Single style coffee machine A global leader in single cup coffee makers aimed to automate the manufacturing process of their coffee machine brewing system components. They needed a solution that could address high volume production while reducing labor costs. The company approached Bright Machines®for help in automating the assembly of two critical, error-prone components. Applications used Problem The company was having difficulty maintaining a workforce with enough operators to assemble the number of units needed. In addition to the labor shortage issue, the human operators assigned to pick-and-place stations struggled to properly align two crucial components. As a result, the company produced a relatively low yield of just 60% – far from maximum capacity. Solution By using a Bright Machines Microfactory, both precision screw-driving and pick-and-place can be performed to support the two different components of the coffee maker that were most prone to human error. A vision device for inspection and screwing guidance, plus a parallel conveyor, can also be included to shorten cycle time and improve accuracy. At a glance CYCLE TIME 20s YIELD 98% Microfactory configuration The opportunity Not only could the Bright Machines Microfactory significantly reduce the labor requirements for product assembly, satisfying the original project objective, but it could also solve for the critical quality issues that the customer was facing. While human operators previously struggled to align two critical component parts, a Bright Machines Microfactory – aided by advanced computer vision – is able to achieve much more precise and accurate positioning. This avoids potential damage to parts, driving a much higher yield rate. Testing showed that the solution designed for this customer could increase yield from 60% to over 95%, increase units produced per hour by 50%, and reduce labor dependency by up to 90%. Based on internal company tests and projections. To learn more about our capabilities in building the backbone of AI, visit Bright Machines. Share by Twitter LinkedIn Email
