Robotic stamped parts loading cell
Our customer: Isola Powertekk s.r.o.
Isola Powertekk s.r.o. operates manufacturing facilities in Olomouc and Velké Losiny, Czech Republic. The company, part of the Norwegian Isola Group, specializes in the production and supply of gutters, lightweight roofing systems, insulation materials for pitched, flat, and green roofs, as well as floor insulation solutions. In addition, it operates in the field of deep foundation engineering, manufacturing components and accessories used in foundation construction and tunnel engineering.
Automation of stamped parts handling
The objective of the project was to automate the handling of stamped sheet metal parts between a pallet and a conveyor system, eliminating repetitive manual operations.
The robotic cell operates at a cycle time of 8 seconds per part and is fully synchronized with the downstream conveyor system.
Laser-based detection of the pallet reference position, combined with continuous pallet height measurement, enables the robot to automatically adjust its pick-and-place positions without the need for manual re-teaching after pallet replacement. The solution also includes automatic reorientation of parts according to their required position and orientation.
Project description
The workstation is based on a KUKA industrial robot equipped with an energy-efficient vacuum gripper for picking stamped metal sheet parts from a pallet and placing them onto the conveyor. The gripper is fitted with a laser sensor whose data are used to determine the pallet’s reference position, continuously measure its current stack height, determine part orientation, and detect the last remaining part on the pallet.
Based on this data, the control system automatically recalculates the robot’s pick-and-place positions according to the actual pallet position and height. Thanks to the automatic flipping function, the stamped parts are always placed onto the conveyor in the correct orientation, regardless of how they are positioned on the pallet.
The robotic cell features:
- Automatic picking of finished stamped parts using an energy-efficient vacuum gripper with reduced compressed air consumption
- Laser-based detection of the pallet reference position and continuous measurement of the current pallet height, including automatic detection of the last remaining part
- Automatic part reorientation (part flipping) based on product orientation
- Synchronization with the downstream conveyor system
- Integration of the KUKA industrial robot into the production process
Benefits of the solution
The robotic workstation ensures smooth and fully automated handling of stamped parts without the need for manual adjustment after pallet replacement. Automatic adaptation of the robot’s handling positions to the current pallet location and stack height simplifies operation and contributes to a stable production performance.
Thanks to automatic detection of the last remaining part and automatic flipping according to part orientation, the system maintains reliable operation even when input conditions vary.
The result is precise and repeatable part handling, reduced downtime during pallet replacement, and increased efficiency of the manufacturing process.