It is a false idea still too widespread we must fight: the Chinese industry would be underequipped and would work with obsolete techniques. On the contrary, companies of the most populated country in the world invest in the latest and the most automatised technologies.
Robotec, the Switzerland based company, is the first integrator in Switzerland for Fanuc polyarticulated robots range, as well as for the 6 axes Fanuc Delta robots. Let’s see a few of its projects: Installed in 2008 in a mould factory in the South of Beijing, the first installation is a flexible production line of heavy moulds. It shows 3 + 4 Hermle three axes machining centers, powered by a Fanuc M9000 polyarticulated robot. One to two professionals, according to the working posts, feed the flexible cell for a 24/7 work.
Other flexible systems are following… Building on the success of this first installation, System 3R has renewed its confidence in Robotec to integrate robotization into two flexible lines in another Chinese mould factory for the production of molds in smaller sizes. "Thanks to the confidence of our partners, Robotec demonstrates its ability to design, develop, install, train and guarantee the after sales services of its facilities anywhere in the world," says Dominique Lalut, sales manager with Robotec. Beyond the impressive technical capabilities of the Integrator, the attentive reader may draw other lessons from this story.
Production automation becomes a universal rule First, such investments demonstrate the will of Chinese companies to invest at a level at least equal, or even higher than the one of European manufacturers. The exchange rate with Swiss Franc does not hamper them to invest in the best technologies, with the most competent professionals. Second, these facilities show that manufacturing of moulds unit can and should be automated with robotization. Finally, if Chinese manufacturers do not hesitate to invest heavily in an automated process to ensure the quality and the price of their production, the French and European companies must innovate dramatically in their own way of producing if they want to retain their own markets. Today, the low-cost word covers a complete other meaning, because low prices of products are no longer based on low social costs, but on a perennial technology investment. Nevertheless the European industry can and should still mark its difference. Why not by taking advantage of the experience of integrators such as Robotec?
We will go into further details of this story in Eurotec’s next issue.
Robotec Solutions AG Seetalstrasse 2 CH-5703 Séon Tél.+41 62 775 90 00 Fax +41 62 775 90 01 www.robotec-ag.com
