Topcustom, an Italian producer of custom-made bathroom sinks, has recently transformed part of its operations by deploying a collaborative robot (cobot) from Omron. The new cobot is being used to automate all the finishing operations of Topcustom’s products made from Ocritech. This is a light material that is easy to work with and guarantees perfect hygiene with excellent resistance to UV rays.
Topcustom is situated in central Italy and bases its success on the entrepreneurial tradition of the Le Marche region. Topcustom International was formed in 2018, in partnership with Nicos International Spa, which is responsible for marketing the products in Italy and abroad. Its strengths lie in understanding market needs and developing innovative products with the use of Ocritech, the company’s acrylic material. This has unique characteristics, which has allowed Topcustom to respond to the many customisation needs typical of this market, which is always looking for innovative and bespoke solutions, adaptability and speed of execution. Another strength of the company is its ability to respond to specific needs, carrying out projects in close collaboration with the customer’s design offices.
The 10-year experience of its production and technical departments enables every proposal, from the request to the finished product, to be completed in a maximum of three weeks. Each product, after passing through the industrial chain, is finished by hand. This ensures that each piece meets the required specifications and is of the right quality for the next stage of processing, up to packaging.
The company needed the cobot for the precision milling of its sinks. This includes the removal of acrylic glue residues (from 1,5 mm to a maximum of 3 mm). The glue is used to connect the thermoformed basin of the sink to its top. Omron’s TM12 robot has a reach of 1300 mm and operates on two sides of a very large working area. It eliminates all rough edges (burrs) and residues of the acrylic glue with maximum precision and minimum human intervention.
The path that guides the robot’s movements is determined by a three-dimensional model of the sink, generated from the final customer’s drawing. This is because the model can import all the data and the calculations of the path program from the CAD/CAM so that there is a reliable initial basis for handling. This can then be refined to compensate for any variation in tolerances. Employee safety is guaranteed by special safety barriers equipped with scanners. These communicate the presence of personnel to the cobot so that it can stop moving whenever necessary.
As a result of introducing the cobot, Topcustom has increased its production by 15% and is now producing more than 800 sinks per week, all different types and sizes. The entire process − from the initial order to the delivery of the finished product − can be managed in two weeks, with a level of precision and repeatability that is not possible with manual labour. This introduction to the world of Industry 4.0 has also enabled Topcustom to take advantage of the integration of future production data, by creating a link between the product codes and the associated processing programs.
Monitoring relays keep operations running Omron Electronics
Other technologies
OMRON’s K8 series relays are designed to prevent breakdowns, protect critical assets and support smarter maintenance strategies on the plant.
Read more...Solving common automation challenges with Festo’s servo drive and servo motor solutions Festo
Editor's Choice Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Automation projects face challenges that include limited installation space, the need for precise and repeatable linear motion, rising cycle-speed demands, and seamless integration with existing control architectures. Festo’s servo portfolio directly addresses these issues with compact, modular drive and motor solutions designed for specific applications.
Read more...Inside the Giant Magellan Telescope with mechanical engineering at astronomical scale
Editor's Choice Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Construction of the Giant Magellan Telescope, set to become the world’s largest Gregorian optical infrared telescope, is well underway. While its scientific mission is to transform astronomy, its performance depends heavily on advanced mechanical, hydraulic and pneumatic engineering.
Read more...Jendamark catalyst shrinking technology leverages SEW-EURODRIVE precision SEW-EURODRIVE
Editor's Choice Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Innovative technology for shrinking catalytic converters, designed and built in South Africa by Jendamark Automation for the global market, relies on the precision of SEW-EURODRIVE’s highly dynamic servo-geared units and software.
Read more...Motion control for flight simulators Beckhoff Automation
Editor's Choice Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Turkish specialist, SANLAB is a leader in motion platforms and simulation technologies. At the heart of these platforms are application-specific servo drives, servomotors and industrial PCs for real-time control, which are supplied by Beckhoff.
Read more...PC-based control for additive machine tools Beckhoff Automation
Editor's Choice Electrical switching & drive systems & components
IRPD is a specialist in additive machine tools. Development is heavily focused on high system throughput and consistently high process quality. This goal was achieved with the help of PC- and EtherCAT-based control and drive technology from Beckhoff.
Read more...A guide to common hydraulic system contaminants CT Hydraulics (Nqoba)
Editor's Choice Hydraulic systems & components
Every engineer, machine designer and maintenance professional understands that the heart of any reliable hydraulic system is its fluid. But the moment that fluid is compromised, your system’s life expectancy and your peace of mind drop dramatically.
Read more...Compressed air piping design Artic Driers International
Editor's Choice Pneumatic systems & components
When designing a compressed air pipeline, remember that size matters. The internal size of the pipe, along with the pressure and air volume, determine the velocity of the compressed air in the pipeline.
Read more...Top questions about pressure gauges SA Gauge
Editor's Choice Pneumatic systems & components
Some questions never go out of date, and in our industry, a few have been asked for decades. At SA Gauge, we hear them every week. Here are the ten questions we hear most often, and the practical answers that can save time, money and frustration.
Read more...OMRON simplifies safety verification for SA manufacturers Omron Electronics
Other technologies
OMRON’s NX Safety platform, Online Safety Functional Test Verification is a feature built into the Sysmac Studio engineering environment. This intuitive tool allows safety verification to be carried out digitally, with step-by-step guidance and full traceability, all from a single workstation.
While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its agents cannot be held responsible for any errors contained, or any loss incurred as a result. Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to alter or cut copy. Articles submitted are deemed to have been cleared for publication. Advertisements and company contact details are published as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material.
printer friendly version