Renovated robots increases production time
Reliable and stabil production
Imery Absorbents (formerly Damolin) consists of two factories located on Fur and Mors, which have been producing oil and chemical absorbents, as well as powder and granule products for a wide range of industrial purposes since 1942. The production at the two factories is adjusted to the demand for the company's products, making it crucial for the machines to operate when needed and to run stably.
Significant increase in production
Renovated robots
Close cooperation with customer
Stability in production
Challenge
The uptime of Imerys' existing plant at the factory in Mors was, however, fluctuating until a couple of years ago. Here, a line with 6 large turning heads operated in a heavy mechanical system that often required maintenance hours. This resulted in short uptime, and production was frequently halted.
Solution
Two renovated Kawasaki robots became the solution to Imerys' challenges when the uptime of the existing plant was short, and production was fluctuating. With assistance from BILA Service and in close collaboration with the production staff, the plant now operates with significantly increased uptime and is much more flexible than before.
Profit
At Imerys, there was no doubt: There was a need for a solution that increased the plant's uptime and streamlined production. The factory already had good experience with robotics, and based on that, along with their knowledge of automation, the company drafted a solution to the issue themselves.
Challenge solved in close cooperation
Subsequently, Project Manager Rasmus Krog reached out to BILA Service, which had previously provided automation solutions to Imerys. This marked the beginning of a collaborative project between Imerys and BILA focusing on the layout, integration, and construction of the new system.
"Our welders and electricians came up with an idea involving two robots to feed the machine. Subsequently, we contacted BILA to bring the idea to life, and based on our sketches, we collaboratively finalised the layout, built the setup, and tested it in their workshop,"
Rasmus Krogh, Project Manager
It was a positive collaboration where the expertise of both parties was utilised, resulting in an optimised production line with significantly increased uptime. "It has been a really good collaborative project. We know our company inside and out and are better at some things ourselves. But when it comes to robots, BILA are the experts and have the right skills to solve the task," according to Rasmus Krogh.
Solution: two renovated robots
Since January 2015, two renovated 20 kg Kawasaki robots have been assisting the line at Imerys' factory in Mors. Here, the two robots run synchronously, performing the same task: receiving sacks from connected conveyor belts and sorting them into different lanes. This ensures they are placed in the correct packing pattern and ready to be palletised.
During the working process, BILA Service tested various solutions, and manufacturing commenced based on the drawings provided by Imerys employees. The system was tested and approved at BILA before being collaboratively installed and integrated into the production line.
Rasmus Krog explains that "our own employees have taken ownership of the project and have been involved from start to finish with ideas and input. This has made it quick to grasp the functionality and, for example, get a handle on switching between the line's different products."
Additionally, with the optimisation, Imerys has achieved longer uptime, running entire shifts without interruptions. At the same time, the setup time has been halved, and the system offers far more possibilities than before. According to Rasmus Krogh, BILA Service has been with them every step of the way, and the mineral producer's expectations for the outcome have been fully met:
"Economically, we have maintained a large project at a reasonable level with some very well-renovated robots. Moreover, the future looks much brighter in terms of maintenance, and we have even achieved flexibility on the system, allowing us to run various types of products," he concludes.
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