Insight's Automation Solutions
Robotic ● Pick & Place ● Gantry ● Conveyance

- Smart, Efficient, Effective

'Automation is transformational' - a resounding yes it is!
But hey, this is true - only (!) when you know where & how exactly should you implement it!

Humans are wise 'beings'. And Robots are not 'beings'. When you get a Robot to do what a person does, it can & will succeed only when the system engineering is 'just right' in a holistic sense.

It is not just about putting up a 'Pick & Place' or a 'Gantry' or a 'Robot', it is about fundamental process engineering. Automation works best when you conduct an in-depth Process FMEA, identify pitfalls, and then engineer the 'system of automation' comprehensively.
And hey, knowing what doesn't work, is as important as knowing what works! Perhaps more so!

Robot Automation, Machine Tending, Pick and Place, Conveyors, Welding Automation, Special Purpose Machines, Metal Cutting Machines, Insight Technologies

And indeed, this is easier said than done. But well well, here's the good news!
Insight's Automation division, is a crew of experts with extensive experience and a keen eye for tiny yet important details. And they're on a mission to truly contribute value to your 'Gemba', through meaningful Process Automation.

Foundational Schema

Diverse Application Areas

Machine Tending | Assembly | Welding | BIW
Foundry | Forging | Sealing | Spraying | Paint

Full Speed Utilization

Robust, Vibration resistant Mounting
Pedestal | Floor-track | Overhead Gantry

Synergic Peripherals | One Stop

Top-notch-quality build of Peripherals
Conveyors, Positioners, Magazines

High Performance & Reliability

High Quality BOPs | Grippers, Actuators
Uncompromising Manufacturing Quality

Meticulous Motion Profile

Shortest path-vector method > Low Takt
Lowest inertial effect > Enhanced Life

Phased & Scalable

Cost conscious, Specific yet Modular
Cell/Line-Design, with Future foresight

Repertoire

Line Automation | Robot & Overhead Gantry

Where the cycle time of machines is quite high, like say machining time or testing time or so, a single Robot can handle multiple machines.

Such a system is called 'Line Automation'.

A nice engineered floor-track or an overhead track (the 7th axis for a 6-axes Robot, or 5th axis for a SCARA) - that can handle inertial effects of moving a Robot at high speeds, is critical for trouble-free functioning of Line Automation System.

A Robot is not an element with fixed symmetric weight. Each time the position of it's arms (axes or joints) changes - the CoG shifts. Engineering the guidance, the drive and motion matrix for a clean dynamic stability - is the hallmark of a reliable Line Automation System - where additional motion-axes are necessary for a typical industrial Robot.

Insight's Automation experts comprehend this criticality in depth, thanks to first-hand experiences and a history of having developed complex motion systems.

Robotic Automation, Production Line, Overhead Gantry Robot

Cell Automation | Machine Tending

As cycle times of machines get lower, dedicated Robots become more meaningful.

When a Robot manages 1 or more machines in a localized set of machines, it is called 'Cell Automation'.

It is always best to keep a Robot fixated in a particular position, of course wherever plausible - to extract maximum speed and reliability. But then, if it isn't feasible i.e., another axis is necessary - the subject enters the domain of Line Automation.

When it comes to Cell Automation - structurally rigid & dynamically stable pedestal, the EOAT designed to minimize inertial loads & moments, shortest-path motion-vector, and other nuances - become far too crucial for a system that is built to perform and deliver.

Be it the gripper force validation, conveyor capacity, position repeatability, fitness of the fixtures to support Robotic L/UL, etc., every aspect must be taken into diligent consideration.

With an experience of installations across the spectrum of industries - be it Automotive, General Engineering, and so forth, Insight's Automation crew develops cell that exude operational reliability, in all it's true essence.

Cell Automation, Robot Automation, Machine Tending, Pick & Place

Assembly & Inspection Automation

Assembly processes, specifically L/UL - can be automated using smaller SCARA Robots or simple Pick & Place units, or 6-axes Robots where there's complexity of part orientation, and in some cases where part weight is high enough - through high-load capacity Gantry pick & place.

If not all, most cases where the parts get smaller - typically the production volumes get bigger - higher volumes can be either addressed by having multiple machines / lines (parallel operations), or by shifting the gears to the paradigm of partial Automation as a first step.

But off these either ways, probabilities (albeit varying with respect to the kind of paradigm) of - defects, missing parts, wrong assembly and so forth, become significant.

That is where Assembly Automation comes to the rescue - by greatly minimizing or in fact eliminating process anomalies as a function of reduction in operator dependence and hence taking away the inconsistencies in the production volumes.

Assembly Automation, Robotic Assembly, Assembly Line Automation, Smart Assembly Line

Assembly Line | Robot & Floor Track

Systemic process automation in a scalable and phased manner - decrease the initial investment allowing the business to breathe through the transformation.

There are 2 levels of automation:
1) Process automation - at the machine level
2) Line automation - across the machines - by way of Auto L/UL & part transfer from machine to machine

When volumes are low, begin with simple semi-automatic assembly machines, progress to fully automatic machines as the volumes grow to medium levels, and then transcend into fully automated line with Robot Automation when production evolves into high volume rates.

Throughout the development cycle of a high productivity automated line, it is important to note that the goal is to Automate the process and not just to implement Robotic Automation. These two are widely differing paradigms.

An efficient process amplifies efficiency of Automation and the contrary is equally true.

Assembly Line, Robot & Floor Track, 7th Axis, Moving Robot

Robotic Welding Cells & Lines | Arc, TIG, MIG

Welding is arguably one of the most meaningful ways of joining 2 or more parts - which then become one.

At the heart of it, welding is all about melting the base material or a matrix of material+electrode, while protecting the melt from undesired chemical reactions with air - such as oxidation. And then, the size of electrode, amperage, voltage, deposition rate, electrode feed, weld travel speed, etc., are all interlinked and affect the quality of the weld - be it right bead size, volumetric density, joint strength, heating-cooling induced warpage, and various other defects / undesired outcomes.
In simple words, comprehension of the process is more important than the Automation itself.

And then, a well designed welding cell / line - exudes finesse in terms of protecting component parts of the fixtures, machines & robots themselves - through appropriate coating and protection barriers.

Minimizing fumes and ensuring environmental safety - are other critical aspects that dominate right set-up of the process parameters and installation of supporting accessories.

Robot Welding | Arc Welding, TIG Welding, MIG Welding | Automatic Welding

Robotic Handling of Forging | High Temperature Zones

Forged parts occupy a special place in the design of high strength parts used in various mechanisms across the industries.

But the process is also something that poses dangerous safety risks for operating personnel, and risks of damage of tools and presses when loading is done wrong.

Robot L/UL effectively addresses both these causes of concern. But then, heat is the enemy of electrical &/or electromechanical actuators - as the case may be.
Here's where sound thermal engineering which hovers over heat insulation & dissipation - is of paramount importance - to ensure reliable functioning of Automation System.

And then, handling of hot parts through right grip-fingers, exercizing the balance of grip-load between holding firmly & not damaging the parts, are some of the arenas that need comprehensive simulations & engineering validations.

When done well, results are profoundly rewarding with direct impact on operational efficiency.

Machine Tending | Robotic Forging | High Temperature Handling

Foundry Automation | Die-casting | Ladling & Handling

Similar in principle to forging, heat affected zones need to be engineered to manage and nullify / minimize the effects of high enthalpies that the electro-mechanical systems of an Automation are exposed to.

Pouring metal into the mold, is as simple as it gets - of course when the right kind of Robot is put to use.
And as cited above, it is the heat affected zone that takes the center stage in the design of Foundry Automation.

Carefully implemented heat barriers and strategically placed insulation along the flow of heat, whilst allowing the dissipation of heat quickly and away from the actuators, are some of the simple nuances that are the building blocks of a fine Foundry Automation.

Take care of elementary and most often deceptively critical aspects, and the rewards of such a systemic automation are significant - in terms of operational safety, de-skilling, process automation - be it volumetric control or process consistency, and so forth.

Foundry Automation | Die Casting Automation, Ladling, Handling

Painting Automation | Robotic Spraying

Painting is a science in itself. Quantity of paint, time to settle & cure, film thickness, viscosity control, mixing ratio, are to name a few of the process parameters that affect the end result.

And then, design of the chamber or so to say the booth - is as simple yet as critical to functioning of the Painting cell.

Not to mention the importance of protection of moving elements and on-board circuitry from aerosols.

What a human can do whilst sensing and feeling the outcome on a real-time basis, a Robot cannot do. So, it is not about Robotic Automation here - for that is fairly simple, it is about setting up comprehensive process parameters - which enable Robot Automation.

And the returns are tremendous when a fine painting cell/line is built.

Painting Robot | Spraying Automation | Robotic Painting

Robotic Fettling | Gate, Riser Cutting | Trimming

Evolution in die-casting has greatly minimized the need of cutting off unneeded material in the form of gates, risers, runners and so forth, and then finishing up after the cuts or trims.

But, taking example of aluminium casting - LPDC, GDC and the likes, as inherently fundamental processes of shaping the melt into specific cast-shapes - have continued to dominate most shop-floors due to core process-specific benefits such as cast-quality, permeability, porosity, cost impact, cycle times and a host of other criteria.

Fettling processes such as gate cutting, riser cutting, trimming and so, remain relevant and remain labour intensive in most shop-floors even today. Robot automation is apt when thin section protrusions are to be trimmed and theres's a large variety of parts to be fettled.

Apt capacity of tool-spindle, payload of Robot, mounting of the Robot-base, fixturing for the part, and other minor yet critical aspects need to be fit in like a nice jig-saw puzzle, for a trouble-free fettling Automation system.

Painting Robot | Spraying Automation | Robotic Painting

Sealant Application | Glueing | Dispensing

Whilst a simple sealant application assembly machine is apt for high-volume parts, Robotic sealant application fits right in where there's batch production and a large variety of parts.

Choosing the right dispenser & nozzle that fit the bills in concurrence with the viscous & chemical characteristics of of the sealant or glue in question, is the first step.

And then, validation of flow, pressure, establishing the parameters that enable near-homogeneity of the dispensed fluid - are a few aspects that are critical to the outcome.

Insight's process experts help choose our customers the right 'way' for such and similar applications keeping a firm focus on cost-benefit analysis drawn through a fine balance of flexibility versus productivity.

Robotic Sealant Application | Glue dispensing | Robotic Glueing | Robotic Sealing

Sorting & Grouping | High Speed Automation

Small or tiny parts - are becoming verily relevant as the product development across the spectrum of industries inches towards compacting the foot-print - be it appliances, smart-phones, computers, electronic goods and many other segments.

Tiny plus High volume, is the recipe that creates the need for parallel arm Robots. But well, high speed means high vibration and high inertia, and that translates to the need of subtle yet sound structural engineering.

And then, there's the need of synchronization of the transfer systems (typically conveyors), a robust vision system and a sound control-software architecture.

That's precisely how our Automation crew approaches the automation such as sorting or high speed L/UL.

Robotic Sealant Application | Glue dispensing | Robotic Glueing | Robotic Sealing

Robotic De-burring | Chamfering | Finishing

Subtractive manufacturing i.e., machining, remains relevant despite advancements in additive manufacturing. And in all probability, it will continue to remain so - for at least couple of more decades or perhaps more.

All machining operations create burrs at edges, whether its the end of a through hole, or an edge where milling terminates, or even grinding in some cases.

Loose particles let off by the burr, are perhaps the most common causes of mechanism-failures and seizing of the parts in relative motion.

Robotic de-burring solves this problem in an impactful way, and saves creative humans from doing a mundane task of removing burrs.

Tool-spindle, right cutting speed, feed, Robot payload, correctly designed fixturing, design to minimize effects of edge profile variations, are all the nuances that need to be done well - for a fit & forget de-burring Automation system.

Robotic De-burring, Robot Chamfering, Robot Finishing

Conveyors | Transfer Systems

Conveyors are as important for an Automation cell, as a Robot in itself. A simple belt conveyor takes the parts from one position to another, whereas a Slat conveyor will good positioning accuracy & inertial control - will facilitate trouble-free & reliable pick-up of the part by the Robot or a Pick & Place.

Other systems such as free-roller conveyor, transfer mechanisms, gravity chutes, and so many more - have their own fundamental design principles that make them efficient at what each needs to deliver.

Indeed, a well design conveyance system for input and output parts - is a performance critical aspect of any Automation System.

Conveyors | Transfer Systems | Belt Conveyors, Slat Conveyors

Unmanned Manufacturing | End-to-End Automation

World's best smart factories work as long as 1000 hours unmanned - and the unmanned time keeps getting longer.

'Awareness' of the shop-floor, or may be even a localized cell, more aptly called the 'autonomy', is the basis of making a smart manufacturing cell, line or an entire factory.
And such awareness is the outcome of a continuously communicating framework of sensors & actuators - coordinated by a well designed controls' architecture.

Sound engineering of Mechanical elements, thoughtful controls and communication framework, real-time monitoring and actionables - are a few of the arenas that enable this quite literally limitless possibility of Smart & Autonomous Manufacturing.

Unmanned Automation Cell, Unmanned Robotic Automation, Conveyance, Part Transfer, Automatic Conveyors

Specialized Compact Pick & Place

Not everywhere is an industrial Robot necessary. All the decisions on what kind of automation is appropriate, must be driven by fitness-to-purpose and the level of desired future flexibility.

In many a cases, customized and simplistic pick & place units suffice. Modular design of Insight's Pick & Place units - also add to a good probability of re-use and re-configure.

And in some cases, industrial Robots just don't fit the bill, be it the accessibility in a certain application - like say the system (part pick up & placement) needs to be fit into an area where there's real-estate constraint. Customized pick & place units offer a wide range possibilities in cases where generally used solutions are not very apt.

Compact Pick & Place, Customized Pick and Place Automation

Gantry Automation | Overhead | On Floor

Some production lines have machines that allow access to part L/UL from top to bottom, like say a coating line, or a large machining center, or a case where part weight warrants a big sized industrial Robot. Well there are many other applications such as this on a case-basis, where Gantry Automation makes most sense.

And in such systems, it is important to realize that all Gantry Systems are made of beams' & columns'/struts' architecture. Yes, even industrial Robots are beams, and pretty much everything we see, but Gantry systems are built on and around the correct use of such elements - carefully minding the behavioural patterns in terms of stresses, longitudinal & transverse deflection, thermal effects, inertial effects, and so forth.

Most Gantry system under-perform, or in some cases don't work at all - simply because the structural mechanics wasn't correctly engineered.
Insight's domains specialists in Design & Engineering - know this first-hand and develop Gantry Systems that work and deliver.

Gantry Automation, Overhead Gantry, Pick and Place

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