Robotics Reduce Labor for Heavy Tasks
Client:
Oakley Sub Assembly
Industry:
Industrial
Solution:
Robotics & Automation
Oakley Sub Assembly is a JIT supplier for tire and wheel assemblies with 8 plants in North America, seeking solution for difficult, strenuous manual task in their Flint facility.
Challenge
- Moving, stacking and prepping towers of wheel assemblies for shipping was a strenuous, dangerous task
- Operators took several minutes per assembly to prepare the stacks prior to wrapping them for shipping
- Stacks were prepared inconsistently
- As Oakley grew, more demand would be placed on this operation – not only with volume but with more sizes of wheel assemblies
Solution
- DLN created an automated robotic solution to remove wheels as the arrive on conveyor, to stacking them on outboound conveyor
- Advancement was automated to wrap and move stacks to unload zone
- Completed wrapped stacks unloaded and staged by forklift
Results
- Heavy, manual tasks replaced with automation for significantly less labor requirement
- Integrated HMI and safety controls reduced error
