For any business, the cost of an automated production line must be justified against the possible benefits and improved competition robots can bring. With cheap labour currently abundant in the UK market, manufacturers may find it difficult to justify a switch to robots based on purchase price alone.
Measuring against labour costs alone may not provide adequate justification. The wider cost savings achievable through improved efficiency, enhanced product quality, reduced wastage and energy consumption, means that a robot can typically pay for itself within just two years, compared with the ongoing cost of a manual worker.
Perhaps the biggest advantage is the high level of flexibility offered by today’s robotic technology, which enables manufacturers to quickly adapt their processes to meet changing customer demands.
Ilchester Cheese, the UK’s biggest producer of speciality cheeses and named after the Somerset town in which it is located, first installed two ABB robotic cells at its factory some two years ago. The company currently exports to over 20 countries, and here in the UK delivers its products to a wide range of food manufacturers, wholesalers, supermarkets and independent stores with both pre-packed and deli-counter cheeses.
It was back in 2005 that Ilchester approached independent engineering services provider and ABB partner, RTS, with a requirement for a new automated production line to help improve labour efficiency and increase product yield. RTS and ABB examined the key stages of the production line to determine what the robots needed to achieve and how, eventually deciding on two IRB 340 Flexpicker robots, capable of handling 150 picks per minute. This arrangement ensured that the cheese blocks could be moved quickly and precisely, one at a time, from one factory location to another.
Operating in two, eight-hour shifts the Flexpicker robots have now reduced labour turnover by half, leaving just two employees to monitor and maintain the smooth running of the production lines. Previously, four employees were needed to carry out the task of picking and packing.
ABB’s Flexpicker robots are also helping to ensure the consistency of Ilchester’s output by selecting only those products from the line that meet certain dimensional criteria. For example, as the robot scans the production line it identifies the optimum height of a block of cheese. If the product height is outside pre-determined limits, it remains on the conveyor to be re-routed to the cutter once more. Ilchester’s engineering and business development manager, Tony Helvar takes up the story:
“Since installing the ABB robots, we have seen significant improvements in our productivity. Production errors have been minimised; resulting in reduced wastage and increased yield. The systems have been successfully in operation for over two years and have already enabled Ilchester Cheese to recoup its initial investment. Our initial requirements have all been fulfilled and we look forward to implementing robotics elsewhere in our business.”
Can robots help you?
Robotic technology is well tried and tested, and the variety of robots available means that virtually any manufacturing line can benefit from the technology. With the need to respond to greater product variations and increasingly onerous regulations, more manufacturers will be turning to robotics to unlock new levels of competitiveness and productivity through safe, flexible and speedy automation. The only question is – will you be one of them?
For further information on the benefits of integrating robots into your production process, ABB has published a short brochure entitled, 10 good reasons to invest in robotics. For your copy, please email robotics@gb.abb.com quoting the reference ‘10 good reasons’.
Martin Walder is managing director of ABB’s UK robotics business