Trending in the collaborative robot space: AMRs

The Next Wave of Collaborative Robots

From college campuses to hospitals to production floors, autonomous mobile robot carts (AMRs) will create a seismic shift in internal logistics, much the same way collaborative robot arms have changed the way we produce goods. 

By Sandia Harrison, Director of Marketing, FPE Automation

Walk around any manufacturing or logistics space, or attend a trade show, and it's easy to see that robot arms have become ubiquitous. 

Six-axis robots like the ones manufactured by Universal Robots, Epson and Kawasaki, will continue to be permanent fixtures in industrial settings for generations to come. Just like the conveyor belt in 1892, they are here to stay. 

Next up, autonomous mobile robot carts, or AMRs, as they are called. 

"Autonomous robots are helping define the supply chain of the future by helping companies decrease long-term costs; provide labor and utilization stability; increase worker productivity; reduce error rate; reduce frequency of inventory checks; optimize picking, sorting, and storing times; and increase access to difficult or dangerous locations."

Source: Deloitte.com.

Our supply chain is one of the most critical aspects of our economy. Internal logistics is overdue for an update -  remaining relatively unchanged for many years. Yet, the technology exists today to greatly improve this crucial area of our economy. Many of the world's largest distribution networks already rely on AMRs to increase safety and reduce the high costs of the internal transport of goods.

AMRs are the "other collaborative robot". Collaborative, in the sense that they can safely and effectively work alongside humans. Game-changing in the same way robot arms are; eliminating low-value, repetitive tasks to free workers up to accomplish much more. 

"Autonomous robots are expected to see strong growth over the next five years, particularly within supply chain operations that include lower-value, potentially dangerous or high-risk tasks. Autonomous robots have a strong presence already in manufacturing, final assembly, and warehousing, for example. The supply chain of the future is likely to see continued growth of autonomous robots in these areas, allowing people to shift to more strategic, less dangerous, and higher value work."

Source: Deloitte.com.

The internal presentation/delivery of goods doesn't have to be time-consuming or costly. AMRs like the ones pictured here from MiR, do the job effectively using sophisticated technology. They're user-friendly, flexible and safe. MiR autonomous robots are a new generation of advanced mobile robots which give businesses of any size a rapid return on investment, often with a payback period of less than a year

In this video, FPE Automation's Charlie Scales gives an overview of Mobile Industrial Robots. 

For more information about MiR robots, contact FPE Automation. 

ARTICLE: As boomers prepare to retire, addressing a shrinking labor force

Already Tired of Hearing About Labor Shortages? It's Going to Get Worse

The good news? Automation has reached a point where technical feasibility allows it to fill in the gaps. The takeaway? Automation is ready now to step up when there are too few workers to do the job. 

By Sandia Harrison, Director of Marketing, FPE Automation

There is no doubt about it. The labor force is shrinking. 

"In four years, the number of students graduating from high schools across the country will begin a sudden and precipitous decline, due to a rolling demographic aftershock of the Great Recession. Traumatized by uncertainty and unemployment, people decided to stop having kids during that period. But even as we climbed out of the recession, the birth rate kept dropping."

Source: Vox.com. November 21, 2022

As a large wave of boomers prepares to retire, there is a shrinking population entering the workforce to replace them. Nowhere is this more apparent than in manufacturing and logistics. 

Fortunately, many of the tasks involved in jobs in those crucial labor markets represent excellent opportunities for automation. Repetitive, predictable activities have been automatable for several years. Activities that include:

• Operating machinery
• Welding
• CNC machine tending
• Packaging
• Part marking
• Palletizing
• Inspection
• Quality control
• Internal logistics/part presentation/delivery

You have probably seen the thousands of case studies out there in the media. It's true that automation is keeping companies competitive. It's also making it possible for companies that have done business overseas to re-open stateside, creating jobs in the USA. 

Automation is Powerful

Managers who used to spend a portion of their day "putting out fires", no longer spend so much time addressing pain points. Automated equipment doesn't call in sick. Those same managers now report higher levels of output, better quality, and fewer errors. Labor is expensive. What might surprise you, however; the expense of all of that put together typically exceeds labor costs. 

Automation Makes Sense

For any business, cost savings, return on investment (ROI) and sustainable growth are the end results. While automation provides all of that, one factor that is often overlooked is employee satisfaction. 

"Workers who have incorporated high levels of automation into their daily tasks are happier in their jobs, more optimistic about their future career prospects and more likely to recommend their role to someone about to enter the job market, according to new research from Tradeshift."

Source: Business Wire. May 26, 2022

To thrive, a business needs to attract and retain capable and satisfied employees. As the number of those potential workers declines, it makes more sense to bridge the gap. 

In 2023, FPE Automation will be celebrating 60 years of helping companies like yours. Whether you would get more out of your automated processes, or you're just getting started, our friendly and capable team of engineers can help.

This article is not to be reproduced in whole, or in part, without express written permission from authorized parties at FPE Automation.

 

Forging and stamping case study: when material handling is critical

FPE Automation's Cody Schmelzle Helped Streamline Processes at a Utility Power Component Manufacturer. 

The resulting improvements were so significant that he won a PHD, Inc. Top Performer award for his efforts. 

If you speak to engineers and operations managers in forging and stamping plants, they'll nearly always mention reliability. In such harsh manufacturing environments, not any workholding solution will do.

Traditional Forging and Stamping

In addition, the industry itself is continuously changing. In fact, IBISWorld predicts that revenue in the forging and stamping vertical market will grow at an annualized rate of 0.7%, reaching a total of $36.2 billion within the next five years. Increased demand will drive this anticipated increase. More stable metal prices will as well. 

To keep up with demand, and remain competitive, operations need to be consistent. The manufacturing process absolutely must be rock solid. There is very little room for margin of error. 

In this particular case study, that's where PHD, Inc. entered the picture. Their GRR Guardian® High Capacity Pneumatic Parallel Grippers provide high grip force, five long jaw travels, and high jaw loads. This heavy-duty end effector’s rugged design and jaw construction can withstand high impact and shock loads. Series GRR Grippers are designed for gripping large objects in demanding industry applications including small engine block manufacturing, automotive wheel rim manufacturing, foundry applications, and more.

FPE Automation's Cody Schmelzle

A team of engineers from the company met with FPE Automation's Cody Schmelzle. As he toured the plant, they explained that they utilize material handling processes for many of the products they manufacture, components such as large bolts and spiral/auger anchors, and the like. Given the specifications, they decided together that a robust solution like the Series GRR Gripper would provide them the reliable material handling capabilities they require, on a consistent basis. The effect the re-tooling would have on streamlining their operations was expected to be significant.  

The grippers were installed and did make the impact the team expected. The result? It was decided that the Top Performer award was well-deserved after this manufacturer reported the highest level of satisfaction with their new grippers.

Tying it all together: The last steps before a new robot cell hits your production floor

Making Automation a Reality

Feature article by: Sandia Harrison, Director of Marketing, FPE Automation, Inc. 

To set the scene, I'll just say that Pack Expo was... packed! Pun intended. The foot traffic at this year's Pack Expo trade show at McCormick Place in Chicago was unusually heavy. That's great news for businesses! It's also nice that people are feeling comfortable enough to venture out in this post-COVID world. It was good to see everyone. 

How to Make Trade Show Attendance Pay Off

The Kawasaki Robotics booth at Pack Expo 2022

Walking by booths like the one for Kawasaki Robotics (pictured here), you can't help being impressed. The engineering that went into these displays is incredible. All of us recognize that it's an exciting time in industrial automation. We're in the midst of a true revolution. 

Every time a new trade show takes place, the technology is even more impressive. Automation cell applications have become more standardized. They are consistent and reliable. In short, they work, and the payoff to having them in your workspace is substantial. Now, more than ever, you can't afford not to automate. 

The question then, is how do bring what you saw at the show to your place of business? 

Exploring How These Demos are Made

FPE Automation and Rocketfarm A/S made this palletizing demo a reality for PIAB.

Companies like Universal Robots, Epson, Teledyne Dalsa, Zebra Technologies, Piab, Panasonic and Canon make world-class products, among the best in the business. But they don't operate in a vacuum (pun intended). They need additional components and engineering to pull it all together into a working cell. That's where FPE Automation comes in. We take products out of the box and transform them into production-ready, functioning systems that fit your specific needs.

So, when our partners need to demonstrate exactly how their products can be utilized, they often rely on FPE Automation. At a trade show, all eyes are on you. A demo absolutely can't fail. Our partners know they can rely on us when the pressure is on. 

That's why we are proud to have been a part of major trade show demos for several years. For example, recently at the Automate show, we were honored to be asked to participate in the Panasonic booth. There, we displayed a cobot bin picking, vision/data reading and laser-marking display. Over the past few years, FPE Automation has been honored to be invited to create in-booth demos for Universal Robots, Canon, PHD, and many more, giving our local business a presence at many national shows. If you missed us, follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, or even on TikTok, to catch an upcoming national or local show date. 

When a System Can't Fail, Partners Turn to FPE Automation

Our partners know they can trust FPE Automation to make their automation goals a reality. You can too. You can call our team of automation engineers when you're ready to implement what you saw at the trade show. Whether it's machine tending, palletizing, quality inspection, part marking or just about anything else... we will customize it to work for you. 

One of the smartest ways to leverage a collaborative robot

Machine Tending with a Collaborative Robot

Feature article by: Sandia Harrison, Director of Marketing, FPE Automation, Inc. 

If you ask most people, they would likely define machine tending as loading or unloading parts from a machine like the one in the background here. That's correct, of course, but it doesn't end there. Machine tending can also include transferring items to post-processing stations, and other material handling tasks. 

If you still have a human standing by, handling most of those tasks, implementing a collaborative robot (cobot) could be a real game-changer for your operations team. 

The benefits? A cobot works tirelessly, around the clock, with unparalleled accuracy. And that employee you currently have performing mundane tasks? You can free them up to do more important things. That's where your productivity will significantly increase. More than likely, so will that individual's job satisfaction. 

Collaborative robots can help you fill production orders quickly and accurately - in other words, ensure your company's ongoing success in today's competitive landscape. 

If you'd like more information about collaborative robot machine tending, we can help! FPE Automation is a Universal Robots Platinum Partner. Contact us to request a demo or consultation.

FPE Automation is rethinking the way we recycle old equipment, and it shows that one person can have a big impact

Julie Pearson Heads Up the FPE Automation Equipment Recycling Program

By Sandia Harrison, Director of Marketing, FPE Automation, Inc. 

With technology and automation growing at unprecedented rates, the tendency is to give more thought to implementations than to recycling. While the life span of the products FPE Automation provides is exceptionally long, nothing lasts forever. What happens to obsolete or non-functioning electronic items?

At FPE Automation, one very special individual asked herself that question. 

Meet Julie. 

Several years ago, Julie Pearson had a vision. She recognized that if we don't properly discard the equipment we no longer need, it could end up in a place that was not good for the environment. At all of FPE Automation's locations, we already had the typical recycling bins in place. So, cans, bottles, cardboard and other items were already being discarded responsibly. Julie wondered what was going to happen to the unneeded electronics. 

Although it was not part of Julie's job description, she went above and beyond to conceptualize, then bring to life, a robust equipment recycling program for FPE Automation. 

Thousands of pounds of obsolete or broken equipment later, the program thrives here. 

FPE Automation is a local, family-owned business. We, along with our friends and families, live and work in the community. Protecting the environment around us is important to us, so we can't thank Julie enough for her efforts. 

#fpegivesback #corporaterecyclingprograms #recycling #protectingtheenvironment 

FPE Automation breaks records to become Tolomatic distributor of the year

FPE Automation is Awarded Tolomatic Distributor of the Year

Adam Toles, Tolomatic's Managing Director,  presented Joey Bardos, President, FPE Automation, with the Tolomatic Distributor of the Year award in Chicago on October 4, 2022. 

Andy Zaske, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Tolomatic, accompanied Toles to Chicago to present the award. "We had a great day celebrating with FPE Automation in Chicago", Zaske said, "they are our ‘Distributor of the Year’ for 2021 and also set an all-time sales record for a Tolomatic distributor… ever! A Great Partnership!" 

In response, Joey Bardos thanked Zaske, Toles, Dave Schmidt, Sr. Regional Sales Manager, Paul Carlson, CEO, and the rest of the team at Tolomatic,  "A decades-long and continually growing partnership…"

Tolomatic has been manufacturing precision linear actuators & linear motion control products since 1954. Their commitment to producing only top-quality items sets them apart, which is why so many companies prefer Tolomatic products. It makes sense. Achievements like these are not possible in the engineering world unless the end result is measurable reliability. 

FPE Automation's team members regularly make the trip up to Minnesota to attend Tolomatic training. 

All of us at FPE Automation would like to thank our partners at Tolomatic for their excellent technical support and of course their superior products. Both are key components of our record-breaking year. We would also like to thank our customers for their loyalty. We would also like to thank the FPE Automation application team for their dedicated service, which is also an essential part of an achievement like this one. 

CONGRATULATIONS to all!