Ask an Expert : Automation

Tired of Manually Assembling? Learn How Newell Brands Transformed Productivity with Robotics

Newell Brands, a global leader in consumer goods, with iconic brands like Rubbermaid, was faced with the challenge of increasing productivity, consistency and accuracy in their 850,000-square-foot facility—500,000 square feet dedicated to manufacturing and 300,000 square feet to warehousing.

Pain Point: Manual Assembly Bottlenecks

At the heart of the Rubbermaid consumer product set was a 100-foot-long conveyor line, relying on 15–20 operators to manually assemble product kits. With a growing demand for precision and speed, the company needed a more scalable, ergonomic and efficient approach.

The Solution: Robotic Assembly Automation

Now, with 10 robots, the product kit assembling system:

• ·       Handles up to 80% of set volume
• ·       Improves order accuracy and quality
• ·       Enhances operator ergonomics
• ·       Reduces failure rates and packing errors

Cycle Time & Throughput

The robotic cell processes products at two different cycle speeds:

• 4.5 seconds per cycle → approx. 800 parts/hour
• 6 seconds per cycle → approx. 600 parts/hour

Want to learn how automation can seamless into your manufacturing? BAMA’S BEST Automation expert John Shaw, Field Application Engineer at Bastian Solutions, a Toyota Automated Logistics companyprovides BAMA members a pro bono one hour  consult. Reach out to John, for more information on manufacturing automation services.

John Shaw

Field Applications Engineer

jshaw@bastiansolutions.com

941-993-6078