UR Robot Arms Boost Production by 50% at Raaco
UR Robots Doubled Production
At Raaco in Nykøbing Falster, three UR10 robot arms from BILA Robotics have enhanced efficiency, improved the working environment, and driven growth. It has been the perfect solution for our business, says Anders Vinther, Production and Logistics Manager at Raaco.
Doubled annual production
Increased growth
Lower production costs
Improved working environment
Challenge
In 2015, Raaco experienced a significant increase in demand. Until then, production had primarily been manual and could no longer keep up with the growing order volume. Employees faced increasing workloads, performing many repetitive, demanding tasks. To accommodate growth, Raaco needed a solution to boost capacity and relieve employees of exhausting tasks.
Solution
Raaco invested in their first UR10 robot arm from Universal Robots, which quickly proved successful. The robot took over demanding tasks and optimised production. Building on this success, Raaco added two more UR robots and reskilled employees, allowing the company to adapt quickly to changing demands.
Profit
With three UR10 robots, Raaco has doubled its annual production from 10 million to 20 million units. The robots operate 24/7, reducing production costs and driving additional sales. Employees have transitioned to new roles, eliminating many monotonous, physically demanding tasks. This shift has improved the working environment and increased capacity and growth.
In 2015, demand for Raaco’s storage systems increased, putting pressure on the production line, which was then entirely manual. Three years ago, Raaco made a change by investing in a Universal Robots arm. This robot arm was so successful that Raaco later added two more UR robots to their operations.
“Based on their experience with the first UR robot arm, Raaco took charge of implementing the next two robots. Employees were also thoroughly retrained to take on less physically demanding tasks. It’s been a smooth process because Raaco had a solid grasp of the robots’ potential from the start. This has positioned the company to adapt quickly if production needs change,”
Henrik Bang Andersen, Area Manager BILA Robotics
According to Anders Vinther, the robot arms have been the ideal solution for the company. He notes that Raaco had relied on manual workstations for many years, which worked well initially. However, as orders increased, they needed a new approach. This led to the company’s first UR10 robot arm investment, which quickly proved to be the perfect fit for their needs.
Robots Doubled Production
At Raaco, the robots manage large volumes of small plastic boxes, placing them into various types of storage systems. The robot arms handle this task with high efficiency, achieving a utilisation rate of 99%, according to Raaco’s own performance metrics. The robots have doubled annual production from 10 to 20 million units and can run continuously—even on weekends, when necessary.
These robotic arms have significantly boosted efficiency and increased production capacity. The robots operate almost entirely without human intervention, which has resulted in substantial cost savings. While they require occasional programming and maintenance, they otherwise run autonomously.
In addition to improving efficiency, the three UR10 robot arms have also eliminated several physically demanding tasks that were previously performed manually. Anders Vinther explains that this has improved the working environment:
"The tasks that the robots now handle were previously done by hand, involving repetitive and strenuous movements. This took a toll on our employees, who are now very satisfied with the robot arms that have made their work environment better," says Anders Vinther, Production and Logistics Manager.
Increased Sales and Growth
With the UR10 robot arms taking over parts of the production, employees can now focus on other tasks at Raaco’s factory. This shift has lowered production costs and driven growth, says Anders Vinther.
The robotic solutions have freed up employee capacity, allowing them to take on different responsibilities. Combined with the robots' efficiency, this has significantly reduced production costs, leading to increased sales and growth.
Vinther adds that the collaborative robot arms have been such a success that Raaco’s management is now considering investing in a fourth robot arm to further enhance production.
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