In a bid to enhance the quality of their gearbox components and improve plant safety, SEAT Componentes has successfully automated the handling of 18,000 machined gears daily by integrating 10 Universal Robots’ collaborative robots (cobots) into their Barcelona plant using in-house resources. This strategic move has enabled the company to retain critical know-how for cobot configuration and maintenance while avoiding additional costs.
Autonomy and Efficiency in Gearbox Production
SEAT Componentes, a gearbox manufacturer for the Volkswagen Group, faced the challenge of maintaining high precision and quality in its specialized manufacturing process. To address this, the company sought to minimize human handling of components from machining to assembly to reduce the possibility of errors and enhance worker safety. The do-it-yourself installation of cobots was accomplished without altering the factory layout, showcasing the company’s ability to swiftly configure new applications as production demands evolve.
Previously, the unloading of gearbox parts was a manual task, posing risks and inefficiencies. The introduction of cobots not only automated this process but also prepared the team to tackle future automation endeavors. SEAT’s experience with cobots dates back to a 2015 project, which informed their decisions in this initiative.
Advanced Cobot Integration and Training
SEAT’s maintenance team took a two-stage approach to training for cobot integration, starting with free online modules from the UR Academy followed by an initial pilot cobot project. The UR10e cobots chosen for their compact size and ease of programming could be seamlessly installed alongside existing workstations without the need for external integrators, significantly cutting costs.
The cobots, communicating through the PROFINET protocol, coordinate with the plant’s PLC for efficient part transfer to minimize machine downtime. The implementation of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) further streamlines the process, transporting parts to a warehouse for just-in-time manufacturing, thus avoiding the accumulation of surplus stock.
SEAT has also embraced the innovation of 3D printing to create bespoke gripper “fingers” for their cobots, enabling rapid replacement and testing without the need for inventory. This self-reliance extends to programming and integration, with SEAT keeping this expertise in-house to effectively manage any stoppages.
The cobots have not only improved the efficiency of SEAT’s gearbox production but also upskilled operators, freeing them from manual tasks to focus on value-adding activities. The company’s proactive approach to automation has cultivated an environment where in-house teams are equipped to drive future projects with an emphasis on profitability and skill acquisition.
