September, 2017 Continued from previous page


technology have enabled NASA to ex- pand the boundaries of the aerospace industry. MSFC helps pioneer, devel- op, demonstrate, and to apply the new technologies and capabilities needed by the agency to complete its missions. Partnership with key com- panies also improves existing tech- nologies and helps to invent new ones. Essemtec is one such company and has been a partner of MSFC since 2006. Essemtec is well-regarded by


MSFC because the company provides excellent equipment and support. The systems have lasted for more than 11 years and meet MSFC’s chal- lenge of flexibility. Engineers work with many different types of boards, so having a large feeder capacity is a significant benefit. As an added bonus, the Essemtec machines have compact footprints and do not take up much floor space in the lab. Essemtec’s five-star service rat-


Group Continued from page 23


Cobots from Universal Robots Aid Scott Fetzer


to put them out of a job. “When the robots first came out


on the floor, employees were very anx- ious, as they thought they would be replaced. But the robots handle a lot of tedious tasks for us now, enabling us to focus on more challenging jobs. My colleagues are constantly trying to find out where we can put the next ro- bots,” says Thompson, who also enjoys operating the UR robots. “I was sur- prised how simple it was. If you can work a smartphone, you can pretty much work these robots.” SFEG has been able to move em-


ployees that have had their tasks tak- en by robots to other production areas where the company has seen growth, or to fill holes due to attrition. “We’re seeing about 1 to 1 move-


ment of people from where we put in a robot to allow to move that person to another area of the business. We have 14 robots from Universal Ro- bots right now and as we have imple- mented all of them, we expect to be able reposition 14 employees. It has allowed us to be much more flexible as a manufacturer,” says Goldiez. The UR robots at SFEG were


purchased through distributor Cross Automation, which covers the South- eastern part of the U.S. The company is seeing an increase in demand for cobots all over the industry, and across multiple industries. Tier one and two automotive


suppliers are flocking to the robots to replace some of their ergonomically- unfavorable tasks with machines. The medical device industry is also starting to use these new types of ro- bots for such tasks as laser marking and assembly. For Scott Fetzer Elec- trical Group, its new cobot colleagues are becoming part of the family. Contact: Universal Robots USA,


Inc, 101 Pacifica, Suite 350, Irvine, CA 92618 % 949-236-6082 E-mail: ur.na@universal-robots.com Web: www.universal-robots.com r


Essemtec’s FOX placement systems are designed for speed and accuracy in low-volume production environments.


www.us-tech.com


Page 27 Essemtec’s Technology Advances NASA Space Missions


ing is well-deserved since the company strives to be attentive and accommo- dating, even when it comes to working on older machines. As a combined re- sult of high-quality technology and support, NASA’s MSFC plans to con- tinue partnering with Essemtec into the foreseeable future. Essemtec offers MSFC easy-to-use, high-quality equip- ment that helps to advance NASA’s space missions. The FOX is providing efficient low-volume production for a low-gravity environment. Contact: Essemtec USA, 816 N


Delsea Drive, Suite 308, Glassboro, NJ 08028 % 856-218-1131 E-mail: info@essemtec-usa.com Web: www.essemtec-usa.com r


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