Custom automation, by industry
The short answer
We build custom automation and robotic cells for energy and refining, for food, beverage and consumer goods, and for contract manufacturers. The robot is often the same; what changes is the part, the environment and how often the product does.
Custom robotics for the energy sector
Energy and refining
Refining and energy work moves heavy parts through harsh environments, and the process rarely looks like a packaging line. Cells here are engineered one at a time around the part and the plant.
What's different here
- Heavier payloads and longer reach, which set the robot class and tooling before anything else
- Rugged end-of-arm tooling built for the part and the conditions around it
- Safety engineering for heavy loads moving close to people and equipment
- Uptime that matters as much as rate, with maintenance planned into the design
Custom automation for consumer goods
Food, beverage and consumer goods
High SKU counts, seasonal formats and product that does not survive rough handling. The engineering problem is usually changeover and gentle handling rather than peak speed.
What's different here
- Grippers shaped to the product — we build custom tooling, including 3D-printed vacuum grippers for food and beverage products
- Changeover between formats that operators can perform without a technician
- Cleaning and sanitation requirements specified at scoping, not discovered at install
- Secondary packaging and palletizing sized to the end of the line
Custom automation for outsourced manufacturing
Contract and outsourced manufacturing
Co-packers and contract manufacturers change product more often than anyone else in the building, and the next customer's product is rarely the last one's. Flexibility beats headline rate.
What's different here
- Cells that can be reprogrammed and re-tooled for the next customer's product
- Fast format changes that don't need a specialist on site
- Modular equipment that can be reconfigured as contracts change
- Clear documentation, so each new job starts from a known machine
What doesn't change
FANUC Authorized System Integrator
The robot is specified, programmed and supported directly, whatever the industry.
Engineering in house
Mechanical, electrical and robotics engineers on the same team, from concept to commissioning.
One contract
A single point of accountability for the cell, not a chain of subcontractors.
Documented and supported
A full electrical schematic package with every system, and US-based service after start-up.