Stellantis automates ferro-alloy leveling and filter insertion inside molds
The Stellantis plant in Skoczow, Poland automated a line with wide variety of molds references without the need for custom indexing systems thanks to GuideNOW and with the support of Drim Robotics as integrators.
Customer: Stellantis
Location: Skoczow, Poland
Return on Investment: 9 months
Challenge
Stellantis aimed to automate the repetitive task of leveling ferro-alloy poured into molds and inserting filters on a fast-moving production line. The automation presented several key challenges:
- Molds arrive quickly at the station and stop in non-repeatable positions.
- A wide variety of mold models are processed, requiring an easy-to-program vision solution.
- The cycle time is extremely short, so the vision system had to operate efficiently without slowing down the process.
Solution
Stellantis chose the GuideNOW Real-time solution. The system enables a collaborative robot (cobot) to locate molds as they enter the camera’s field of view and adjust the robot's trajectory in real-time. With GuideNOW, Stellantis can program new mold variants in under 10 minutes, allowing even non-expert users to automate different mold variants quickly and efficiently.
Benefits
- Cost-Efficient Automation: No changes to the existing production environment were needed, reducing automation costs.
- Ease of Use: the integrator, Drim Robotics, can program new mold variants in GuideNOW rapidly, facilitating quick adaptation to new production requirements.
- Flexibility: Cobots allow workers to continue operating alongside the automated station, enhancing flexibility and operational efficiency.