ABB robot helps German technical textile manufacturer Huesker unload workers

2022: Unloading Company Workers with ABB Robot

On January 20, 2022 , ABB announced that the ABB robot helps unload workers of the German technical textile manufacturer, Huesker.

The idea of ​ ​ automating production using robots is becoming more relevant. More and more representatives of industries with a low degree of automation and manufacturers of niche products discover the possibilities of robotics.

Huesker uses high-performance robot ABB to free employees from the physically strenuous work of moving heavy twine reels and laying them on pallets. Twine bobbins produced by the plant can weigh up to 17 kg. They are located at a height inconvenient for access to workers and safe movement. In the production cell IRB , the ABB robot 6700 takes the finished reels from the process equipment, moves them to other machines for further processing, and then puts them on pallets for shipment. He also loads machines with empty cores to wind new bobbins. The robot eliminates the need to work with heavy reels, helping to avoid injuries and increase job satisfaction, giving employees the opportunity to perform tasks that require higher qualifications.

Huesker has a history of more than 160 years: the former textile processing company cotton has been transformed into an international player specializing in technical solutions using synthetic fabrics. The German a company with many years of experience - a novice  in robotics - produces technical textiles for  civil, constructions agriculture manufacturing industries and construction from light structures. Its geotextile products, developed and manufactured  at headquarters in Gesher, Westphalia, can be found around the world as elements of roads and sidewalks, as well as in many other places. In addition to geotextiles, the company also offers geosets, geocomposites, as well as complex system solutions that often replace traditional construction methods, ensuring greater durability environmental friendliness and due to reduction. CO2 emissions

One of the enterprises of the company for the production of twine, partially made of 100% recycled materials, now relies on the  support of a robot. For Huesker, the use of a robot is uncharted territory.

" time Recently, we have been thinking a lot about how best to apply robotics and automation to us and our staff. When it comes to moving and putting  twine bobbins on pallets that can weigh up to 17 kg, robots free our employees from this hard work and give them the ability to perform more complex tasks, " tells Dr. F.-Hans Grandin, CEO of Huesker Group.

In its first automation project, Huesker used the ABB IRB 6700 robot, by information company, with some of the lowest total operating costs in its class. The robot takes bobbins with finished twine from three production machines, each of which is equipped with two exit trays.  Depending on the production order, twine bobbins may vary in diameter and weight. This is not a problem for the IRB 6700, which can work with loads of up to  150  kg. On average, the robot removes about 2.5 tons per day from the shoulders of employees.

In addition to lifting weights, the robot copes well with more subtle tasks.  Each finished twine reel has an open end of the thread, which must be fixed so that it does not unwind on the pallet. The robot moves the reel to the processing station where the label is glued to secure the reel. Another difficulty is that automatic  rearrangement of the reels leaves the so-called "twine stock," which is not  needed in the  next processing stages. To remove it, the robot moves the bobbin  to another machine where the thread is burned by the heating wire and thrown away.

The next step is palletizing. The robot begins to vertically install the bobbins on the  pallet. Once the level is fully filled, it takes the intermediate insert from  the tray and places it over the first layer. The IRB 6700 also takes empty bushings from  a large dispenser and transfers them to the  winding station, ensuring continuous production.

Located  in the center of the production cell and surrounded by various stations, the IRB 6700 performs these tasks within three shifts. With this arrangement, its range of 3.2 meters is especially relevant. Employees simply need to monitor the robot and from time to time help it, for example, when it is necessary to take out a filled pallet, replenish the supply of intermediate inserts or bushings. None of these tasks take a long time and are performed only once or twice per shift. Without these short breaks, the entire system operates almost autonomously.

Thanks to ABB's certified SafeMove security software, the robotic cell can be compact in space. The robot immediately stops whenever a person enters the cell.

For quick commissioning, Huesker used software for modeling and autonomous programming of RobotStudio from ABB. This allowed the company to model the movements of the robot in advance and consider ways to optimize its work before it was commissioned.

"We have turned this automation system into a prototype that we can now replicate to other systems almost one to one. From the experience gained, we gain additional knowledge about the use of robotics for this specialized task. This is because processing yarn  in synthetic materials is a very complex requirement for which there are no ready solutions, " notes Heinz-Georg Richels, technical manager and authorized representative of Huesker.

Since the company uses robots for the first time, it seeks to introduce most of the robotic modules independently. This allows her to guarantee the transfer of knowledge within the company from the first  automation project. At the start, the company received support and advice from ABB on setting up a robotic cell,  and also underwent in-depth training. A network of ABB Integrated Service Centers is also available for Huesker. This factor was one of the key factors that influenced the decision to choose ABB technology.

"Even if we introduce and test many things on our own, what matters to us is the fact that we have a partner represented by ABB who can support us quickly and professionally when needed," says Tobias Efsing, automation specialist at Huesker.

After the introduction of the first automation system, Huesker sees great potential for the use of robotics in other areas, for example, in processes preceding the production of twine. Thus, continuous automation lines will be created that will help the company increase productivity and flexibility, as well as improve the working conditions of employees.

"We are a highly specialized manufacturer, so any next robotic cells we create will be prototypes. To do this, we need well-trained educated personnel who want to further deepen their knowledge. The fact that we use robotics helps us win over young professionals who are looking for attractive jobs, and then hold them  for a long time. And, of course, we still trust strong partners like ABB, " summarizes Dr. Grandin.