The solution was based on a UR5 robotic arm from Universal Robots. It ensured safe, flexible operation without the need for screens and could rotate 360 degrees – perfect for the challenge of mounting the blocks on all sides. The UR5 solution delivers pinpoint precision and uses only the pre-specified amount of glue for each join. This saves Franke on unusable/damaged stock and wasted materials.
By leveraging a UR5 solution from Bachmann Engineering, Franke has freed up valuable company resources. Now, employees can add value to other steps in the production process while boosting their overall job satisfaction by giving them more interesting and varied tasks. The UR5 entered production November 2011 and has operated non-stop ever since. Franke is now studying ways of deploying UR robots elsewhere to work side-by-side with the personnel.