ABB Case Studies Robot Saves Money and Time for US Custom Molding Company

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	Robot Saves Money and Time for US Custom Molding Company ABB

Robot Saves Money and Time for US Custom Molding Company

ABB

Technology Category	Robots - Articulated Robots
Applicable Industries	Equipment & Machinery
Applicable Functions	Discrete Manufacturing
Use Cases	Manufacturing System Automation
Challenge	Injection Technology (Itech) is a custom molder for a variety of clients that require precision plastic parts for such products as electric meter covers, dental appliance cases and spools. With 95 employees operating 23 molding machines in a 30,000 square foot plant, Itech wanted to reduce man hours and increase efficiency. Read More
About Customer	Injection Technology (Itech) is a custom molder of thermoplastics founded in 1987 in North Carolina. Itech has plants in Arden, NC and Westminster, SC. They have 40 injection molding machines ranging from 60-1000 tons. Read More
Customer Name	Injection Technology (Itech) Read More
Solution	The solution Itech adopted was an IRB 4400 robot with 6-axis arms. The robot's grippers can remove two spool halves from the 390-ton Toshiba injection molding machine, swing it around to an assembly table, flip it over and fit the two spool halves together. The robot then inserts the assembled spool into an ultrasonic welding machine that welds the halves together. Read More Log in to view content
Data Collected	Production Efficiency Read More Log in to view content
Contents

Technology Category

Robots - Articulated Robots

Applicable Industries

Equipment & Machinery

Applicable Functions

Discrete Manufacturing

Use Cases

Manufacturing System Automation

Challenge

Injection Technology (Itech) is a custom molder for a variety of clients that require precision plastic parts for such products as electric meter covers, dental appliance cases and spools. With 95 employees operating 23 molding machines in a 30,000 square foot plant, Itech wanted to reduce man hours and increase efficiency.

About Customer

Injection Technology (Itech) is a custom molder of thermoplastics founded in 1987 in North Carolina. Itech has plants in Arden, NC and Westminster, SC. They have 40 injection molding machines ranging from 60-1000 tons.

Customer Name

Injection Technology (Itech)

Solution

The solution Itech adopted was an IRB 4400 robot with 6-axis arms. The robot's grippers can remove two spool halves from the 390-ton Toshiba injection molding machine, swing it around to an assembly table, flip it over and fit the two spool halves together. The robot then inserts the assembled spool into an ultrasonic welding machine that welds the halves together.

Data Collected

Production Efficiency

Impact #1	[Efficiency Improvement - Labor] Reduction in employee fatigue created a safer working environment with fewer injuries.
Impact #2	[Efficiency Improvement - Time To Market] Programming time, production time, and installation time are shortened during the introduction of new products.

Impact #1

[Efficiency Improvement - Labor]

Reduction in employee fatigue created a safer working environment with fewer injuries.

Impact #2

[Efficiency Improvement - Time To Market]

Programming time, production time, and installation time are shortened during the introduction of new products.

Benefit #1	With Abby it takes 27 hours to fill a tractor trailer instead of two and a half days, a 23% reduction in cycle time.
Benefit #2	The Return on Investment was 8 months.
Benefit #3	The system enabled Itech to achieve a growth rate of 9% in 2004 and 12% in 2005.

Benefit #1

With Abby it takes 27 hours to fill a tractor trailer instead of two and a half days, a 23% reduction in cycle time.

Benefit #2

The Return on Investment was 8 months.

Benefit #3

The system enabled Itech to achieve a growth rate of 9% in 2004 and 12% in 2005.

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Overview

Robot Saves Money and Time for US Custom Molding Company

Operational Impact

Quantitative Benefit