Apr 11 2012
Philips has selected Adept Technology for supplying robotics and flexible feeding systems. Philips plans to construct an assembly line for producing its existing line of high-tech shavers that will be compatible with any future redesigns. By integrating the skill and proficiency of Bremer Werk fur Montagesysteme (BWM) and Adept, the deployment of an assembly system capable of producing Philips' high-tech shavers was achieved.
Adept Technology Robotics Selected by Philips for High Tech Shaver Manufacturing
High-tech shavers are quality products with high demand globally. Drachten-based Philips's R&D facility accommodates the manufacture of high-tech shavers. The assembly of these sophisticated shaving devices entails highest level of quality. In response to this need, automation was adopted in the Drachten plant instead of manual labor. The consumer products can achieve highest level of quality through reliable assembly processes with built-in quality control.
BWM needed 6-axis robots, vision systems, SCARA robots, part feeders and controls from a single source and therefore selected Adept flexible robotic solutions. Adept's high-duty components addressed to all the demands of BWM such as flexibility and helped achieve complete equipment.
At present, three-head-shavers are presently being assembled at Drachten, on a total of nine slitting lines each made up of five to eight cells. Autonomous operation is carried out in each cell that functions based on plug-and-play principle. Four new lines have been added to the complete equipment. After the line integration is complete, over 120 robots and 40 Adept Anyfeeder systems will contribute to frictionless assembly system for the shavers.
At the Philips plant facility, BWM depended on the Adept AnyFeeder SX 240 flexible feeding system. The AnyFeeder system was upgraded in terms of flexibility by integrating with Adept Viper robots and Adept Cobra and AdeptSight vision guidance.
Vision guidance has been incorporated in around 50 robots on the four new assembly lines. However, vision guidance has already been integrated to the robots on the existing lines and the upcoming new machines will be equipped with a vision system.