p r e s e n t s

Switching to Robotics
FRP and Polyurethane Applications
 Switching to Robotics

Why Automate?
The constantly increasing cost of doing business
Increasing material costs
Increasing labor costs
The Requirement for better production processes
Market demand for increased quality
Market demand for increased throughput
Business demand for improved bottom line

Todays exposure and emission regulations are forcing

open mold formers and hot tub/spa manufacturers to examine
alternative application techniques
 Switching to Robotics

Why Automate?
Material Cost Warranty Cost
Labor Cost Quality
Emission Regulations

ALL of These Issues Increase the Cost Per Part Produced

A Robotic Application of your material can:

Reduce per part material usage
Improve product quality and consistency
Reduce part re-work and warranty cost
Re-allocate direct labor
- Spray Process
- Rollout Process
 Switching to Robotics

Why Automate?
Environmental and exposure regulations are driving
manufactures to investigate alternative methods of
material application.

Consider the following video: Please Click on Video #1

Stronger environmental emission

regulations drove this customer to
automate their manufacturing process.
The result is a more competitive
manufacturer that also reduced emissions.
 Switching to Robotics

Benefits Of Robots
Material Savings
Repeatable robot paths and gun triggering means the material
application will be repeatable and consistent

Overspray is Reduced
Gun Triggers are More Precise
Material Consumption Goes Down

Please Click on Video #2

 Switching to Robotics

Material Savings - Case Study

Whirlpool and Spa Manufacturer

Before After Total Material Total Material Overspray
Chop Chop On Part Usage Quantity Percent
Shell 1 38# 83# 45# 47.2# 2.2# 4.6

Shell 2 38# 82.5# 44.5# 47.1# 2.6# 5.5

Shell 3 38# 83.0# 45# 46.9# 1.9# 4.0

 Switching to Robotics

+10%
Benefits Of Robots
Without Robot:
-10%
Without Robot
Typical weight variance graph- pull weight / part weight each point
represents one job- all measurements in relationship to ideal nominal
weight

+10%
+1.5%

-1.5%
-10%
With Robot
 Switching to Robotics

Benefits Of Robots
Product Quality

Automated robotic application of material brings consistency to

the spray out process.
Please Click on Video #3
Most advanced robotics systems
include fluid delivery monitoring
which alert plant personnel when
material delivery is out of a desired
tolerance.
 Switching to Robotics

Benefits Of Robots
Proper application of material requires consistent material
delivery, consistent gun triggering and maintaining a consistent
gun target distance.

Robots provide all of these requirements

Additionally, proper application of these materials eliminates

product cracking, part re-work due to appearance concerns and
fiber bleed through.

These problems directly affect warranty costs, which also affect

the bottom line. Robotic application of materials can help the end
user get these product variables under control, reducing long
term warranty concerns.
 Switching to Robotics

Benefits Of Robots
Labor and Environmental Considerations
Manual spray out of the FRP process requires an employer to provide
equipment for an employee to work within a hazardous environment.

Robots can easily work within a hazardous environment; this allows

the employer to limit the exposure direct labor has with airborne chop
emissions.

With removal of humans from the actual spray environment, booth air
can be recirculated, and airborne concentrations within the booth can
remain at a higher level releasing less emissions in the air. This might
allow the end user to add a rotary concentrator to further reduce
emissions.
Switching to Robotics

How It Works

Please Click on Video #4

Customer and
Supplier
Requirements
 Switching to Robotics

Customer / Supplier Requirements

Customer Requirements
One Dedicated Robot Operator Per Shift
Optimal operator has knowledge of
Fiberglass Chop & Polyurethane Applications
(fluid delivery equipment, mold variations,etc.)
Operator will learn robot programming &
error recovery
 Switching to Robotics

Customer / Supplier Requirements

Customer Requirements
All robot operators should attend an
Operations and Programming Class offered by
robot supplier
Dedicated project manager for system start-up
 Switching to Robotics

Customer / Supplier Requirements

Supplier Requirements
System supplier should have extensive
knowledge of robotic Fiberglass Chop and
Polyurethane applications
Experienced personnel in Project
Management, Installation, and Engineering
Product and software packages dedicated to
specific markets (R&D)
Established market base
 Switching to Robotics

Conclusion

Robotic automation can reduce material usage and improve part

quality.
Robots can remove personnel from hazardous locations and also
increases material application consistency.
Robots can help a manufacturer reduce employee exposure to
styrene emissions.
Robots can improve product manufacturing process.