PC-JUN22-PG24.1_Layout 1 13/06/2022 13:14 Page 24


ROBOTICS & AUTOMATION WILL ROBOTS PLAY A STARRING ROLE?


What can robots do for you? By Steve Ellis, managing director, FPE Seals


Automation is fast becoming a key conversation within multiple industries, including manufacturing, with robotics emerging as the solution. Over the past few years, a need to move


T


towards more automation in the manufacturing industry has been seen. In fact, a survey done by ABB Robotics found that of 250 SME and manufacturing companies, 81.2% were considering incorporating robotics into their processes to combat issues with workforce shortages and supply chain disruptions. So, what can robots do for you? A big


question from businesses still on the fence about bringing in robots is what can they do to improve processes. By automating sections of your manufacturing processes with robots, you’re given an opportunity to stay competitive. Substituting traditional labour with robots


within your processes can help to provide added efficiency. Robots don’t require breaks,


echnology is constantly changing our day-to-day lives and has had a particular impact on the working world.


and they’re programmed to carry out specific practices with much smaller margins for error than humans. This results in a more cost- effective output from your business, which could see greater revenue for less paid labour. Robotics can also be useful when it comes


to tasks that require a steadiness that can’t always reliably come from humans. Whether it’s handling or removing materials that can be harmful or dangerous, welding, or separating materials from one another, robotics makes those tasks easier to carry out. The UK’s manufacturing industry has leant


into a ‘quality over quantity’ mentality, focusing on top value from each product made, and robotics are now being incorporated into processes. Between 2020 and 2021, the UK became one


of the top 15 for sales of industrial robots globally. The International Federation of Robotics (IFR) found that 2,205 industrial robots were installed throughout 2020, which brought the total in the country to around 23,000. These robots are primarily found in the


automotive manufacturing industry in the UK with around 875, making up 16% of those that


ROBOTIC SOLUTION IMPROVES OUTPUT BY 40%


RMGroup, has recently supplied trade wipes manufacturer, Allied Hygiene, with a high speed robotic pick and place cell for their flowpack production line. The solution incorporates a case erector and case sealer from Lantech, a strategic partner of RMGroup. Allied Hygiene needed a UK packaging and automation manufacturer who could offer a


short lead time for production line equipment. A key part of this requirement was the availability of local service engineers for operator training, spares and consumables replacements, as well as ongoing and future service cover. With RMGroup’s expertise in automated packaging machinery systems, backed by service and after sales support, they were the perfect partner. Given space constraints on Allied’s flowpack production line, RMGroup installed their


RMGPPC-1200 robotic pick and place cell, designed to allow ease of maintenance and clean down, whilst utilising minimal floor space. The robust 6 axis robot, which allows flexible and versatile packing, provides a cost effective, safe and high-speed solution. The pick and place cell solution included a Lantech C-1000 case erector and a Lantech CS-300 case sealer, both of which have throughputs of 30 cases a minute. Andy Phippen, a director at Allied Hygiene, said: “This was the first equipment we have


sourced from RMGroup and, given our time constraints, they fully met our brief. The pick and place cell rapidly improved our efficiencies and outputs by 40%, helping to reduce labour costs and allowing us to be more competitive for our flowpack range of products. Our working relationship with RMGroup was very good during a challenging period time wise...” RMGroup


www.rmgroupuk.com 2 JUNE 2022 | PROCESS & CONTROL 4


were installed in 2020. Several sectors are seeing a benefit in robot application due to a lack of workers, including the food and beverage sector, which has seen an increase to 304 robots in 2020. This is a 96% increase in volume since the previous year. Though these numbers continue to rise, the


IFR still ranked the UK outside of the top 20 countries with robot density within manufacturing. We can take from this that there is still room for robotics presence in manufacturing to grow on our shores. The government itself outlined how much


growth was possible in a Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), estimating that there was a potential 40% annual growth for robotics and autonomous systems in the UK between 2020 and 2030. This could in turn mean an extra £6.4 billion in value for the UK economy by 2035. Automating your business process with


robotics is not something to be scared of. The myth that robotics steals jobs has long since been debunked, and there is plenty of room for improvements within the manufacturing industry that they can help solve. Implementing robotics can help keep your business competitive in the global market, as well as provide an efficiency that is impossible to achieve with manual labour. There are currently a record number of robots installed; however, there is still room for growth, and the amount of revenue that could stimulate the UK economy if more are installed is staggering. Sources: https://www.themanufacturer.com/articles/the- robotics-landscape-in-the-uk/ https://drivesncontrols.com/news/fullstory.php/aid/6 866/UK_enters_the_global_top_15_for_sales_of_in dustrial_robots.html https://diginomica.com/uk-robotics-government- forecasts-small-gains-massive-inaction#:~:text=Bas ed%20on%20estimates%20of%20unit,the%20curre nt%20low%20installed%20base. https://www.businessgrowthhub.com/manufacturing /news/2020/09/record-number-of-robots-in-uk- factories


FPE Seals www.fpeseals.com


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70