ABB robot boosts revenues for U.S. company
2007-06-15 - A single ABB robot reduced the manufacturing cycle of a mid-sized U.S. injection molding company by a massive 23 percent and helped boost revenues in 2006 by an estimated $2 million – all for a payback time of less than 8 months.
By Editorial services
Injection Technology Corporation (Itech) installed the six-axis IRB 4400 robot at its 30,000-square-foot plant in North Carolina in October 2004 and immediately began to reap the benefits.
Itech supplies custom-molded precision plastic parts like spools, electric meter covers and dental appliance covers. The company has 23 injection molding machines, 95 employees and annual revenues of about $10 million.
Fast, compact and versatile: The IRB 4400 is a compact robot that can handle loads of up to 60 kg in the shortest possible timeframe.
“Before the robot, it took two and a half days to fill a tractor trailer,” says Carl Morris, president of Itech, describing the manufacturing process for one of the company’s products, 15-inch plastic spools. “With the robot it takes 27 hours – a saving of 33 man-hours.”
The cycle time has been reduced by an impressive 23 percent which, along with the manufacturing consistency made possible by the robot, has brought about a dramatic increase in productivity.
“With the reduced molding time for spools,” says Morris, “we are able to mold additional products and use the robot for these too.”
Payback
Morris has calculated that the payback time for the robot is just 7.8 months, which contrasts markedly with the two years or more that in his experience it takes to recoup this type of investment.
In addition to these benefits the robot, which is housed in a protective cage, has reduced worker fatigue and helped Itech maintain its award-winning safety record, one that the company is very proud of.
“For me, the robot is very reliable and very consistent,” says operator Robert Hudson, who has been with the company for nine years. “It doesn’t complain, there are no missed welds, and it’s here every day.” Previously, welds were made by hand with glue.
Nicknamed “Abby” by the company’s employees, the ABB robot has helped Itech achieve growth rates of nine percent in 2004, 12 percent in 2005 and a phenomenal 25 percent (estimate) in 2006.
“We love it,” says Carl Morris, so much that he recently ordered a second ABB six-axis robot that will serve two injection molding machines at the same time.
http://www.abb.us/cawp/seitp202/fef239fc46708e96c125729e002d44a1.aspx
2007-06-15 - A single ABB robot reduced the manufacturing cycle of a mid-sized U.S. injection molding company by a massive 23 percent and helped boost revenues in 2006 by an estimated $2 million – all for a payback time of less than 8 months. By Editorial services
Injection Technology Corporation (Itech) installed the six-axis IRB 4400 robot at its 30,000-square-foot plant in North Carolina in October 2004 and immediately began to reap the benefits.
Itech supplies custom-molded precision plastic parts like spools, electric meter covers and dental appliance covers. The company has 23 injection molding machines, 95 employees and annual revenues of about $10 million.
Fast, compact and versatile: The IRB 4400 is a compact robot that can handle loads of up to 60 kg in the shortest possible timeframe.
“Before the robot, it took two and a half days to fill a tractor trailer,” says Carl Morris, president of Itech, describing the manufacturing process for one of the company’s products, 15-inch plastic spools. “With the robot it takes 27 hours – a saving of 33 man-hours.”
The cycle time has been reduced by an impressive 23 percent which, along with the manufacturing consistency made possible by the robot, has brought about a dramatic increase in productivity.
“With the reduced molding time for spools,” says Morris, “we are able to mold additional products and use the robot for these too.”
Payback
Morris has calculated that the payback time for the robot is just 7.8 months, which contrasts markedly with the two years or more that in his experience it takes to recoup this type of investment.
In addition to these benefits the robot, which is housed in a protective cage, has reduced worker fatigue and helped Itech maintain its award-winning safety record, one that the company is very proud of.
“For me, the robot is very reliable and very consistent,” says operator Robert Hudson, who has been with the company for nine years. “It doesn’t complain, there are no missed welds, and it’s here every day.” Previously, welds were made by hand with glue.
Nicknamed “Abby” by the company’s employees, the ABB robot has helped Itech achieve growth rates of nine percent in 2004, 12 percent in 2005 and a phenomenal 25 percent (estimate) in 2006.
“We love it,” says Carl Morris, so much that he recently ordered a second ABB six-axis robot that will serve two injection molding machines at the same time.
http://www.abb.us/cawp/seitp202/fef239fc46708e96c125729e002d44a1.aspx
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