potential to attract new customers, often in new markets.

This is because they gain more confidence to take on new, more complex industrial processes, new capacity is created, the cost base is reduced, the quality of output is improved, staff satisfaction and productivity is increased as more mundane or unpleasant tasks are now performed by robots.

As well as the considerable progress in payload capacities, motion speed and accuracy, handling robots are becoming more capable of taking on new applications due to continuous developments in process enablers.

These include vision systems, software tools and end-of-arm equipment.

These developments have made material handling systems extremely versatile, intelligent and robust.

Moreover, given the fact that the price of handling robots has fallen over recent years as the global market grows, the return on investment is likely to be very attractive.

Typical applications for handling robots include the following.

* Palletising of finished goods.

* Packing of products.

* Tending of machines and other process equipment.

* Material removal.

* Dispensing of substances.

* Assembly of products.

* Application of packaging, such as lids and labels.

* Product inspection.

* Specialised handling robots for cleanroom environments or food industry.

At ICS Robotics and Automation, we prefer to use Fanuc robots for material handling applications, based on their high levels of performance, flexibility and functionality.

However, if a user has another preference of manufacturer then we have a wide experience of using ABB, Comau and Motoman robots.

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