Even as recently as a decade ago, the idea that robots would one day be hard at work on factory floors still seemed like something out of a far-off future. Thanks to the Internet of Things (IoT) machine learning, artificial intelligence and other interconnected disciplines, however, that future is very much here – much to the benefit of business owners everywhere.
Robotics are also empowering a new era of innovation in terms of plastics automation, in a number of unique ways that are certainly worth a closer look.
Robotics and Plastics Automation: Breaking Things Down
One of the most common robotic applications in terms of plastics automation relates to material handling – something that is often seen as a pain point for many business leaders. Robots can be leveraged to not only move large and small plastic parts precisely where they need to be, even when the parts may be hot or fragile being unloaded from the mold.
Not only can roboicts be used to perform these tasks in a safer way than humans could, but it also virtually eliminates the possibility of user error as well. This, coupled with the fact that plastics automation frees up the valuable time of employees so that they can focus on those matters that really need them, creates a situation that is incredibly cost-effective for the business in question.
Another major benefit that robotics creates for plastics automation has to do with machine tending. Traditionally, this is a very labor-intensive process that depends on a high degree of accuracy in handling, thanks to the presence of heat-sensitive material being molded. The use of robotics in this way, however, can improve both product consistency and production capacity at the exact same time. Specially designed robots armed with pneumatic grippers, for example, can guarantee the careful handling of newly injected molded parts to avoid damage.
Over the last few years in particular, robots have also been seen as an invaluable asset to various overmolding applications, too. This is when two (or more) molded parts are essentially combined to create a single finished product. With robotics, overmolding can largely be automated to guarantee the fast and specific placement of components. Robots can even be used to lift a molded part out of one machine before it is placed into another.
Yes, this helps significantly reduce both labor and assembly costs – major benefits for businesses operating on already razor-thin margins. But it also helps to bring with it the most important benefit of all: improving the quality, the integrity, and the ultimate reliability of the finished product.
Pioneer Industrial Systems: Your Trusted Robotics Integration Partner
Since they originally opened their doors in 1998, the core goal of the team at Pioneer Industrial Systems has remained the same: they want to help clients in every industry take full advantage of the technologies that have changed the industrial world. Their mission is to sell, design, engineer, and build quality robotics and automation systems through not only ethical values, but through an innovative approach to design. Over the years they’ve successfully implemented hundreds of industrial robots for a wide spectrum of applications, and they’re honored for the opportunity to do the same for you, too.
If you’d like to learn more about recent robotics technology solutions as they relate to plastics automation, or if you’d just like to discuss your needs as a business owner with someone in a bit more detail, please don’t delay – contact Pioneer Industrial Systems today.
