FEATURE ON ROBOTS AND AUTOMATION

Robotic Production with Autonomous Process Control 

Flexxbotics says that Precision Metal Industries – a manufacturer specialising in precision sheet metal products, precision machining, and complex mechanical and electromechanical assemblies – has selected Flexxbotics for robotic machine tending to enable robot-driven manufacturing with autonomous process control in multi-machine processes. The result is greater unattended operation, increased capacity and higher yields.

With Flexxbotics, Precision Metal Industries achieves a cellular-based set up based on a single robot managing multiple factory machines, including a Haas vertical machining centre with tool breakage sensors, a CMM for in-line inspection, along with deburring and cleaning blow-off stations. By increasing per shift throughput productivity and running an additional ‘lights-out’ shift each day, an overall production capacity increase of 125% is achieved with a 17:1 machine-to-man ratio.

Flexxbotics solution seamlessly connects the robot to each piece of equipment, co-ordinating the work so the robot has command and control of the machines in the work cell. Based on inspection results, closed-loop feedback corrections are provided to the CNC machine in real-time for autonomous process control to maintain continuous operation while achieving tight tolerances.

“Our customers demand precision quality and Flexxbotics takes advanced robot automation to the next level with autonomous process control,” says Greg Wilson Jr, owner of Precision Metal Industries. “We especially like Flexxbotics ability to detect tool breakage and automate tool change to keep production running without downtime.”

He adds: “We were impressed with Flexxbotics full turnkey deployment services, which ensured our business goals and requirements drove the solution’s design.”

Precision Metal Industries makes custom missile containers, cabinets, electronics enclosures, chassis, medical equipment housing and many other parts and components for the defence, medical, electronics and avionics industries.

More information www.flexxbotics.com

Teaching robots to weld could solve skills shortage

Robots could be the solution to filling the UK’s shortage of welders thanks to existing human expertise, a new study from the University of Nottingham has revealed. The UK’s critical welder shortage threatens certain industries, from construction to aerospace, potentially impacting the economy and infrastructure. Declining vocational training and Brexit, as it becomes more challenging to attract and retain skilled welders from the EU, has further exacerbated this skills gap. According to Axiom Personnel, half of the nation’s welders are due to retire by 2027. 

In the new study, the authors asked whether robots could bridge this divide and if expert welder skills could be transferred to automated systems. By developing a robotic welding system that learns from skilled welders, and building a skills library, the system could then tackle new, unseen welding tasks by intelligently combining learned skills, demonstrated successfully with both expert and novice welders. 

In the proposed approach, proficient welders execute basic tasks, such as welding simple lines or arcs, while their actions are recorded using an operation tracking system. Then, key welding parameters such as torch travelling speed, welding arc length, welding angle, welding current and wire feeding rate, are extracted and stored in a skill library.  

Experiments have also been conducted to verify the system, comparing a skilled welder with a robotic welding system. Welding results from the robot show a quality that is on par with that of a skilled welder, effectively saving time and resources in the long term. 

More information www.nottingham.ac.uk

SW Mobile Robot Cell Represents World-First

Schwäbische Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH (SW) presented a new solution for modular automation at the recent Automatica 2025 exhibition in Munich. The Mobile i-Cell robot cell is a scalable unit that flexibly connects assembly, logistics and machining stations. It supports manufacturing companies in the automated and efficient machining of a wide variety of components and order volumes without rigid interlinking or complex integration.

“As a mobile unit for automated machining, the Mobile i-Cell opens up new possibilities, from small-scale to easily expandable large-scale automation,” says Roman Wolf, team leader for control technology development at SW Automation.

With its combination of high productivity, modular design, flexible application options and end-to-end connectivity, the self-sufficient Mobile i-Cell fits seamlessly into modern manufacturing environments, especially where product diversity and dynamic production requirements are commonplace.

The i-Cell is mounted on a mobile carrier system and can be moved through the production environment using a driverless transport system (Mobile i-Wagon). The cell docks at the desired station, be it machining, washing, assembly or a DMC laser station. An integrated robot with a gripping system takes the raw material from upstream storage stations, known as Mobile i-Storages, loads the machining station, and returns the workpieces after completing the process.

The Mobile i-Storages are also automatically movable by the Mobile i-Wagon, with workpieces fed and removed independently of the cell.

“Flexible docking eliminates the need for complex and rigid coupling of the processing stations with the robot cells – and our customers gain efficiency and design freedom,” explains Wolf. This saves space, increases machine availability, and makes production processes more adaptable.

More information www.sw-machines.com

Welding System Automates Furniture Production

Panasonic Factory Solutions and long-standing partner SYN-TIG have upgraded the production line for medical furniture manufacturer, Haelvoet, using Panasonic’s TAWERS G4 welding robot system. The project will enable manufacturing subcontractor, Grovinvest, to increase flexibility and automation in the production of specialist medical equipment for customers across Europe.

First deploying previous iterations of Panasonic’s robot cells in 2009, with a subsequent upgrade delivered in 2014, the upgraded production line at Grovinvest’s northern Romania facility enables it to manufacture four variations of Haelvoet’s medical bedframes. With all required components automatically detected prior to production starting, Panasonic says its TAWERS G4 welding robot system delivers the required precision and speed, while minimising ramp-up time.

The integrated Panasonic TAWERS G4 optimises welding process management into a single controller for high-speed, high-quality arc welding. It features increased controller processing speeds, and optimised communication between the controller and the robot. When compared with previous models, the G4 is more reliable and smaller, saving space and costs without compromising reliability.

Furthermore, the G4’s teach pendant touchscreen simplifies programming on the production line, while consumables – such as contact tips – last longer than previous models. This reduces the need to keep excessive spares and minimises maintenance downtime.

The G4 also features offline programming software, enabling remote digital access to real-time production and system operating data. This enables Grovinvest’s engineers to re-program all or some of the parts of the welding process while the robot is still running.

Bogdan Pienaru, managing engineer at Haelvoet contractor Grovinvest, says: “The welding quality provided by the G4 is superb; Panasonic continues to set the standard in welding precision, speed and accuracy.”

More information www.bit.ly/41NI4yd

Emerson presents intelligent automation solutions

Global automation specialist, Emerson, demonstrated how the company is helping to transform the future of industrial manufacturing and automation through the proven ‘Floor to Cloud’ approach and its comprehensive solutions portfolio at the recent Automatica trade fair in Munich.

Visitors to the Emerson booth learnt how companies of any size can apply a Floor to Cloud strategy to drive sustainable growth, maximise performance quality and boost workforce productivity for immediate and long-term success. Emerson’s immersive and interactive hub
showcased how products from its portfolio – including the Afag, Movicon, PACEdge and PACSystems brands – combine to form intelligent solutions that transform operations across the factory floor and deliver ongoing value.

Live demonstrations in the Emerson booth focused on ways the solution provider can help companies leverage advanced automation and data-driven operations to boost manufacturing performance, achieve carbon-neutral manufacturing and maximise worker potential.


Exhibits included a plug-and-play bowl feeding solution that leverages standardized, flexible, high-precision components to boost accuracy, speed and reliability of small and micro-part feeding applications. Elsewhere on the stand, a global dashboard display, which helps companies unlock the power of their operations with seamless data integration, proved popular among visitors. By connecting machine by machine and factory by factory, manufacturers can compare performance and energy consumption, apply benchmarks and drive continuous improvement.

Also on the stand was a high-speed, electric pick and place system, which demonstrated how manufacturers can improve the precision and performance of this common production line application. Visitors also got to see an automated ballpoint pen assembly solution, which showcased how the full range of Emerson technologies can work together in a seamlessly integrated system to assemble a product.

More information www.emerson.com/en-gb/automation/home