Plastic
Molding
Demand for injection molded plastic products and components is at an all time high. As a result, plastic molding facilities — already operating at or close to full capacity — must continue innovating and exploring to meet deadlines, maintain pipeline and reliably keep up with orders. To do so, plastic molders have begun looking at ways to expand automation to increase capacity, ease the burden on staff, and continue to operate at peak performance.
Cobots are one of the primary ways to expand the possibilities and effectiveness of automation — even in facilities that have incorporated a high level of automation for years. Collaborative robots handle many operations in molding operations such as polishing, bagging, palletizing, or quality inspection. Productive Robotics collaborative robots provide plastic molding automation for the most repetitive, dirty and dull tasks while delivering simplicity, efficiency and safety working alongside personnel.
Tasks
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Packaging, auto bagging, and palletizing processes
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Machine tending and part loading
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Adhesive dispensing and gluing
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Facilitating inspection and QC by staging material
Advantages of cobot automation
Automate repetitive tasks with consistency and accuracy: One of the primary benefits of collaborative robots is that they can complete highly repetitive, dull tasks with consistency and accuracy. In metal fabrication, there are many such tasks, which can quickly grow boring for human workers — leading to distraction, errors and lower productivity. Cobots can work around the clock and never get tired or bored.
Zero programming: OB7 does not require any programming knowledge or training to operate — the robot is simply “taught” by moving its arm into place and using an intuitive, graphics-based touchscreen to edit and modify jobs.
Easy set up and mobility: With a small footprint and a wheeled base, OB7 is fast and easy to set up. OB7 can be easily moved between machines and tasks, even during the same shift, maximizing impact and return on investment.
Collaborative safety: Unlike traditional robots that require expensive safety and caging equipment, cobots work safely alongside humans without guarding. Implementing cobots to automate tasks such as welding allows workers to be removed from high-heat points, especially when smaller and more intricate pieces are involved.
Free up operators for high-value work: With cobots taking on the repetitive, dangerous, and mundane tasks, you free human workers for the tasks for which they are best suited: those requiring a high degree of knowledge, expertise and creativity, which cannot be provided by a robot.
Ultimately flexibility with seven axes: Most collaborative robots offer up to six axes of movement. OB7 from Productive Robotics offers seven full axes, providing the most flexible, versatile, human-like movement that can complete a broad variety of tasks.
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Talk with an expert
Questions or unique requirements? Our robotics experts are here at our U.S. factory, ready to offer ideas and solutions. Many shops and manufacturing teams find fast answers by seeing our cobot capabilities and asking questions in a live online demo.
Complete the form below to contact us. We'll help with your specific requirements and work with you to make your first—and every—automation a success from day one.