The world is progressing rapidly, and today it is not unusual to see Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV), robots, or cobots performing their tasks swiftly and efficiently on the production floor. Moreover, in recent years, the challenge of recruiting skilled labor for production and assembly lines has grown, encouraging more and more workplaces to incorporate automation equipment that replaces human labor. This equipment is integrated mainly in two ways: for routine, repetitive tasks or for tasks that present safety risks to workers. The integration of automation also leads to increased productivity, as robots do not require breaks or rest hours like human workers.
In Rion’s production halls and assembly halls, you will find numerous automated production cells, including over 60 Cartesian robots integrated with injection molding machines, as well as six-axis robots performing various tasks and automated assembly lines. Our Automation Department has completed several projects that combine automation and streamline production and assembly for our customers, sometimes replacing up to three workers in the production process.
Meet the Automation Department at Rion
The Automation Department is led by Itay Gover and consists of five team members—engineers and practical engineers—who are not only responsible for robots and automation but must also have a deep understanding of production and assembly processes. The department supports the manufacturing halls, as well as the fusion and assembly departments at both Rion and Plastokit. The team is in charge of providing automation solutions, writing software for the robots, building mechanical solutions, and, of course, planning automation projects according to the requirements of our clients or our engineers.
Itay explains that Rion started integrating auxiliary machines for automation as early as 1996, aiming to optimize production and shorten cycle times. With the extensive experience gained over the years, Rion has relied on its Automation Department for large-scale projects. One project involved the development of a raw material feeding system, which included creating new software, infrastructure, hardware and communication systems for the MARS production floor management system, as well as implementing a factory-wide cooling system.
Image 1: The automation system at Plastokit: Automatically performs the following: inserts a plug at the bottom of the tray, prints a logo using tampon printing, laser marks a serial number on 3 sides and on the plug, and checks the integrity of the barcode. Works at a rate of 10 trays per minute.
The Automation Implementation Process
Itay explains that the drive to implement automation typically comes from Rion’s ongoing efforts to improve efficiency. Customers are generally less concerned with the specific methods of production, and they don’t insist on particular processes. One of the key challenges in automation is adapting the mold and the products to fit the automated process. This is why it’s valuable for the team to be involved early in the mold design phase and parts to be automated design. They collaborate with mold engineers and product engineers to determine the necessary adjustments and estimate whether any changes to the final product or mold are required. After that, the team moves forward with designing, building the mechanical part, and programming the software for both the system and the robot. Once everything is set up, the department’s engineers test the system and begin working with the robots. When everything is functioning smoothly and ready for implementation, they provide training for the machine operators. In case of big projects, automation department is in charge of specifying and implementing at Rion from automation building firms. Of course, the team is also responsible for ongoing maintenance and troubleshooting of the automated systems. The robots are purchased from leading industry manufacturers, who also offer technical support during the process and assist in customizing the necessary equipment and accessories.
Future Projects
Improving production processes and implementing automation were some of the key goals of Nadav Zamir, the operations manager. As part of upcoming projects involving automation, plans include new production lines and the introduction of Industrial vision equipment for advanced quality control.
