John Burg, President, Ellison Technologies Automation (ETA) and Don Baskin, President, Ellison Technologies, Inc. Chicago, presented a seminar entitled “Crush the Global Competition with Robotic Automation” to Chicago areamanufacturers.Attendees learned about the benefits, capabilities and manufacturing results using today’s automation technology. Presented were examples of automation solutions implemented by Ellison Technologies that resulted in productivity and cost benefits formanufacturers. Examples of automation presented were utilized by medium and large corporations, as well as by small job shops. “Automation is a catalyst in the revival ofAmericanmanufacturing. Automation allows U.S. manufacturers to compete with low-wage global competitors and to bring work back from overseas. Through increased spindle utilization, reduced waste and labor content, American companies can achieve competitive manufacturing costs and create additional jobs here at home,” said Don Baskin. “The criteria for automating a project is not high production, part family uniformity or the confidence that the jobs and parts will not change significantly in the future. Changeovers and small lots become minor concerns when considering the machine efficiency increase by 30% or greater with robotics. We have routinely seen dramatic spindle utilization increases from 60% to 95%.Many automated solutions from ETA are applicable to small batch sizes as well as large runs, and the robots are redeployable over their useful life,” said John Burg. The examples of automated cells included the integration of a number of capabilities including: ETA-authored HMI systems to allow automated cell set-up, automated gripper changing, integrated quality control utilizing shop-hardened Zeiss CMM platforms and the incorporation of part traceability via TRUMPF laser markers. Attendees were able to view several automation examples in the showroom. On display was the ETA Lean Machine robotic solution with FANUC Robotics M20iA20KG robot. This is a pre-engineered, flexible robotic machine tool tending platform. The cell included a four-drawer inbound/ outbound part stocker for lights-out manufacturing. Event participants could also view a turnkey project under way, which included a robot transport unit (RTU), a FANUC Robotics R1000iA80KG robot equipped with IR vision,whichwas integrated with three DMG / Mori Seiki vertical machining centers. Inbound and outbound conveyors for machine load / unload and part marking were also part of the cell. A third automation example was also a turnkey project, which showed a FANUC Robotics M710iC/50 robot using FANUC’s iRVision package to locate and track panes of glass hanging on a conveyor. The systemincorporates vision, specialized lighting, encoder tracking of parts on amoving conveyor and an adjustable end of arm tool to handle panes of glass from 6” x 8” to 21” x 24”. The vision information is disseminated to multiple robots required because of the volume of glass being processed. “With over 25 years of automation experience and over 3,500 robotic installs, Ellison Technologies is the largest FANUC Robotics material integrator in North America,” said John Burg. Capabilities include: • Machine Load/Unload • Palletizing • 2D/3D Vision • Robot Transport Units (RTU) • Automated Cells • Material Handling • Arc Welding For more information contact: Don Baskin Ellison Technologies, Inc. - Chicago 4630 Weaver Parkway Warrenville, IL60555 630-225-3009 dbaskin@ellisontechnologies.com www.ellisontechnologies.com